Abyssinian crisis 1935-1936 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Abyssinian crisis 1935-1936 - Essay Example Benito Mussolini, the fascist ruler of Italy, had a vision for Italian Empire, similar to the Roman Empire, to rule over the Mediterranean and to also take revenge of the Italian defeat at the Battle of Adwa which happened in Ethiopia on March 1, 1896. Mussolini pledged the Italian people "a place in the sun," as England and France who both had large empires at the time had colonial possessions. Ethiopia was a main candidate of this expansionist ambition for several reasons. Following the rush for Africa by the European imperialists it was one of the few remaining independent African nations, and it would serve to merge the Italian-held Eritrea to the north-west and Italian Somaliland to the east. It was thought to be militarily vulnerable, and abundant in resources.Britain's interest lay around Lake Tana and the headwaters of the Abay (Blue Nile). Italy's main interest was in linking Eritrea with Italian Somaliland. France's interest was the territory to be crossed by the railroad f rom Addis Ababa to Djibouti in French Somaliland.France and other Europeans were not much concerned at the thought of an Italian conquest of part of Abyssinia, given that their own interests were secured. Thus Italy eventually came out as a victor in the Abyssinian War with the major booty with other countries having their trivial share in the pursuit.The Italo-Ethiopian Treaty of 1928 that drew up the boundaries between Italian Somaliland and Ethiopia stated the border was 21 leagues parallel to the Benadir coast. The Italians re-interpreted this to mean 21 nautical leagues, rather than 21 standard leagues, which then gave them greater territory. Acting on this, they built a fort at the Walwal oasis in the Ogaden desert in 1930. In 1934 Ethiopian territorial troops, along with the Anglo-Ethiopian boundary commission, disputed Italy's invasion. The British members of the commission soon withdrew to avoid an international incident. The tensions resulted in a clash that left 150 Ethiopian and 50 Italians dead. The issue was the Abyssinia Crisis tabled at the League of Nations. The League of Nations absolved both the warring parties in September 1935. Italy then started to build its forces on the borders of Ethiopia in Eritrea and Italian Somaliland. With an eminent attack, the Emperor Haile Selassie ordered a general mobilization. His new recruits consisted of around 500,000 men, many of whom were armed with primeval weapons such as spears and bows. Others were equipped with more new weapons, including rifles, but many of these were from the late 19th century and as such were often obsolete (Pankhurst, 605-608)1. Abyssinian Crisis 1935-1936: An Introduction The Second Italo-Abyssinian War was a brief war between the Kingdom of Italy and Ethiopia in the early 1930s. It resulted in the occupation of Ethiopia into Italian East Africa. It resulted in the Abyssinia Crisis at the League of Nations, which is often seen as a manifestation of the incompetence of the organization. In 1935, Emperor Haile Selassie of Ethiopia while addressing the League of Nations attacked the Italian invasion. On October 3, 1935, Marshal Emilio De Bono moved into Ethiopia from Eritrea without declaration of War. He had 100,000 Italian soldiers and 25,000 Eritrean soldiers under his command. A smaller force, under the command of General Rodolfo Graziani, moved into Ethiopia from Italian Somaliland. By October 6, Adwa fell to De Bono's forces. By October 15, De Bono's forces moved on to capture the capital of Axum. The occupying Italians plundered the Obelisk of Axum after annexing the city. On October 7 although the League of Nations declared Italy as the aggressor however was unable with effective sanctions. The British and French drafted the Hoare-Laval Plan; it highly favored the Italians, and was

Finance for Manager (Finance) Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 5000 words

Finance for Manager (Finance) - Assignment Example Here the study also involves a detailed insight into the duties of the financial manager in the company and again recommendations have been developed on the basis of three main factors, i.e. aid planning, control and performance management in the future. The report also discusses the possible source of finance for the recent investment proposal that the company is currently considering. Here the main focus is on loans as a source of finance; however two more sources of finance have also been included as alternatives for the company. Before moving into the current financial condition of the company and analysis of the company, it is crucial to discuss in brief the overview of the company. Overview of Company: Jool’s Furniture was started twenty one years ago and in 1995, the company went on to becoming manufacturers of kitchen and bedroom furniture and within ten years since then, the company went on to expand and have almost 150 different furniture products. The company has gr own since then and now it majorly consists of four main divisions, i.e. Kitchen, Bedroom, Quality and Office departments. The company employs as many as over 500 employees. Although the company has received a number of options to go public, the owner Smith – Brown prefers to keep the company under his complete control hence the public offers have been declined. The next section will detail an analysis of the current financial condition based on which recommendations have been developed for the company. Jool’s Current Financial Condition: In order to conduct an analysis of the company’s financial position, ratio analysis has been adopted here. The ratios analysis has been conducted in four main types, i.e. profitability