Beginning of Essay
Why does the beaten man rise after a fight? What is there to keep a poor man going? What made Everyday Use by Alice Walker so compelling? The answer to all these questions is pride. Pride is often shown in a bad light. One of the first images that pops in my head ....

Middle of Essay
.... to the reader in Everyday Use. I understood why some characters were unsure of themselves. I was puzzled by why some did not feel surer of themselves and their heritage. I was also surprised that some had the pride that could carry them through any situation. Maggie is a classic example of poor self-esteem. She has little pride in herself. She is not as pretty or smart as her sister is. She was also scared in a fire. She has spent her entire life playing second fiddle or at least feeling like it. Dee wants the quilts that rightfully belong to her but instead of fighting she only says, “She can have them Mama”. Her mother describes her voi ....