Tradition is a simple and abstract word, but it contains a vast amount of important connotations, among them culture, identity, knowledge, advice and emotions. I have chosen the field of African American tradition and Native American tradition to present different views on tradition and tradition awareness. To give a more detailed and concrete analysis I will use the short stories ”Everyday Use“ by Alice Walker and “Yellow Woman“ by Leslie Marmon Silko.
In “Everyday Use“ I will mainly point out what tradition means to the characters Dee, Maggie and Mrs. Johnson. With the help of the story, I will prove both the antagonistic relationship and the parallels between Dee on the one side and Mrs. Johnson and Maggie on the other. Then I will focus on the importance of the traditional quiltmaking and the conflicts it brings up among the family members. The short story “Yellow Woman“ includes important aspects of the Native American culture such as the Trickster figure or the element of oral narration. So I will present the character Silva as a Trickster figure and describe the importance of oral tradition. Then I will continue with the protagonist’s inner conflicts concerning her identity. The last chapter concludes by comparing the attitudes of the shortstories‘ characters and gives perspectives.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. Definition of important and central terms
3. “Everyday Use“ by Alice Walker
3.1 Mrs. Johnson
3.2 Dee (Wangero)
3.3 Quiltmaking as a symbol of tradition
4. “Yellow Woman“ by Leslie Marmon Silko
4.1 Silva as a Trickster figure
4.2 Oral tradition in Indian American literature
4.3 The Yellow Woman story
5. Conclusion
Objectives and Topics
This work examines the concept of tradition and its shifting significance within African American and Native American cultural contexts through the lens of two seminal short stories. The primary research goal is to analyze how different characters interpret, preserve, or lose their connection to ancestral legacies in a rapidly changing world.
- Comparative analysis of "Everyday Use" and "Yellow Woman"
- Examination of heritage vs. commodification of tradition
- The Trickster figure in Native American mythology
- The role of oral tradition in cultural identity
- Conflict between practical use and aesthetic display of cultural objects
Excerpt from the Book
3.1 Mrs. Johnson
Mrs. Johnson, the protagonist of the short story “Everyday Use“, is the mother of Maggie and Dee. Right at the beginning of the story, the reader gets to know how meaningful everyday use is to her. She says: “It is not just a yard. It is like an extended living room“(YW 2387). So the yard is not an additional object to round up the beauty and lifestyle but it is integrated into the everyday life. Furthermore she describes how pleasant it is to sit in the yard and feel “the breezes that never come inside the house“(EU 2387).
Mrs. Johnson is called and often referred to as ‘mama’ in the story. Mama bears connotations such as strength, a big girth and even leisure. It is a typical Southern American expression, mostly used by African American people. Mama describes herself as a “big boned woman with rough, man-working hands“(EU 2388). She mentions qualities that were useful and necessary to survive for her ancestors. She “can kill and clean a hog as mercilessly as a man“ and “can work outside all day, breaking ice to get water for washing“(EU 2388). So she is able to survive with the help of methods that were passed on by her family. She has the ability to actually use them and therefore be independent.
Summary of Chapters
1. Introduction: The author introduces the central themes of African American and Native American tradition and outlines the intention to analyze them through Alice Walker's and Leslie Marmon Silko's works.
2. Definition of important and central terms: Key concepts such as heritage, tradition, and myth are defined to provide a theoretical foundation for the subsequent literary analysis.
3. “Everyday Use“ by Alice Walker: This chapter analyzes the generational conflict between Mrs. Johnson, Maggie, and Dee, focusing on their differing views on the value and function of family heirlooms.
3.1 Mrs. Johnson: This section details the mother’s practical, lived relationship with her heritage and her role as a guardian of family traditions.
3.2 Dee (Wangero): This section explores the daughter's antagonistic, aestheticized view of her own history and her failed attempt to reclaim her identity.
3.3 Quiltmaking as a symbol of tradition: This section investigates the quilt as a central metaphor for cultural identity and the preservation of African American heritage.
4. “Yellow Woman“ by Leslie Marmon Silko: This chapter explores how Native American myth and oral tradition influence the protagonist's sense of self.
4.1 Silva as a Trickster figure: This section identifies the character Silva as a manifestation of the mythological Trickster archetype.
4.2 Oral tradition in Indian American literature: This section discusses the vital, flexible nature of storytelling in passing down survival skills and cultural knowledge across generations.
4.3 The Yellow Woman story: This section examines the protagonist's navigation between reality and mythical narrative as she integrates ancestral stories into her own life.
5. Conclusion: The author synthesizes the findings, noting that while the specific cultural paths differ, the act of adapting tradition to the present ensures its survival.
Keywords
Tradition, Heritage, African American literature, Native American literature, Identity, Quiltmaking, Trickster, Oral tradition, Cultural preservation, Everyday use, Mythology, Folklore, Ancestry, Cultural conflict, Narrative
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the central focus of this work?
The work explores how tradition and cultural identity are understood and maintained in African American and Native American communities, specifically through the literature of Alice Walker and Leslie Marmon Silko.
Which short stories are analyzed?
The study focuses on "Everyday Use" by Alice Walker and "Yellow Woman" by Leslie Marmon Silko.
What is the main objective of the research?
The primary goal is to compare how characters in these stories relate to their heritage, particularly regarding the tension between using traditional objects for daily life versus treating them as museum pieces.
What research methodology is applied?
The author uses a literary analysis approach, drawing on theoretical definitions of heritage and tradition and applying archetypal criticism, such as the Trickster figure, to interpret the characters.
What does the main body of the work cover?
The main body is divided into two major sections: one examining family history and cultural symbols in Walker's work, and the other investigating myth, oral storytelling, and identity in Silko's work.
Which keywords best describe this study?
Key terms include tradition, heritage, identity, oral narrative, cultural preservation, and mythology.
How does the author define the "Trickster" figure in relation to Silva?
The author defines the Trickster as an ambiguous, often chaotic figure who defies moral categorization; Silva is interpreted as a Trickster because he is both creator and destroyer, possesses supernatural traits, and evades clear definition.
Why is quiltmaking significant in "Everyday Use"?
The quilt serves as a symbol of heritage; its "everyday use" represents a living, practical connection to the past, which contrasts with Dee's desire to display the quilts as static artifacts.
How does the protagonist in "Yellow Woman" react to the myth?
The protagonist initially experiences inner conflict and doubt, attempting to reject the idea that she is the mythical Yellow Woman, but ultimately accepts her experience as part of a recurring cultural tradition.
- Quote paper
- Sylvi Burkhardt (Author), 2000, The Function of Tradition in "Everyday Use" by Alice Walker and "Yellow Woman" by Leslie Marmon Silko, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/34538
