Appearance versus Reality in Everyday Use by Alice Walker and Zora Neale Hurston and the Six Golden BitsIn "The Six Golden Bits ", it appears that Otis D. Slemmons, the newest arrival in town, is rich, but upon closer inspection by Joe Banks and Missie May, he turns out to be poor. In "Everyday Use", Maggie does not appear to be intelligent enough to honor and appreciate her heritage, but she, not Dee/Wangero, truly preserves the family traditions as well as the legacy. Zora Neale Hurston's "The Gilded Six-Bits" and Alice Walker's "Everyday Use" both 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" when we first meet Joe Banks. and Missie May. Even at the first glimpse of their lives, we don't know that they are married. It seems like they're just dating. Lillie P. Howard, author of the book Zora Neale Hurston, says, "The Gilded Six-Bits is the story of a beautiful marriage beset by difficulties, trials and successes, appearances and reality" (151 ). Joe admired Slemmons. He says: “Yes, it is up to date. He has the finest clothes ever seen on the back of a colored man” (2089). Joe also admired Slemmons' coins. "He's got a five-dollar gold piece for a pin and he's got a ten-dollar gold piece on his watch chain and his mouf is full of gold teeth. I wish it was mine" (2089 -90). Slemmons gave Joe and the rest of the town the impression that he had a lot of money and expensive jewelry. Joe wants the goods that Slemmons owns, and Missie wants him to have them too....... middle of paper ......ity, v. XXI, no. 3, Summer 1985. Short story review. Ed. Thomas Votteler, c. 5. Detroit, MI: Gale Research Co., 1990. Baym, Nina, ed. The Norton Anthology of American Literature. Fifth shorter edition. New York: Norton, 1999. Hurston, Zora Neale. “The Six Golden Bits” Baym 2087-2095.Walker, Alice. “Everyday Use” Baym 2522-2528.Bone, Robert. “Three Versions of Pastoral” in his Down House: Origins of the African-American Short Story, Columbia University Press, 1988. Criticism of the short story. Fowler, Carolyn. “Strong at Heart,” in Freedom Ways, v 14, no. 1, first quarter 1974. Review of the short story. Ed. Thomas Votteler, c. 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.