Question

What is Walker suggesting with the Polaroid picture-taking?

Answer 1

In “everyday use” Dee thinks herself different and better than her sister and mother. She thinks herself superior, more educated and more connected to their heritage.

When Dee visits home after a long time instead of going directly to her mother and sister she takes out the polaroid camera and starts taking pictures.

With Dee’s act of polaroid picture taking Walker wants to suggest that Dee prioritises taking pictures over greeting her mother and sister. This shows how disrespectful and arrogant she is towards her mother’s sacrifices and the work her mother has done to make Dee educated and provide her better quality of life.  

Dee is taking pictures to show her house and heritage to people to impress them. Taking pictures suggest that she is not much interested in seeing her mother.

The act of taking pictures by Dee shows Dee does not understand the worth and importance of her family, the memories they shared and their heritage.  She is more interested in materialistic goods.