The main character of the “Everyday Use” by Alice Walker is Mrs. Johnson or Mama. Whilst in “The Journey” by Catherine Lim, the main character is Richard. In both masterpieces, the writers have managed to blossom the superlative momentous of the genesis. The theme that is scarcely being urged among the wordsmith and writers nowadays.
In the “Everyday Use”, the theme of the story that is being accentuated is the importance of heritage and in here, the quilt or the duvet represents the heritage or the root that is being brawled between Dee or Wangero and Maggie. Although Maggie has jeopardised herself by compromising with her tyrant-liked sister, she secretly averse towards her forlorn sister’s act. Mama loves her daughters. From the story, we can distinctly see that Mama thinks sensibly when she is in dilemma. She decides that Maggie is the virtuous person to inherit the quilt. Through her astute and prudent thinking, she discerns that Maggie will use the quilt for her “everyday use” in contrast with Dee who will put the quilt for a display which will contradict the actual use of a quilt. (I did something that I never done before: hugged Maggie to me, then dragged her into the room, snatched the quilts out of Miss Wangero’s hands and dumped them into Maggie’s lap.)
In Lim’s “The Journey”, she also registers the appreciation of the roots. Similarly to Mama, the main character Richard finally perceives the significant of his roots which are his village family, his mother, his aunt and his grandmother. Richard seems apathy in his life due to his desolate malady, his capitalistic wife and his yearned for family in the village. Throughout the poignant story, Richard keeps recalling his past events with his roots. (Once-he must have been eight or nine at the time-he had fallen through the hole, and his mother had taken a long time to clean him up, drawing up one bucket of water after another from the well). By the end of the story, he has made a very staggering decision that resolves his problems when he decides to return to his roots instead of accepting his adamant wife’s idea who wants him to be treated in New York. The hurdles have turned Richard into a grown up man. He finally can decide what is best for him and he stays firm on his decision to return to his roots, although he is aware with the consequences that might engage in his forsaken life. (But he said,” I’m making the journey. I’m going home”.)