ratios, efficiency, liquidity, and financial structure. Each of these has been discussed in detail below. Profitability: Considering the net profit margin of the divisions, it has been noted that each of the divisions has shown immense difference. The table below provides a clear insight into three main ratios here, i.e. gross profit margin, net profit margin, and return on equity (Broadbent & Cullen, 2003). Profitability Ratios Year 2009 2008 2007 Â   Quality Products Division Gross Profit Margin 41.37% 40.45% 38.91% Net Profit Margin 3.36% 1.98% -9.90% Return on Equity 9.99% 5.63% -26.30% Â   Kitchen Division Gross Profit Margin 37.61% 36.20% 39.22% Net Profit Margin 3.51% 3.27% 4.97% Return on Equity 11.54% 11.65% 16.73% Â   Bedroom Division Gross Profit Margin 29.78% 31.44% 26.37% Net Profit Margin 3.22% 3.27% 2.48% Return on Equity 11.86% 13.35% 12.85% Â   Office Supplies Division Gross Profit Margin 36.97% 33.64% 38.90% Net Profit Margin 4.86% 4.64% 5.53% Return on Equity 13.38% 12.05% 13.55% Considering the return on equity, it is evident from the results that the Quality products division has seen an improvement as compared to 2007 (-26.30%), the division seems to be stabilising itself currently. The Kitchens Div ision on the other hand has been facing a decline in all of the ratios which does not provide a good insight into the performance of the division

The Development of Irish Education Essay Example for Free

The Development of Irish Education Essay There were huge provisions and developments of education between 1965 and 1984. In 1962 a review of second-level education in the Republic was initiated by the Department of Education, in co-operation with the OECD, culminating in the publication of the report Investment in Education (1965). This report had significant consequences for the development of educational policy. It dealt with two main themes: the capacity of the educational system to meet skill requirements for economic growth, and inequalities in levels of participation. It found that the numbers of those giving up school, together with a restricted curriculum in many secondary schools, would result in a shortage in the qualified labour (particularly in relation to technical qualifications) necessary for economic development. In addition, the report dealt with considerable socio-economic and regional disparities in participation rates. Investment in Education provided the impetus for the introduction of the free education scheme in 1967. This scheme removed fees for participating secondary schools (to reduce socio-economic inequalities) and introduced a school transport scheme (to reduce regional inequalities). The scheme led to a significant increase in the number of enrolments in second-level schools; however, socio-economic and regional disparities persist (Lalor, 2003) In the words of Luke Gibbons (1996), this report was ‘set out to remove the school from the sacristy and place it in line with the need for greater technological change in society’. The report helped to shape the future of Irish Education and through giving greater impetus to nascent trends, contributed to an expansion of the system and to issues such as social inequality and educational effectiveness being placed on the political agenda. Overall, however, the report was part of a pragmatic rather than ideological response to the educational challenges raised by a modernising society (O’Sullivan, 1989). The report highlighted many facts including the high instance of school leavers, low rate of vocational student entering third level courses, inequality of opportunity – unfair access to secondary education and also the need for wider participation in education and for longer retention of pupils in the educational system. This is only a few highlights whereas there were four major recommendations set out by the report of the investment for education which include: 1. The use of scholarship schemes to increase participation. 2. Need for policy planning to improve education at all levels. 3. Possible amalgamation of small national schools. 4. Teachers be kept up to date with ‘new knowledge’. From this report many major developments within the Irish school system have occurred. These developments include

Reflection On A Significant Incident From Paramedic Practice Nursing Essay

Reflection On A Significant Incident From Paramedic Practice Nursing Essay The intention of this written essay is to demonstrate an understanding of my views on the art and science of reflection and the issues surrounding reflective practice. It is based on a significant incident from my own area of clinical practice as a state registered paramedic employed by a large provincial Ambulance Service N.H.S. Trust within the U.K. There is a discussion appraising the concept of reflection both generally, and in my particular area of practice. This is followed by an analysis of the incident using The What ? Model of Structured reflection suggested by Driscoll (2000). A rationale is given for the selection of this particular incident and also for the selection of the chosen model as a framework. It will show how the model has been used to reflect on the incident, what has been learnt, and the outcome on both current and future practice. Reflection is an active process of witnessing ones own experience so that we can take a closer look at it. It has its foundations in the discipline of experiential learning. Dewey (1939 cited in Rolfe, Freshwater, Jasper 2001) claimed that we learn by doing, and realising what came of what we did. Reflective practice is something more than thoughtful practice. It is that form of practice which seeks to problematise many situations of professional performance so that they can become potential learning situations and so the