In the stories you have read in Chapters 4 through 7, you have been introduced to several kinds of characters. Select another story from your textbook that is different than the one you analyzed in the “Literary Techniques and Their Connection to Conflict in Literature” discussion and identify and consider a character you sympathize with. Reflect on why you identify with them and how that character is constructed by the author.

“Everyday Use” (Alice Walker, 1973) Guiding Questions:

1. How do we know that the protagonist is impoverished? Is she content with her class? Why or why not?

2. How do we know that she is African-American? How does her alienation due to her race also connect with her education?

3. The protagonist’s daughter, Dee, who has embraced her African roots, accuses her mother of not understanding her heritage. Why? What is the situational irony at the end of the story?

Your initial post should be at least 200 words in length. The minimum word count does not include references.

As you write your post, answer the following questions:

• identify the character and the literary work he or she appears in.
• Why did this character interest you? What choices does the character make, and how do the choices (or the result of the choices) contribute to the theme of the story?
• What kind of conflict (internal/external) did this character encounter, and how did he or she handle it?
• How does the setting contribute to the character’s development?
• How does the setting contribute to the character’s experience and give the story more meaning?
• Incorporate readings found in Chapters 4 through 7 to help illustrate the points you make.