Daily Use by Alice Walker Through the comparison of family members and points of view in "Daily Use", Alice Walker illustrates the importance of understanding our present life in relation to traditions of our people and our culture. Using careful descriptions and attitudes, Walker demonstrates what factors contribute to the values ​​of one's heritage and culture; illustrates that these are not represented by the possession of objects or simple appearances, but by one's lifestyle and attitude. Throughout the story, Walker personifies different sides of culture and heritage in the characters of Dee and her mother (the narrator). Dee can be seen to represent a materialistic, complex and modern lifestyle in which culture and heritage are to be valued only for their "trendyness" and aesthetic appeal. The mother, on the other hand, represents a simple and contained lifestyle, in which culture and heritage are valued for both their usefulness and their personal meaning. The story clearly supports the mother's simple and unsophisticated view of heritage and shows contempt. for Dee's materialistic connection to her heritage. This is demonstrated from the very beginning of the story. We learn very early that the mother inherited many customs and habits from her ancestors. She describes herself as "a large, strong woman with the rough hands of a working man." (485). It also describes various skills here including: ? Can I kill and clean a pig as mercilessly as a man? I can train...