practitioners can continue to learn, grow and develop in and through their practice Jarvis P. (1992) pp174 -181. Johns, C (2000a) pg 34, describes reflection as a window through which the practitioner can view and focus self within the context of his own lived experience in ways that enable him to confront, understand and work towards resolving the contradictions within his practice between what is desirable and actual practice. All professionals experience physical, hands on , doing parts of their roles, but unless they search for the knowledge that comes from realising what came of what they did, then the standard of their practice can stand still. In other words if you always do what you have always done you will always get what you have always got. Roth (1989) summarized the basic elements of a reflective process as follows, à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Keeping an open mind about what, and how we do things. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Awareness of what, why and how we do things. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Questioning what, why and how we do things. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Asking what, why and how other people do things. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Generating choices, options and possibilities. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Comparing and contrasting results. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Seeking to understand underlying mechanisms and rationales. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Viewing our activities and results from various perspectives. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Asking What if à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦..? à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Seeking feedback and other peoples ideas and viewpoints. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Using prescriptive (advice) models only when carefully adapted to the individual situation. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Analysing, synthesising and testing. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Searching for, identifying and resolving problems and result limitation. As a guide to its essential nature, reflection can be viewed as ten Cs of reflection. Johns.C (2000b) à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Commitment believing that self and practice matter; accepting responsibility for self; the openness, curiosity and willingness to challenge normative ways of responding to situations. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Contradiction exposing and understanding the contradiction between what is desirable and actual practice. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Conflict harnessing the energy of conflict within contradiction to become empowered to take appropriate action. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Challenge and Support confronting the practitioners normative attitudes, beliefs and actions in ways that do not threaten the practitioner. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Catharsis working through negative feelings. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Creation moving beyond self to see and understand new ways of viewing and responding to practice. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Connection connecting new insight within the real world of practice; appreciating the temporality over reality. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Caring realising desirable practice as everyday reality. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Congruence reflection as a mirror for caring. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Constructing Personal Knowing in practice weaving personal knowing with relevant extant theory in constructing knowledge. Reflections can vary in their details and their complexity. Two main levels of reflective enquiry have been identified; either practitioners engage in deep and potentially meaningful inquiry, or they opt for superficial problem solving according to tradition or pressure of work. Burnard P. Chapman C.M. (1988) Reflection can be facilitated in a number of various ways. In the narrative, through reflective writing, this may be in the form of analysis of a significant incident from the writers area of practice, through poetry and journal or diary entries and in the context of a portfolio. In clinical supervision, this has been described as an exchange between practising professionals to enable the development of professional skills. B Procter (1989) pg. 23, it can be expressed through dialogue and it has a vital part to play in sustaining and developing professional practice. Reflection can also be expressed using creative strategies such as music, poetry, modelling, art and collage. There is a danger that personal reflection can focus on the negatives of a given incident, where it should involve balanced critical evaluation, focused on abilities and potential for growth. In order to provide a framework for methods, practices and processes for building knowledge from practice there are several models of reflection available. All can help to direct individual reflection. Some may be particularly useful for superficial problem solving, and other better when a deeper reflective process is required. Reflective models however are not meant to be used as a rigid set of questions to be answered but to give some structure and encourage making a record of the activity. The model I have chosen is Driscolls What? model. The reason being that though it has a format of three simple questions what? , so what?, now what? the added trigger questions give a deeper and meaningful reflective process by stimulating