Background and Purpose of this Assignment: This assignment is interpreting and not simply restating what happens in the short story. This assignment will show your understanding of the theme: how the past is a patch woven into the fabric of the characters’ everyday lives. For Mrs. Johnson and Maggie, the past is part of their everyday-present cultural heritage and identity. For Dee, her heritage/past is something to fashionably hang on a wall or take pictures of with a Polaroid camera. There is no true connection to her real heritage.
Directions: Choose two of the following questions to answer. Each question is worth 20 points, so carefully plan your written response. Your answers should be two paragraphs–only– one paragraph that has evidence from the short story and the second paragraph that has evidence from the film that supports the evidence that you included for the short story. The evidence for the short story must be the same scene in the film. This is graded on how well you analyze and interpret and not on how well you “retell” the story’s plot. In order to earn full points for your response, you must have one paragraph that includes evidence from the short story only, and one paragraph that has evidence from the film that answers and proves your answer to the question.
Include a works cited page on a separate sheet at the end of the assignment.
Format/Style: Your responses should be typed, double-spaced, and include the number of the question. Make sure to follow the M-context sentence-E-A-L for the paragraphs. Incorporate sources correctly.
Helpful Handouts:
1. Literary Tools for Understanding the Short Story “Everyday Use,” by Alice Walker,
2. Sample Assignment
3. How to Analyze a Short Story.
4. Writing About Theme
5. Critical Thinking Questions for the Short Story
6. Critical Thinking Questions for the Film
Format for the paragraphs: Third person point of view. Length: 8-9 sentences.
• M- Topic sentence should clearly answer the question.
• Context Sentence: Further explain how the evidence will support your answer in the short story.
• Evidence: The evidence must be introduced appropriately with a correct signal phrase, cited, and explained how the evidence you have chosen from supports your answer to the question, which is your topic sentence (M).
• Analysis: Avoid dumping in a string of evidence. After the citation, explain how the evidence supports your answer to the prompt which is located in your topic sentence and your introduction.
• Last Sentence: In the first paragraph, end with a linking sentence to connect to the film paragraph.
Questions: Choose 2 questions—each is worth 20 points.
1. The opening scenes in both film and literature are extremely important in establishing theme. In the short story the opening scene is where Mrs. Johnson and Maggie are sweeping the yard free of the leaves. When the story ends, they are back in the yard with the leaves. What is symbolic about the yard and significant about the opening scene of both the film and the short story in furthering the theme(s) of the importance of the past in the present? How does the yard reinforce the importance of the past/heritage in shaping present day character heritage?
2. Irony is a literary technique by authors to extend meaning and further the theme(s) of the work. It deals with contradictory statements or situations. Verbal irony is when one thing is said, but the opposite is meant. Provide one example of verbal irony in the short story and compare it to how the film dramatizes the irony. What are the differences, similarities? Does the intended meaning of the irony in the short story play out in the same way as the film? What purpose does this serve to the theme of “Everyday Use’? In the short story this is referred to as verbal irony, however, this same ironic scene is dramatic irony.
3. Both the short story and the film are told from the point of view of Mrs. Johnson. In what way does the first person point of view help to support the theme? How is Mrs. Johnson connected to the importance of heritage? How does the film help to establish Mrs. Johnson’s role as the embodiment of heritage and its importance to the family?
4. The fire at the house left Maggie scarred, outside and inside. In the film and in the short story, Maggie is portrayed as timid. How does Maggie change and how does this convey the importance of heritage? In contrast, Dee (Wangero) is portrayed as strong, arrogant, and self-confident. Which of the two girls changes in the story and in the film? Why is this important for supporting the theme of how the past impacts the present? How does the film make this apparent? What techniques does the film use? How does the casting, lighting, dialogue, camera help interpret your answer.
5. Character: What is significant about Dee taking photographs of her family when she first arrives with her boyfriend? How does the film lend drama to her attitude toward heritage?
