"Describe This..."

While it may only see the light of day four months a year, it certainly is a prized possession of its owner. It is kept in a leather case that protects its smooth, shiny frame from damage. Its thin, rigid strings take a lot of hits when in use, and the "handle," so to speak, is worn out and tearing.

Celebrating Family Heirlooms

At the end of Alice Walker's "Everyday Use," Ms. Johnson (the mother) awards Maggie the family quilts knitted by her grandmother over Dee. Dee claims that Maggie is not deserving of the quilts, as she will put them to everyday use. In her opinion, heirlooms such as these should not go through such wear and tear; they should be celebrated by being hung and put on display. Ms. Johnson awards Maggie the quilts not because she agrees with her opinion on how the quilts should be put to use, necessarily, but rather because she feels that ultimately, Maggie is more deserving and wants the quilts for better reasons than those of Dee, since Dee is only showing interest because African style has become a new trend. Dee's comment raises an interesting question, though: is putting family heirlooms to actual use appropriate? What is the best way of honoring the item?

Maggie (we assume, since she never actually says this herself) will use the quilts in an everyday sense. This is a way of honoring the family heirloom, in one sense, since it is using it for what it was meant to be. It will be noticed and appreciated every single time it is used. That cannot be said in the other scenario, because if the quilts are hung up on display, they will tend to be forgotten (at least more so than if they were used regularly) and taken for granted. On the other hand, if they are put to everyday use, they will undoubtedly get worn down over time, and eventually, won't be in as good condition when passed down to future generations.

All things taken into consideration, I do not think one way of honoring the heirloom is definitely better than the other; it simply depends on personal decision. Both ways have their respective advantages and disadvantages, and all people have different ways of honoring personal items that mean something to them. The most important thing is that the item must be kept in the family lineage, and the item must never get lost or become unappreciated over time. However one decides to go about ensuring that is up to them.