a more in depth enquiry leading to the formulation of an action plan for the future. It may be argued that reflective practice in my own area of clinical practice in the ambulance service has always been deployed whether through debriefing after a serious incident or the informal discussion in the cab of the vehicle. I and my crewmate, an ambulance technician, received an emergency call from ambulance control just after midnight to respond to a road traffic collision between a pedestrian and a car. The location was given as a semi-rural area some 6 miles distance from our Ambulance Station, and we were quickly on the scene. As we arrived on scene we first saw the car that had been involved in the incident and l made a quick mental note of the damage to the bonnet, windscreen and roof to assess the mechanism of injury to the pedestrian. The driver was still sitting in the drivers seat and although obviously distressed had no apparent injuries and was being comforted by a passer-by. This situation was left as it was; the primary concern was the pedestrian. The pedestrian, a male in his early forties, was lying on the road some distance from the damaged car. There were three passers-by with him; one of them stated that the casualty was unconscious but breathing. I carried out a patient assessment with a primary survey a rapid in-depth survey of airway, breathing, circulation, disability, taking 60- 90 seconds. (Joint Royal Colleges Ambulance Liaison Committee. Pre-hospital Clinical Guidelines Manual.) I immobilised the patients cervical spine using a semi-rigid cervical collar and opened his airway using the jaw thrust technique. (Institute of Health and Care Development Ambulance Service Paramedic Training Manual). On assessing the airway I observed the patients mouth and upper airway for air movement. There was obstruction due to blood and I removed this by aspirating with suction equipment, and then inserted an oropharyngeal airway in the patients mouth. Moving onto breathing assessment I exposed the patients chest to observe chest wall movement and assess for chest trauma as a cause of breathing problems. Breathing was absent so l proceeded with resuscitation guidelines. Administering basic life support with cardiac pulmonary resuscitat ion I asked my crewmate to fetch the trolley and the spinal board and we positioned the patient on to the spinal board ensuring that cervical spine immobilisation was maintained by using head blocks and straps. Once secured safely to the spinal board, placed on the trolley and transferred to the ambulance, whilst continuing Basic Life Support. The patient was attached to the cardiac monitor which showed Asystole (no cardiac output) and advanced life support was commenced. Intubating the patient was difficult, and it took several attempts to achieve, but eventually the endotracheal tube was in position and connected to the oxygen driven mechanical ventilator to allow artificial ventilation of the patient. The next task was to gain intravenous access for the administration of drugs and fluids, and full advanced life support was commenced. Whilst on The Reflective Practitioner Course I chose to reflect on this incident by writing a piece of poetry entitled Final-Cup Final based on Gibb s model of reflection (see appendix 1). The feelings I had then was that I had done everything possible to save the patients life given the circumstances. But when using Driscolls model (see appendix 2) , with the added trigger questions, a deeper and more meaningful reflection process occurred making me question my actions and leading to the formulation of an action plan for the future. Final Cup Final I remember that warm summers night so clearly, the football cup final. Most people would have watched it just the same as you. Our shift started at seven, by the time we returned to base at midnight five emergencies already, I felt ready for a break. I must have nodded off, suddenly awoke with the ringing of the phone Emergency between A and B Pedestrian versus car.. Off we set all sorts of things racing through my mind. Soon arrived on scene and first saw the damage to the car Crumpled bonnet, broken windscreen, dented roof. The driver sat there shaking, terribly distraught. Passers-by were with you, not sure how to help. Myself and my crew-mate did all we could, used all the skills we knew, Intubation, cannulation, full drugs protocol Nothing we did could save you and my helpless feelings grew. And now as l pass by the scene several times each week I often stop to wonder is there more we could have done? On careful reflection theres nothing more we could. And now I have to realise nothing could have changed. Negative thoughts turn positive look to the future and learn from what has been. Using The What ? Model of structured reflection suggested by Driscoll (2000) the incident can be analysed in the following way. The purpose of returning to this situation is to review and reflect upon my experiences of this particular incident, and help make sense of what was a stressful, complicated and messy situation. I need to question if l made the correct decision as a paramedic to continue with resuscitation of this patient or if l should have certified fact of death at the scene. The casualty was in respiratory and cardiac arrest and so cardiopulmonary resuscitation, basic, and advanced life support was commenced and the patient rushed to the nearest hospital with an accident and emergency department. My crewmate helped with clinical procedures on scene, i.e. cardiopulmonary resuscitation, assisting with intubation and cannulation and drawing up drugs. The casualtys friend and passers-by, although in an emotional state of shock helped as much as they could by fetching and carrying when asked to and I