Read the following excerpt from the story “Everyday Use.”
“Well,” I say. “Dee.”
“No, Mama,” she says. “Not ‘Dee,’ Wangero Leewanika Kemanjo!”
“What happened to ‘Dee’?” I wanted to know.
“She’s dead,” Wangero said. “I couldn’t bear it any longer, being named after the people who oppress me.”
“You know as well as me you was named after your aunt Dicie,” I said.
What do these lines reveal about Dee and Mama? What ambiguity and irony do you see in these lines? Give examples from the text to support your views.
The Correct Answer and Explanation is :
In Alice Walker’s “Everyday Use,” the exchange between Dee and Mama reveals important aspects of both characters’ identities and their relationship, with elements of ambiguity and irony woven throughout.
Dee’s desire for change: Dee’s decision to change her name to “Wangero Leewanika Kemanjo” signifies her rejection of her given name and, by extension, the heritage and culture that she associates with it. Dee’s claim that she could no longer bear the name “Dee” because it symbolizes “the people who oppress me” suggests her growing discontent with her past and the heritage tied to her family. She distances herself from what she views as an oppressive legacy.
Mama’s perspective: Mama’s response to Dee’s renaming, “You know as well as me you was named after your aunt Dicie,” highlights a deep sense of attachment to family history and tradition. Mama views the name as a tribute to their ancestors, showing her pride in the legacy, which contrasts with Dee’s desire to reject it. Mama’s tone, while not overtly confrontational, conveys a sense of disbelief that Dee would want to abandon her roots.
Ambiguity and irony:
- Irony of Dee’s self-reinvention: Dee’s new name is meant to symbolize a break from her past, but it’s ironic that the name she chooses sounds constructed and unfamiliar, whereas “Dee” was a name she grew up with and had familial meaning. In trying to find identity through a new name, she inadvertently reveals her disconnection from her true roots.
- Ambiguity of “oppression”: Dee claims the name Dee “represents oppression,” yet she has benefitted from the same culture and family legacy she now denounces. It is ambiguous whether she genuinely feels oppressed or if she is using the term to justify a desire for a more affluent or “modern” identity, as her educational opportunities and lifestyle have distanced her from the poverty-stricken life her mother still endures.
In summary, these lines reveal the tension between the two characters’ values: Mama’s attachment to tradition and Dee’s desire for self-definition through a rejection of her past. The irony and ambiguity in Dee’s actions and words serve to highlight the complexity of identity and heritage.