Critical Evaluation-Morality over the Pleasure Principle in "Everyday Use"

 

Morality over the Pleasure Principle in "Everyday Use"

 

     Theory of Theme

            A.        Psychological Approach

                      Psychological approach is learned faulty behaviors and habits, along with damaging words, thoughts, interpretations, and feedback that direct strategies for daily living. Psychological approaches assume that many disorders result from mental, behavioral, and social factors, such as personal experiences, traumas, conflicts, and environmental conditions.

B.         Pleasure Principle

                                In Freud's psychoanalytic theory of personality, the pleasure principle is the driving force of  the id that seeks immediate gratification of all needs, wants, and urges. In other words, the pleasure principle strives to fulfill our most basic and primitive urges, including hunger, thirst, anger, and sex. When these needs are not met, the result is a state of anxiety or tension.

 

Critical Evaluation of Everyday Use by Alice Walker

Introduction

Alice Walker’s Everyday Use explores complex family dynamics, cultural identity, and the clash between traditional values and modern perspectives. The short story centers around an African-American family comprising a mother (Mrs. Johnson), her two daughters, Dee and Maggie, and their differing relationships to heritage and self-identity. Using Freudian psychoanalysis as a lens, the story's characters reflect the interaction between the id, ego, and superego. The main theme revolves around morality over the pleasure principle, where the mother and Maggie represent moral responsibility, and Dee, or Wangero, embodies self-interest and a desire for personal fulfillment.

1. Freudian Theory: The Id, Ego, and Superego

Freudian theory plays a significant role in analyzing the character dynamics in Everyday Use. Walker’s story demonstrates the struggle between individual desires (the id) and moral obligations (the superego), with the ego mediating between the two.

• Dee (Wangero) as the Id:
  Dee’s behavior and transformation into Wangero Leewanika Kemanjo reflect a pursuit of personal desires, fame, and self-interest. She embodies the pleasure principle, driven by the need to fulfill her wishes, such as the desire for luxurious things and artistic recognition. As the text mentions, Dee “wanted nice things” and pursued them without hesitation, highlighting her id-like nature, unbounded by moral or social restrictions. She is amoral and self-centered, lacking meaningful relationships and focused on her own ambitions.
• Maggie as the Superego:
  Maggie, Dee's younger sister, represents the superego. Her character is associated with order and guilt, often feeling ashamed of her scars and modest life. She is content with the simplicity of her existence, embodying humility and adherence to social and moral norms. The story portrays Maggie as someone who feels undeserving and has internalized the world's rejection. She does not seek out pleasure or fulfillment but is deeply tied to family and tradition.
• Mrs. Johnson as the Ego:
  Mrs. Johnson serves as the ego, caught between the extremes of Dee’s id and Maggie’s superego. Initially drawn to Dee’s modern lifestyle and aspirations, Mrs. Johnson fantasizes about a reunion on a TV talk show, symbolizing her temporary alignment with the pleasure principle. However, by the story's end, she makes a moral decision, choosing to stand by Maggie and the traditional values the quilts symbolize.

2. Cultural Identity and the Pleasure Principle

Dee’s return to her family as Wangero symbolizes her rejection of her past and attempt to reshape her identity. The name change signifies her detachment from her heritage, which she views as something to commodify rather than live. Dee’s desire for the quilts and other family heirlooms reflects her need to display her culture artistically, rather than embracing the emotional and practical significance they hold for her family.

• Quilts as a Symbol:
  The quilts, which Dee covets, represent the family’s connection to their ancestors and their way of life. For Maggie and Mrs. Johnson, the quilts are meant for "everyday use," carrying the history and memories of those who came before. Dee, however, views them as mere artifacts, disassociated from their utility and symbolic of her new identity.
• The Conflict of Values:
  Dee’s modern, materialistic outlook clashes with her mother’s and Maggie’s more grounded values. This tension reflects a broader theme of the story: the difference between viewing heritage as something to preserve and cherish through lived experience versus using it as a symbol for self-promotion. Dee’s detachment from family values represents her pursuit of personal gratification, while Maggie’s connection to heritage demonstrates moral integrity.

3. Morality and Realization: The Triumph of the Superego

The climax of the story occurs when Mrs. Johnson finally rejects Dee’s self-centered demands and reclaims her role as the moral center of the family. Dee’s attempt to take the quilts is thwarted by Mrs. Johnson’s decision to give them to Maggie. This act reflects a shift from the pleasure principle to the morality principle, symbolizing the mother’s recognition of Maggie’s quiet strength and deserving nature.

• Empowerment of the Superego:
  Mrs. Johnson’s act of taking the quilts away from Dee and giving them to Maggie signifies the triumph of morality over selfishness. Maggie, who has always been in the background, is now acknowledged as the rightful inheritor of the family’s traditions. Mrs. Johnson’s decision aligns with a sense of justice, where she embraces the values represented by Maggie rather than succumbing to Dee’s whims.

4. Conclusion: The Ego Balancing the Id and Superego

In Everyday Use, Walker demonstrates the importance of balancing self-fulfillment with moral responsibility. Dee’s character reflects the dangers of unchecked desire, while Maggie represents the quiet strength of tradition and moral clarity. Mrs. Johnson, caught between her daughters, ultimately sides with morality, ensuring the preservation of the family’s heritage. This resolution reflects Walker’s belief in the necessity of grounding cultural identity in lived experience rather than superficial displays.

Through the lens of Freudian theory, Everyday Use shows how the ego, bolstered by the superego, regulates the id, ensuring that moral values prevail over individual desires.