There are many examples of symbolism in Alice Walker's "everyday use". Whether it's portraying Mama Johnson, Dee or Maggie. Even everyday household items. Symbolism is used to express or represent ideas or qualities in English, art, mathematics, science, etc. In many ways, symbolism can be used to represent an idea that means more than the literal meaning. In "Everyday Use", Mama Johnson and Maggie await Dee's arrival after several years of not being able to see her. Dee had gone to college a while ago and had written a letter saying she was coming to visit. In the story, the characters are described in their own way. Mama Johnson is a very hard working woman who has done everything a man can do. Dee is a highly educated, optimistic woman who never liked living in the poverty of her mother and sister Maggie. She is very uptight and very presumptuous. She likes to make her mother and sister feel worthless compared to her. Maggie, on the other hand, is a very shy and timid girl who has always lived with Mama Johnson and is not used to her mother defending her. The conflict began when Dee was asking for household items belonging to Mama Johnson, but there was one in particular that Dee wanted. Dee had an eye for hand-sewn quilts that had a huge history behind them. When she asked Mom if she could have the quilts, Mom said no because she promised Maggie she could have them when she got married. Dee was hesitant to give the quilts to Maggie, so Mom snatched them from her hand and placed them in Maggie's arms. Symbolism is used in a variety of ways in Walker's "Everyday Use." For example, the character Mama Johnson is described...... middle of paper ......g in "Everyday Use". When it comes to inheritance, it doesn't matter what item you own or any type of art; all that matters is that we know and acknowledge where we come from and that we teach that your heritage does not come from an object but from the heart. Works cited by Bmad, Nick. 2007. Web March 17, 2014. Eshbaugh, Ruth. A literary analysis of Alice Walker's short story "Everyday Use." Yahoo! Voices. Yahoo.Inc., August 21, 2008.Web. March 17, 2014. SparkNotes Publishers. “Themes, motifs and symbols. » SparkNotes. SparkNotes LLC, Nd, Web March 17, 2014. Researchomatic Editors. “Alice Walker’s ‘Everyday Use’ Themes and Symbols.” Researchomatic.Np, May 2011.Web. March 17, 2014. Velasquez, Juan R. “Characterization and Symbolism in Alice Walker’s “Everyday Use.” » Lone star. Np, ndWeb. March 17 2014.