《外婆的日常用品》中人物分析

《外婆的日常用品》中人物分析邯郸学院外国语学院SchoolofForeignLanguagesofHandanCollege英美小说选读学期小论文论文题目：《外婆的日常用品》中人物分析Title：AnAnalysisonCharactersinEverydayUse专业：英语（师范）_AnAnalysisonCharactersinEverydayUseAbstract:EverydayUsefromthecollectioninloveandtroublepublishedin1973waswrittenduringtheheydayoftheBlackPowermovement.EverydayusetellsreadersthedifferentattitudesofthreepersonsinafamilytoAfrica-Americanheritage.Theportrayalofthecharactersinthenovelisverydistinctandvivid.TheyareMom,andhertwodaughters,DeeandMaggie.Throughtheplots,themesandstyleofthisnovel,AliceWalkerrevealsthedifferentandfreshcharacterofthatera.Thisthesisincludesthreepersonsaimingtogiveacomprehensiveanalysisoftheprotagonist.Keywords:AliceWalkerEverydayUseMomDeeMaggieIntroductionInEverydayUse,AliceWalkerarguesthatanAfrican-AmericanisbothAfricanandAmerican,anddeniestheAmericansideofone'sheritageisdisrespectfulofone'sancestorsandconsequentlyharmfultoone'sself.AliceWalkeristheeighthchildofsharecropperparents,andgrowsupinthemidstofviolentracismandpoverty,whichinfluencesherlaterwritings.SheusestheprincipalcharactersofMama,Dee(Wangero)andMaggietoclarifythethemes.Everydaysettingaroundtheyear1970isastoryaboutapoorblackmotherandhertwodaughtersandMaggie.Dee,theelderdaughter,goestoacollegeinthenorth,andvisitsherhomeonedayandbringsherboyfriend.Theotherdaughter,Maggie,stillliveswithhermother.Maggieisslow,disfiguredandsimple-mindedincontrasttoDee,whoisclever,beautifulbutarroganttypeofwoman.Forthequilt,themotherhasleftforMaggieasweddingpresent.SherefusestogiveDeethequilttohangitintheroombecauseshecannotfullyunderstandthevalueoftheheritage.Bydiscussingtheculturalandhistoricalcontextofthestoryandthroughdetailedreviewingofthecontent,thethesistriestodeeplyanalyzethethemeofAliceWalker'sEverydayUse,anditshowsthatthewriterwantstotellreaderstwomistakesinAfro-Americans'culturalidentification:escapingfromthepainfulhistoryandblindseekingforAfricanculture.1.AnAnalysisonMomMrs.Johnsonisalarge,big-bonedwomanwithrough,man-workinghands.HerstoutbodyandsimpleandhonestcharacteraretypicaloftheAfricanwomen,whicharealsoheritages.Doingveryhardwork,like“OnewinterIknockedabullcalfstraightinthebrainbetweentheeyeswithasledgehammerandhadthemeathunguptochillbeforenightfall”and“Icanworkoutsideallday,breakingicetogetwaterforwashing;Icaneatporklivercookedovertheopenfireminutesafteritcomessteamingfromthehog.”,shesustainsthewholefamilylaboriously.Fromher,readersseetheglitteryvirtueofhardworkingoftheblackwomenandthegreatloveofamotheraswell.Thoughshedoesnotacceptmucheducation,sheknowswhatisgoodandwhatisbad.Mamaisalsoafar-sightedandnervedwoman,whocantryherbesttocollectmoneyforherdaughter’seducationandfutureinthechurch.Unimaginably,sheisawomanwhotalkstoothersalwayswithonefootraisedinflight,withherheadturnedinwhicheverwayisfarthestfromthem.2.AnAnalysisonMaggieHerlittledaughterMaggieisashyandconservativegirlinheritingtheculturefromhermom.“shewillstandhopelesslyincorners,homelyandashamedoftheburnscarsdownherarmsandlegs.”Maggie’sfeaturessymbolizethesufferingandtortuouslifeoftheblackpeople.Whilewithoutthebeautyandbraveness,sheknowstheexactwayoftheirlife.Andsheknowshowtomendit.So“IdidsomethingIneverhaddonebefore:huggedMaggietome,thendraggedheronintotheroom,snatchedthequiltsoutofMissWangero’shandsanddumpedthemintoMaggie’slap.”Sheishomely,andherlegislameaftertheirhousewasburnedtotheground.MaggiehatesneitherlifenorDee.Sheholdsadifferentattitudeonthetraditionalculture.MaggieappreciatesthegiftfarmorethanDeeevercould,andsheknowsmoreaboutthetraditionalvalueofculture.3.AnAnalysisonDeeComparedwithMaggie,Deeisbright,confident,literalandbeautifulandhasheldherlifealwaysinthepalmofonehand.Shecaresmuchabouttheouterappearance.“Herfeetwerealwaysneat-asifGodhimselfhadshapedthemwithacertainstyle.”At16shehasastyleofherownandknowswhatstyleis.Soherattitudetotheappearanceisalsoreflectedonthequilt.Herattitudetothetraditionalcultureissuperficialandtothefamilytraditionalrelationshipisblandandignorant.Tosomedegree,sheisaarrogant,selfishandspeciouswoman.Whenherhouseisburned,shedoesnotcare.“Iseeherstandingoffunderthesweetgumtreesheusedtodiggumoutof;alookofconcentrationonherfaceasshewatchedthelastdingygrayboardofthehousefallintowardthered-hotbrickchimney.”Shestandsforagroupofpeoplewhojustonlypursuetheexternalusageandneglecttheinternalvalue.However,Deehasabigchangelater.InfluencedbytheBlackPowerMovement,shegetsinterestedinherownculture.Thehouse,thebench,thechurnandthequilt,allthesethingsthatareusedtomakeherdisgusteddelightsherthen.Followingthe“fashion”ofthemovement,sheintangiblyandsurprisinglyfindsthe“value”ofherfamily.ButitisapitythatDeeonlyformesashallowviewonherculture.ShesaysthelanguageoftheEastAfrica“Wa-su-zo-Tean-o”tohermother,knowinglittlethattheycometoAmericafromWestAfrica.Neglectingthehistoryandtheloveoftheeverydayuse,shejustwantstokeepthemasornamentstomakeaparade.Maggie,totheopposite,hasadifferentviewontheculture.Thoughdoesnotrealizethe“value”oftheeverydayuse,sheknowseverything’shistory—whomadeit,howtouseitandhowtomakeit.ConclusionThroughtheconflictsbetweenthecharacters,thestoryreflectstheconflictofthesocietytothereaders.DeeisablackgirltryingtoenterthemainstreamofAmerica,namelythewhiteworld,well-educatedbutknowinglittleaboutherculture.Maggieiscapabletopassdownthepreciousculture,butshepaysthepriceoflivinginaless-openenvironmentandgivinguphigheducation.Andthatistheproblem.ThatisDeewhoistypicaloftheconflictbetweentheblackandthewhiteworld.Thenoveltellsthereadersthatitisnecessarytoprot