Some of the narrator's earliest descriptions of her home may make us feel all warm and fuzzy, but don't be fooled: the home in "Everyday Use" isn't some little backdrop to the action of the story. We're told that the Johnsons's current house is a lot like their previous one, the one that burned to the ground in a fire that left Maggie physically and emotionally scarred… and the one that Dee was thrilled to see burn to the ground. So yeah, it's pretty clear that home has a lot of significance for the characters in this story and that's before the action even gets rolling.
Questions About Home
- After declaring that she'll never bring her friends to her mother's home, why does Dee show up there with Hakim-a-barber?
- How can we explain or make sense of Dee's complicated feelings about home?
- How has losing their first home in the fire affected each of the main characters?
Chew on This
The narrator's home exposes the lack of economic progress for African Americans during a period of so-called racial equality.
We can't really blame Dee for wanting her family to live in a nice house.