Every Day Use Paper Upon reading the short story

Every Day Use Paper
Upon reading the short story, “Every Day Use”, I was able to reflect on how my education has been affected by my cultural background. This will be a short story paper that will discuss this issue in relationship to the story provided. The first part of the paper will begin by writing a summary of “Every Day Use”, where I will bring up key points that I can then relate to my own cultural background and the education I was provided in my upbringing. The second part of the paper will then elaborate on how my education has been affected by my cultural background by touching on main themes from the short story.
The “Every Day Use” short story was a very fascinating story that portrays two sisters, Maggie and Dee. Written from the viewpoint of the mother, I was able to understand how each sister chose a different path in life, due to their cultural background. It was interesting to see that even though the two sisters were raised in the same household and had the same childhood, their lives as adults are from the same. Dee was given an opportunity and was able to go beyond a further point in her education than other women in her family, including her mother and sister, ever went. Maggie still lives at home with her mother. She did not further her education and she is a direct result of the women of her family for many generations. Maggie’s life is comprised of heavy physical demands that over time takes a very big toll on her body. When Dee came to visit back home, she argued and chose to only find the negative aspects that were a result of her childhood and the black oppression that was her upbringing.
Following in the footsteps of my father and four older brothers, I always knew that I would attend college. Though I knew that I would go to college, I did not know where in the world I would attend, as my government and family is very supportive of international studying. As a little child, my parents told me that I can either go to school to become a doctor or an engineer. Due to my cultural background and upbringing, I am not necessarily allowed to study in a field I desire or one that interests me. I chose to obtain a bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, and I came all the way from Kuwait to the United States to further my education. I am the first of my family to study in the United States. In Kuwait, it is becoming more and more common for the younger generation to further their education by obtaining a bachelor’s degree and beyond, as the Kuwait government places a high value on their youth becoming educated and they pay for their citizens to go to school. As my father was a first-generation college student, it was his determination for all five of his children to attend college as well.
This short story paper gave a summary of “Every Day Use”. It also gave a reflection on how my education has been affected by my cultural background.