Zane Bourn
Ms. Lehmann
English1-1A
10 October 2019
American Dream
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.” Throughout 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, and patriotism in their visions of the American dream. Equality is the first ideal both authors discuss.
Quindlen and Lincoln both discuss equality in their works. Both authors agree that equality 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 quality since its creation. She writes, “America...is held together by the notion that all men are created equal” (Quindlen 3). Here, Quindlen highlights the value of equality, not only as something we should fight for, but also as a value that has held our nation together. Quindlen also saw the difficulty of 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 a 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 his labor. Both authors value unity as well as equality.
Both authors value and discuss unity in their works; they also examine how to achieve unity. While unity is important to both authors, they also recognize that it is difficult to put into 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 ideals; they are also in constant conflict” (Quindlen 4). Quindlen is saying that the U.S. values unity, but we also value individualism, which doesn't always align with unity. Quindlen urges readers to keep trying for unity anyway. While Quindlen wanted the country to be more united socially, Lincoln was trying to put the U.S back together after the south seceded during the civil war. Quindlen notices that the nation came together after 9-11, but Lincoln saw the country divide over the issue of slavery. Lincoln urges people to make sure the” government of the people, by the people, for the people shall not perish from the earth” (Lincoln 28). Lincoln wanted to reunite the government so we would remain one united nation. Both Quindlen and Lincoln wanted to unite the US, but they sought for different kinds of unity. Both authors have pride in our country, and they think it is important to have it.
They both talk about patriotism. For both Quindlen and Lincoln, patriotism requires pride in America. Quindlen says patriotism means being proud that we are all together in one country; be diverse is a challenge for us, but we want to make it work. 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” (Lincoln 27). Lincoln’s definition of patriotism is being devoted enough to fight for, or even die for, your nation. Both authors agree that patriotism requires pride, though Lincoln also wanted devotion.
Equality, unity, and patriotism are all ideals that Quindlen and Lincoln share, though they value them in different ways. Quindlen and Lincoln see equality as a good thing to have, but they have different ways of achieving it. Quindlen wanted to achieve unity, but we says fail to achieve it nation; Lincoln wanted to unite the countries to make one again. Quindlen said patriotism is to be proud that we are all together in one country while Lincoln said giving your life to fight for your nation is for patriotism. So, Julian Castor's ideas about the American dream are proved by Lincoln and Quindlen; it’s a relay, not a sprint.
Works 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
Reflection:Please answer all questions in complete, grammatically correct sentences.
1. Explain the process you went through to write this paper. Please be specific.
Ms. Lehmann gives us some notes. Then we typed it. She corrected it and we fixed 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?
There art two sides that you are comparing and contrasting in this essay.
3. Tell me about one challenge you faced writing this paper and how you overcame it.
I couldn't spell lots of words. Didn't take very good notes and also correcting every mistake.
Ms. Lehmann
English1-1A
10 October 2019
American Dream
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.” Throughout 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, and patriotism in their visions of the American dream. Equality is the first ideal both authors discuss.
Quindlen and Lincoln both discuss equality in their works. Both authors agree that equality 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 quality since its creation. She writes, “America...is held together by the notion that all men are created equal” (Quindlen 3). Here, Quindlen highlights the value of equality, not only as something we should fight for, but also as a value that has held our nation together. Quindlen also saw the difficulty of 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 a 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 his labor. Both authors value unity as well as equality.
Both authors value and discuss unity in their works; they also examine how to achieve unity. While unity is important to both authors, they also recognize that it is difficult to put into 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 ideals; they are also in constant conflict” (Quindlen 4). Quindlen is saying that the U.S. values unity, but we also value individualism, which doesn't always align with unity. Quindlen urges readers to keep trying for unity anyway. While Quindlen wanted the country to be more united socially, Lincoln was trying to put the U.S back together after the south seceded during the civil war. Quindlen notices that the nation came together after 9-11, but Lincoln saw the country divide over the issue of slavery. Lincoln urges people to make sure the” government of the people, by the people, for the people shall not perish from the earth” (Lincoln 28). Lincoln wanted to reunite the government so we would remain one united nation. Both Quindlen and Lincoln wanted to unite the US, but they sought for different kinds of unity. Both authors have pride in our country, and they think it is important to have it.
They both talk about patriotism. For both Quindlen and Lincoln, patriotism requires pride in America. Quindlen says patriotism means being proud that we are all together in one country; be diverse is a challenge for us, but we want to make it work. 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” (Lincoln 27). Lincoln’s definition of patriotism is being devoted enough to fight for, or even die for, your nation. Both authors agree that patriotism requires pride, though Lincoln also wanted devotion.
Equality, unity, and patriotism are all ideals that Quindlen and Lincoln share, though they value them in different ways. Quindlen and Lincoln see equality as a good thing to have, but they have different ways of achieving it. Quindlen wanted to achieve unity, but we says fail to achieve it nation; Lincoln wanted to unite the countries to make one again. Quindlen said patriotism is to be proud that we are all together in one country while Lincoln said giving your life to fight for your nation is for patriotism. So, Julian Castor's ideas about the American dream are proved by Lincoln and Quindlen; it’s a relay, not a sprint.
Works 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
Reflection:Please answer all questions in complete, grammatically correct sentences.
1. Explain the process you went through to write this paper. Please be specific.
Ms. Lehmann gives us some notes. Then we typed it. She corrected it and we fixed 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?
There art two sides that you are comparing and contrasting in this essay.
3. Tell me about one challenge you faced writing this paper and how you overcame it.
I couldn't spell lots of words. Didn't take very good notes and also correcting every mistake.