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Mayra J. Diaz

Ms. O’Keefe

3 April 2018

Walker vs. Schwartz: “Everyday Use”

The original short story, “Everyday Use,” by Alice Walker is about an African American

family that has been living in poverty almost their whole lives, except for Dee. Mama lives only

with her two daughters, Maggie and Dee; however, they’re all very different in their own ways.

Walker states, in her short story, “In real life I am a large big-boned woman with rough,

man-working hands. In the winter I wear flannel nightgowns to bed and overalls during the day

… Maggie has been like this, chin on chest, eyes on ground, feet in shuffles… Dee is lighter than

Maffie, with nicer hair and a fuller figure…” (2). Maggie is very timid, and conservative -

whereas Dee is very social and outgoing. Mama describes herself as manly and tough(nothing

compared to her daughters). This story mainly focuses on descriptions and the family's

history/present - Schwartz also keeps this the same. It shows how different people can turn out,

compared to where they’re raised and what they’re taught growing up. The film version leaves

many details out, but does focus on the key events. The decision Schwartz’s makes, leaving out

details and and certain thoughts, impacts the overall meaning of the short story by taking away

the more intense mood and tone of the short story.

In Schwartz’s film version of “Everyday Use,” he keeps the key point the same as the

short story version. He explains the families past, the backstory of their old home, and Mamas

thoughts on her daughters and their life so far. He also keeps the majority of the dialogue and

style the same. The setting is also shown almost the exact way that Walker described it, as well
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as the conflict with Maggie’s inner-self and between her and Dee, and Dee with Mama. Schwartz

characterized the characters in the same way Walker was as well, he makes very little change to

the important/key events and details. As stated in the previous paragraph, Schwartz also kept

descriptions and the characters characterization/looks the same. The theme of both, the film and

the short story, fall in line with one another - the way you’re raised and what you’re taught will

not, nor does not, define who you are or will become; as shown by their (Mama, Maggie, and

Dee) different personas regardless of being family and living alike.

To conclude, the adaptation Schwartz made of Walkers short story shows many

similarities in the: theme, setting, style, conflict and characterization. The only difference were

the overall tone and mood of the film. Walker is more detailed and gives more insight to each

character. Schwartz is simple and to the point, yet also detailed as well.