Appearance Versus Reality in Everyday Use by Alice Walker and Zora Neale Hurston and The Gilded Six-BitsIn "The Gilded Six-Bits" it seems that Otis D. Slemmons, the newest arrival in town, is rich, but upon closer examination of Joe Banks and Missie May, turns out to be poor. In "Everyday Use", Maggie does not appear to be intelligent enough to honor and appreciate her heritage, but she and not Dee/Wangero is truly preserving family traditions as well as heritage. Both "The Gilded Six-Bits" by Zora Neale Hurston and "Everyday Use" by Alice Walker have the theme of appearance and reality. Hurston and Walker use the theme of appearance versus reality to convey the message that things are not always as simple as outward appearances suggest. The theme of appearance and reality is seen in “The Gilded Six-Bits” upon our first meeting with Joe Banks. and Missie May. Even at the first look at their lives, we don't know that they are married. It seems like they're just hanging out. Lillie P. Howard, author of the book Zora Neale Hurston, states: "The Gilded Six-Bits is the story of a beautiful marriage fraught with difficulties, with trials and successes, with appearances and reality" (151). Joe admired Slemmons. He says, "Yes, he's up to date. He's got the nicest clothes I've ever seen on a black man's back" (2089). Joe also admired Slemmons' coins "He's got a five dollar gold coin for a pin and a ten dollar gold coin on his watch chain and his mold is really chock full of gold teeth. I wish he was mine" ( 2089-90). Slemmons gave the impression to Joe and the rest of the town that he had a lot of money and expensive jewelry. Joe wants the goods that Slemmons has, and Missie wants him to have them too....... middle of paper ......ity, see. XXI, no. 3, summer 1985. Criticism of short stories. Ed. Thomas Votteler, see 5. Detroit, MI: Gale Research Co., 1990.Baym, Nina, ed. The Norton Anthology of American Literature. Shorter fifth edition. New York: Norton, 1999.Hurston, Zora Neale. “The Gilded Six-Bits” Baym 2087-2095.Walker, Alice. “Everyday Use” Baym 2522-2528.Bone, Robert. “Three Versions of Pastoral” in his Down House: Origins of the Afro-American Short Story, Columbia University Press, 1988. Short Story Criticism. Fowler, Carolyn. “Solid to the Center,” in Freedom Ways, v 14, n. 1, first quarter, 1974. Criticism of short stories. Ed. Thomas Votteler, see 5. Detroit, MI: Gale Research Co., 1990. Howard, Lillie P. Zora Neale Hurston. New York: Twayne Publishers, 1980. Winchell, Donna Haisty. Alice Walker. New York: Twayne Publishers, 1992.