think this helper them in the situation they found themselves in by giving some purpose of being useful. At the time of the incident there was a reflection in action, where do we go from here? tuning in and going with the flow approach from both myself and my crewmate. There were two options available, either continue with resuscitation with full advanced life support or certify fact of death. The best approach at the time, and the one that l chose, even though his injuries were not compatible with life, was to continue with resuscitation. The main factor for this decision was by assessing the situation as a whole and considering the feelings of others. If resuscitation was not attempted the casualtys friend and bystanders would have thought that we were not giving him the best possible chance of survival, even though this chance was very remote. This had to be weighed up against the consequences of commencing resuscitation when it could be both futile and distressing for relatives, friends and health care personnel. Time and resources could be wasted in undertaking such measures. Through reflection on action I have recognised that no guidelines can cover every situation that may arise. They are intended to provide adequate guidance for the great majority of circumstances. Not everything is black and white, there will be grey areas, and it is the individuals responsibility to act as he thinks appropriate at that particular time. The implications for me and others when facing a similar situation again, are to recognise that there is sometimes a grey area when considering if to attempt resuscitation or not. This has to be assessed taking in to consideration the particular situation and using professional judgement based on best evidence and up to date knowledge, and at times thinking beyond the guidelines, whilst remaining professionally accountable to the Heath Professions Council. I can use this learning experience when working with and mentoring trainee ambulance staff and discussing my feelings with them and how they may react and feel in a similar situation. I can get more information and support to face a similar situation from my Clinical Support Manager, Ambulance Service Education department, Joint Royal Colleges Ambulance Liaison Committee Clinical Practice Guidelines manual and the Institute of Health and Care Development manual. Conclusion Reflection can range from deep and potentially meaningful inquiry, to superficial problem solving. The care that patients receive has the direct potential to improve through reflective practice. Structured reflective practice also has the potential to develop staff and improve the implementation of professional standards. It has the following advantages to offer the health care professional; helps to make sense of complicated and difficult situations, a medium to learn from experiences and therefore improve performance and patient care, identify educational needs, identify workload stressors, highlight barriers to development and ways of identifying improvements, and provide evidence of continual professional development and lifelong learning. In addition staff could become increasingly more motivated and empowered.

The Death of Innocence in The Catcher in the Rye Essay -- Catcher Rye

  Ã‚   Holden identifies with, yearns for, and despises traits of the adult and child realms. In the novel The Catcher in the Rye, by J.D. Salinger, the protagonist, Holden Caulfield, fears becoming an adult who exhibits the characteristics that he holds complaints against. Throughout this Bildungsroman narrative, Holden searches for his identity. He tries to figure out his place either in the adult or child realm. Holden possesses a combination of fear and hatred for "phonies". Holden uses this term to describe a wide range of people including shallow, superficial, fake, untruthful, or hypocritical individuals. "One of the biggest reasons I left Elkton Hills was because I was surrounded by phonies... They were coming in the goddam window." By saying, "They were coming in the goddam window," Holden implies his fear. "Phonies" scare him because they surround him; there is a hint of Anthropophobia and Claustrophobia. "Anthropophobia is an anxiety disorder characterized by an abnormal, irrational, and intense fear or dread of human companionship. Anthropophobia comes from the Greek word `anthropo' meaning `human' and the Greek word `phobos' meaning `fear' ". "Claus ·tro ·pho ·bi ·a, an abnormal fear of being in narrow or enclosed spaces [Latin claustrum, enclosed place; see cloister + -phobia.]. Holden's case of claustrophobia deals more with "phonies" encircling him and cuttin g off an escape. Holden's fear stems from the idea that their influences may turn him into a "phony". Holden hates "phonies" because of the insincerity in their actions and speech [(about Ossenburger)"... That killed me."]. He finds their fakeness annoying and criticizes the ladder from a very cynical point of view. Holden lists people whom... ...ne makes when maturing into an adult. Holden wants to protect children from falling into adulthood and catch them before its too late. Many adolescents share the same complaints with the adult world as Holden. But those complaints remain in the untainted field of the rye as each individual must let go of them and plummet to their corruption, leaving all innocence behind. Sources Consulted Bloom, Harold. Major Literary Characters: Holden Caulfield. New York: Chelsea House, 1990. Pinsker, Sanford. The Catcher In The Rye: Innocence Under Pressure. New York: Twayne Publishers, 1993. Salinger, J.D. The Catcher In The Rye. Boston: Little, Brown and Company, 1951. Wildermuth, April. "Nonconformism in the Works of J.D. Salinger." 1997 Brighton High School. 24 November 2002.   

