"Everyday Use" by Alice Walker and "A&P" by John Updike, both exhibit a comparable problem concerning acceptance.

Ince
Rachel Ince
Mrs. Hudler
English 1302-14
3 March 2003
Acceptance shown in “Everyday Use” and “A&P”
“Everyday Use” by Alice Walker and “A&P” by John Updike, both exhibit a comparable problem concerning acceptance. Acceptance is a universal idea experienced in everyday life and in many social situations. For instance, when two or more people come together, ideas and opinions can clash and acceptance can become a problem. The situations presented in these stories portray the idea of acceptance while revealing an aspect of the human condition.
To begin, in Alice Walker’s story “Everyday Use”, acceptance is a problem between Dee and her mother. The mother first describes a dream of hers in which she and Dee are reunited on a TV show. She describes a situation in which Dee would want the mother’s appearance to be different. For example, the mother states: “I am the way my daughter would want me to be: a hundred pounds lighter, my skin like an uncooked barley pancake” (89). Therefore, the mother feels as though Dee does not accept her the way she is. Another example takes place when Dee demonstrates her dislike for their home. The mother talks about the new house, she declares, “no doubt when Dee sees it she will want to tear it down” (90). Not only does Dee disrespect the way her mother looks, she disregards her way of life and home. As Dee escapes to college to find a better life, she returns acting and speaking differently. One example would be when she changes her name from Dee to “Wangero Leewanika Kemanjo” (91). When the mother asks why she changed it, Dee states, “‘I couldn’t bear it any longer, being named after the people who oppress me’” (92). This statement shows overall rejection of the entire family.
