Danny Hernandez
Ms. Lehmann
English 1-1A
10 October 19
American Inequalities
Julian Castro once said, “In the end, the American dream is not a sprint, or even a marathon, but a relay. Our families don’t always cross the finish line in the span of one generation. But each generation passes on to the next the fruits of their labor.” Through-out American history, the struggles to attain an equal, united nation have been passed on. This essay will compare and contrast how Anna Quindlen’s “A Quilt of a Country” and Abraham Lincoln’s “Gettysburg Address” treat the issues of equality unity.
Quindlen and Lincoln both discuss equality in their works. “Both authors agree that inequality is an ideal worth striving for even though we have not yet achieved it in our nation. Quindlen explains that our nation has held onto the value of equality since its creation, she writes, “Americas … is held together by the notion that all men are created equal” (Quindlen 3). Here, Quindlen highlights the value of equality, not as something we should fights for, but also as a value that has held our nation together. Quindlen also saw the difficulty in attaining equality, though. Quindlen points to cultural inequalities in our nation, but Lincoln faced much more severe issues surrounding slavery.
Lincoln, like Quindlen, saw the inequalities in the way people in our country were treated, but he fought the civil war to free slaves. In his speech, he says “We here highly resolve that... this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom “(Lincoln 28). Lincoln wanted equality to keep our nation together, but he didn’t see the fruits of our labor. Both authors value unity as well as equality.
Both Lincoln and Quindlen discuss their opinions on unity but while unity is important to both authors, they also recognize that it is difficult to put onto practice. Quindlen knows unity is important and that we often fail to achieve it. She writes,” This is a nation founded on a conundrum, what Mario Cuomo has characterized as ‘community added to individualism.’ These two are our defining ideas; they are also in constant conflict. Both Quindlen and Lincoln wanted to reunite the US, but they sought for different kinds of unity. Patriotism is willing to fight for your country and care about your country like what Lincoln was doing to reunite our country.
For both Quindlen and Lincoln, patriotism requires pride in America. Quindlen says Patriotism means being proud of our diversity and the fact we have stayed together in all the failures we have had. She writes,” But patriotism is partly taking pride in this unlikely ability to throw all of us together in a country that across its length and breadth is as different as a dozen countries, and still be able to call it by one name “(Quindlen 6). Quindlen defines patriotism as pride in our struggle to stay together despite our differences. Quindlen’s definition of patriotism doesn’t require as much sacrifice as Lincoln’s. Lincoln needed more than pride. He needed devotion to the nation. At the dedication of the national cemetery, Lincoln said,” We have come together to dedicate a portion of that field as a final resting place for those who here gave their Lives that that nation might live” (Lincoln27). Lincoln’s definition of patriotism is being devoted enough to fight for, even die for your nation. Both authors agree that patriotism requires pride, though Lincoln wanted devotion.
Equality, unity, and patriotism are all ideals that Quindlen and Lincoln share, though they value them in different ways. Quindlen and Lincoln agree that equality is an ideal worth striving for but Quindlen points to inequalities while Lincoln faced slavery issues. Both authors agree that unity is important but, it’s difficult to achieve. Both authors agree that patriotism is necessary to keeping our nation together but, Quindlen argues that patriotism today means being proud. While Lincoln needed devotion. In the end, Julian Castro was right; the American dream is a relay, not a sprint.
Work Cited page
Lincoln, Abraham. “The Gettysburg Address.” Collections, edited by Kylene Beers, Martha Hougen, Carol Jago, William L. McBride, Erik Palmer, & Lydia Stack, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2017 pp. 27-28.
Quindlen, Anna. “A Quilt of a Country.” Collections, edited by Kylene Beers, Martha Hougen, Carol Jago, William L. McBride, Erik Palmer, & Lydia Stack, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2017, pp.3-6.
Compare and Contrast Reflection
Please answer all questions in complete, grammatically correct sentences.
1. Explain the process you went through to write this paper. Please be specific.
Read it.
Discuss it.
Write it.
Revise it.
Hand it in to grade.
Correct it.
2. What qualifies this paper as a compare and contrast essay? What are the requirements for this genre and how did you meet them?
Discuss the similarities and differences.
3. Tell me about one challenge you faced writing this paper and how you overcame it.
Everything about it writing the summary at the end without actually saying it again.