Ghost Story of the Kingsville Haunted House Essay examples -- Ghost St

Kingsville Haunted House The teller is 24 years old, and works for the state department of education. Originally, he was from the Baltimore area where he attended an elementary Catholic school. He moved to Bell Air in second grade and grew up there. After his parents separated, he moved back to Baltimore to live with his grandparents, and has remained in Baltimore ever since. The sister he mentions in the story moved away to China years ago. A weekend or two ago, he, I, and a few other friends spent the evening in one of our favorite hang-out spots in Columbia, Pub Dog. It was there, sitting in our dimly lit booth, over some beers that I heard him tell this story from his childhood. He spoke in a strangely matter-of-fact tone, considering the weirdness of the story he was telling, and in a smooth, comfortable manner that seemed to indicate he had told the story many times before. Here is the story he told: Ok. One night my sister and I were at my father’s house. He lives in Kingsville on 10 maybe 9 acres of land in this [small pause, looks at ceiling] I wouldn’t really call it a farmhouse, just a kind of small house out there. The previous person who lived in the house was supposedly shipped to an asylum, for, you know, normal stuff [pause] schizophrenic or something. My sister and I were at the house one night and we were cleaning up the house while my dad was on some sort of job out of the state and my step mom was at work in the hospital. We were doing our stuff, and then the power flickered, and came back on. We didn’t think anything of it. Then, outside of the door, we heard a noise, kinda like a dog barking, but like, just enough not so that we knew it wasn’t. So, we hear this noise, and start to get fre... ...g age. â€Å"Young children idolize their parents and draw strength from closeness to them.† (Nichols, 190). As soon as my friend and his sister were near to their father, they felt safe, and things returned to normal. This story, although somewhat unique in its exact plot, contains many elements that make it a typical and traditional ghost story. These elements suggest common fears in today’s society of people in general, and children specifically. Works Cited Nichols, Michael P. Stop Arguing with Your Kids: How to Win the Battle of Wills by Making your Children feel Heard. New York: Guilford Press, 2004. Sceurman, Mark and Mark Moran. Weird Maryland: Your Travel Guide to Maryland’s Local Legends and Best Kept Secrets. New York: Sterling Pub. Co., 2006. Spock, Benjamin. Dr. Spock’s Baby and Child Care 8th Edition. New York: Simon and Schuster, 2004.

“Everyday Use” by Alice Walker Essay

In the short story â€Å"Everyday Use† by Alice Walker, she introduces a rural black family who struggle with the meaning of heritage. To Mama, the narrator, and Maggie, the youngest daughter, heritage is whom they are, where they come from, and the everyday use of the things around them. Dee, the oldest daughter, has rejected her heritage from the beginning. She wants the better things in life and goes off to college to find them. On her return, she seems to have a newfound sense of heritage. Through a confrontation about family quilts, Mama realizes that Dee’s view of heritage is that of artistic and aesthetic value: not the everyday use of the objects that hold significant meaning in Mama and Maggie’s lives. Walker portrays one meaning of heritage in her descriptions of Mama and Maggie. Mama says she is a big boned woman with man-working hands. She wears flannel nightgowns, overalls, and has â€Å"fat to keep me [Mama] warm in zero weather† (Walker 655). She can also kill and clean a hog as well as any man. Mama is even proud of the fact that she sweeps the dirt yard so clean that is like an â€Å"extended living room† (654). Likewise, Maggie is not a beautiful girl. She has burn scars on her arm and legs and does everything she can to hide them. She is uneducated, as is Mama, and shuffles her feet like a â€Å"lame animal† (655). Maggie is affected greatly as the first house burns to the ground. Mama states â€Å"her [Maggie] eyes seemed stretched open, blazed open by the flames†Ã‚ ¦Ã¢â‚¬  (655). Maggie understands the connection to her heritage is burning with the house. Maggie knows how to quilt because Grandma Dee and Big Dee taught her, as they have taught Mama. Through these descriptions, Walker gives a sense of poverty, but also shows that the lessons taught to Mama and Maggie by their ancestors are what keep them alive. They can feed themselves, cloth themselves, and are self-sufficient, even if they do not have money. Mama and Maggie are proud of where they come from and the fact that they are keeping the traditions alive through their everyday lives. Dee, on the other hand, has rejected her heritage from the beginning. Dee always wants nice things, remarks Mama. She wants black shoe for a green outfit and a yellow dress