Alice Walker's short story "Everyday Use" is set in the American South during the 1960s and 1970s, a period recognized for its importance in the Black Power movement. After returning from college, Dee shows a newfound love towards her Afro-centric roots, one she had not shown while growing up in her mother's home. Walker uses the multiple settings from which each Johnson family comes to characterize Dee's personality and her misunderstanding of the Black Power movement. The sudden change in reactions and impressions that Dee expresses towards her old home before leaving for college and her current home after returning highlights the lack of sincerity behind Dee's sudden affinity towards African culture. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay Before Dee leaves for college, her mother tells how Dee “had hated home so much” (1227). The mother fears that the similarities between the new house and the previous one will make Dee angry. The house's lack of real windows, pasture setting, and tin roof were not the material elements that her mother remembers Dee obsessing over. Rather, Mrs. Johnson believes that Dee would like to “tear it down,” presumably because of the lack of sophistication the house exudes (1228). This gives the sense that Dee values ​​objects and materials that display similar class and surface qualities over anything else. A house like the one she lives in exudes a lack of sophistication and style in the world Mrs. Johnson describes. Dee takes pride in confirming others' perceptions of her. However, when Dee arrives, her reaction to the house completely surprises her mother. He begins taking several photos of Maggie, Mrs. Johnson, the cow, and most importantly, the house. Mrs. Johnson reports, “He never shoots without making sure the house is included” (1229). This behavior is peculiar, as the mother had previously stated that the new house is similar to the one Dee had hated so much. Walker is able to reveal how quickly Dee's opinion of the house changed, most likely due to her exposure to the Blacks. Power Movement during his time in college. Many young African Americans like Dee began to take pride in their Afrocentric roots around the time of the movement; however, this also shows Dee's lack of sincerity due to her tendency to seek validation from her peers. This explains why Dee takes so many photos of the house, the cow and her family. It's not out of a genuine sense of pride in her African ancestry, but rather because Dee wants to impress her friends by revealing how African she is. Walker uses Johnson's house to paint Dee as a character more obsessed with the social connotations of being African in the time of the Black Power Movement, instead of being genuinely proud of being an African American. Walker shows Dee's hypocrisy in how she treats her mother's house and household items. For example, when she asks for the churn top from her mother, Dee says, “I can use the churn top as a centerpiece for the alcove table” (1231). Rather than respecting the object's use and using it for its intended purpose, Dee sees more value in keeping the churn as a showpiece that she can show off to her friends. This treatment is also shown towards the house when Dee brings Hakim-a-barber home for the first time. The mother recalls that Dee specifically told her, "no matter where we 'choose' to live... she will never bring her friends" (1228). Presumably, Dee does.