Ms. Lehmann
English 1-1A
10 October 19
American Inequalities
Julian Castro once said, “In the end, the American dream is not a sprint, or even a marathon, but a relay. Our families don’t always cross the finish line in the span of one generation. But each generation passes on to the next the fruits of their labor.” Through-out American history, the struggles to attain an equal, united nation have been passed on. This essay will compare and contrast how Anna Quindlen’s “A Quilt of a Country” and Abraham Lincoln’s “Gettysburg Address” treat the issues of equality unity.
Quindlen and Lincoln both discuss equality in their works. “Both authors agree that inequality is an ideal worth striving for even though we have not yet achieved it in our nation. Quindlen explains that our nation has held onto the value of equality since its creation, she writes, “Americas … is held together by the notion that all men are created equal” (Quindlen 3). Here, Quindlen highlights the value of equality, not as something we should fights for, but also as a value that has held our nation together. Quindlen also saw the difficulty in attaining equality, though. Quindlen points to cultural inequalities in our nation, but Lincoln faced much more severe issues surrounding slavery.
Lincoln, like Quindlen, saw the inequalities in the way people in our country were treated, but he fought the civil war to free slaves. In his speech, he says “We here highly resolve that... this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom “(Lincoln 28). Lincoln wanted equality to keep our nation together, but he didn’t see the fruits of our labor. Both authors value unity as well as equality.
Both Lincoln and Quindlen discuss their opinions on unity but while unity is important to both authors, they also recognize that it is difficult to put onto practice. Quindlen knows unity is important and that we often fail to achieve it. She writes,” This is a nation founded on a conundrum, what Mario Cuomo has characterized as ‘community added to individualism.’ These two are our defining ideas; they are also in constant conflict. Both Quindlen and Lincoln wanted to reunite the US, but they sought for different kinds of unity. Patriotism is willing to fight for your country and care about your country like what Lincoln was doing to reunite our country.
For both Quindlen and Lincoln, patriotism requires pride in America. Quindlen says Patriotism means being proud of our diversity and the fact we have stayed together in all the failures we have had. She writes,” But patriotism is partly taking pride in this unlikely ability to throw all of us together in a country that across its length and breadth is as different as a dozen countries, and still be able to call it by one name “(Quindlen 6). Quindlen defines patriotism as pride in our struggle to stay together despite our differences. Quindlen’s definition of patriotism doesn’t require as much sacrifice as Lincoln’s. Lincoln needed more than pride. He needed devotion to the nation. At the dedication of the national cemetery, Lincoln said,” We have come together to dedicate a portion of that field as a final resting place for those who here gave their Lives that that nation might live” (Lincoln27). Lincoln’s definition of patriotism is being devoted enough to fight for, even die for your nation. Both authors agree that patriotism requires pride, though Lincoln wanted devotion.
Equality, unity, and patriotism are all ideals that Quindlen and Lincoln share, though they value them in different ways. Quindlen and Lincoln agree that equality is an ideal worth striving for but Quindlen points to inequalities while Lincoln faced slavery issues. Both authors agree that unity is important but, it’s difficult to achieve. Both authors agree that patriotism is necessary to keeping our nation together but, Quindlen argues that patriotism today means being proud. While Lincoln needed devotion. In the end, Julian Castro was right; the American dream is a relay, not a sprint.
Work Cited page
Lincoln, Abraham. “The Gettysburg Address.” Collections, edited by Kylene Beers, Martha Hougen, Carol Jago, William L. McBride, Erik Palmer, & Lydia Stack, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2017 pp. 27-28.
Quindlen, Anna. “A Quilt of a Country.” Collections, edited by Kylene Beers, Martha Hougen, Carol Jago, William L. McBride, Erik Palmer, & Lydia Stack, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2017, pp.3-6.
Compare and Contrast Reflection
Please answer all questions in complete, grammatically correct sentences.
1. Explain the process you went through to write this paper. Please be specific.
Read it.
Discuss it.
Write it.
Revise it.
Hand it in to grade.
Correct it.
2. What qualifies this paper as a compare and contrast essay? What are the requirements for this genre and how did you meet them?
Discuss the similarities and differences.
3. Tell me about one challenge you faced writing this paper and how you overcame it.
Everything about it writing the summary at the end without actually saying it again.