to wear to her graduation: even though these  things are hard for the family to come by. When the first house burns to the ground, Dee just stands by the tree with a look of â€Å"concentration on her face† (655). Dee feels no connection to the house as part of her heritage and is glad to watch it burn. Dee also rejects her heritage by rejecting who her mother is. Mama explains that Dee wants a mother who is a hundred pounds lighter and glamorous. Dee does not appreciate the knowledge of her past that is living within and through her mother. At the first chance Dee gets, she runs off to college to distance her self from her family and the poor life she is leading. Ironically, the money to send Dee to college is raised through one of the oldest traditions, her mother’s church. Dee does not realize the significance of this act as part of her heritage, nor does she care. Dee has finally accomplished her goal, getting away from the family and the traditions she despises. Upon Dee’s return home, she seems to have a newfound sense of heritage. She takes pictures of Mama, Maggie, the house, and a cow that wanders by. The house that she despises has now become a focal point to her. At dinner, Dee is excited about the food Mama prepares and Mama comments, â€Å"everything delights her† (658). Dee is intensely interested in the benches her father has built and the origins of an old dasher and turn top. It is Maggie who tells Dee the origins of the items by commenting the â€Å"Aunt Dee’s first husband whittled the dash†¦they called him Stash† (658). Dee now seems to embrace the heritage she so quickly distances herself from in the beginning. She gives a sense of appreciation for the things she once found to be vile and an appreciation for her mother and sister. Even though Dee is interested in her heritage, Mama realizes that Dee is still distancing herself from the family and the true meaning of her heritage. When Dee first returns home, she informs Mama and Maggie that she has changed her name to Wangero because she could not stand â€Å"being named after the people who oppress   her (657). Mama informs her that the name Dee can be traced back through the family tree to the Civil war and even before that. Dee dismisses this explanation. Through the changing of her name, Dee feels that she has connected with her African roots. However, she is truly disconnecting herself from the roots of her family. Dee’s interest in Mama’s  everyday items of the dasher and turn top is purely atheistic. She tells Mama she will do artistic things with the item. All Dee can see in the items is the value they hold as art objects. The final confrontation occurs when Dee goes to the foot of Mama’s bed and takes family quilts from the trunk. Mama tells Dee she has promised the quilts to Maggie and Dee flies into a rage. She tells Mama that Maggie does not understand the value of the quilts and that Maggie would be â€Å"backward† enough to put them to everyday use (659). Mama tells Dee she hopes Maggie will use the quilts because that is what they were made for. When Mama asks Dee what will she do with the quilts, Dee responds that she will hang them on the wall. By hanging the quilts on the wall, Dee is further distancing herself from her heritage: turning it into a piece of artwork. Mama has a revelation as Maggie walks into the room. She tells Mama Dee can have the quilts because she â€Å"can â€Å"ËÅ"member Grandma Dee without the quilts† (659). Mama realizes that Maggie is the one that has a real meaning of their heritage. Maggie knows how to quilt because her ancestors taught her. Maggie knows the stories behind all of the things in the house that she and Mama put to everyday use. Maggie is the one that understand that heritage is the knowledge and memories that are inside her, not tangible objects. Mama rips the quilts from â€Å"Miss Wangero’s† hands and places them in Maggie’s lap (659). At this, Dee venomously tells her mother and Maggie that they do not understand their heritage. The irony is that it is Dee that does not understand her heritage. As she leaves, Dee places a large pair of sunglasses on her face that hide everything â€Å"above the tip of her nose and her chin† (660). Dee is once again hiding who she truly is behind a false faÃÆ' §ade that she has created: a creation that springs from the rejecting and perverting of her true heritage. Through Mama, Maggie, and Dee, Alice Walker gives a true definition of the word heritage. Heritage is what is inside Mama and Maggie, the memories and the skills they have inherited from their kindred. True heritage comes from the everyday use of the memories and skills that are passed down from generation to generation. Dee personifies what heritage is not. Heritage is not hung on a wall, admired for its beauty, and then forgotten. Heritage is  a living entity to be built upon by future generations. Mama realizes this in the end and sees that Maggie is the future of their heritage.