Let The Seminar Begin!

This past week my classmates and I took part in a socratic seminar that was broadcasted live on YouTube. The story we discussed within the seminar none other than the piece of Alice Walker, “Everyday Use,” where Walker presents us with the setting in South Georgia where an African American family dwell. The family consists of “Mama,” Dee, and Maggie where family tensions between Mama and Dee are pretty intense after the events that had occurred where Dee had burned down the house and left without acknowledging them of her absence. However, she returns to her family with her new husband, who happens to be Muslim, to reclaim the quilts that were once offered to her since she her endeavor made her realize the value of the quilts. With such a touching story that promotes the importance of family values, this story was sure a great one to discuss. About each and every one of my partners in the had given their insight about the story spilling their ideas out to other members of the group to make sure they’re well understood. When I was explaining to my peers my own interpretation of the story in the aspect that Mama didn’t give Dee, or in this instance Wagnero, since she believed that out of the two daughters Maggie deserved the quilts more since Maggie would use the quilts how quilts should be used and Dee would use them as display to promote her “African” tradition. Many agreed with the fact that Dee was unworthy for the quilts since her loyalty never always lied with her mother therefore basing her choice out of preference within her children. Although only a few of my classmates stayed quiet like Gabby, the Socratic Seminar was quite productive, not only having agreements but disagreements as well with ideological characteristics seeping out bit by bit.