A Quilt of a Country

  1. Vocabulary
  1. Summary
  1. Main Idea
  1. Main Idea
  1. Main Idea
  1. Main Idea

Disparate: (noun) Distinct or not alike.

conundrum: (noun) A riddle; or puzzle.

Incendiary: (adjective) Causing trouble, damage.

Interwoven: (verb) blended; or laced together.

Entity: (noun) Having real; or distinct existence.

Mongrel (noun): something produce by mixing different breeds

Discordant (Adj.):Conflicting or not harmonious.

'A Quilt of a Country' is a commentary written by Pulitzer-prize winning author Anna Quindlen.

The premise behind this article is that despite the diversity that can create a lot of problems within cities across America, diversity serves as a tribute to what makes America special.

America is a unique and incredible idea because it is made up of so many parts

Quindlen uses a metaphor, or a literary comparison, of the U.S. to a quilt to describe its unique creation by using its various parts.

America has suffered from bigotry in many forms such as Racism, sexism, homophobia.

Anna Quindlen's purpose is to help us to realize that the US as a whole, even though we are many different cultures and religions, we manage to find common ground as a whole.

Quilt of A country talks a bout different conflicting cultures, yet we easily deal with one another on a daily basis.

In a quilt of a country, Quindlen says that we have many disparate parts working as a whole. This is indeed true.

Quilt of a Country is that we need to work together with others for the good of the country.

'A Quilt of a Country' was written after the terror attacks on America that occurred on September 11, 2001.

Quindlen uses the metaphor, or a literary comparison, of the United States as a quilt comprised of diversified pieces.

Anna Quindlen writes about a USA of many different cultures and how they live in the same country

"A Quilt of a Country" is an essay written by American writer Anna Quindlen for Newsweek in the immediately aftermath of the September 11th attacks. The piece is unconventional in style and form; it is part autobiographical, part persuasive, and part expository history.

America is an improbable idea, a mongrel nation built of ever-changing disparate parts, it is held together by a notion.

In America all men are created equal, though everyone knows that most men consider themselves better than someone.

The word splintered has a negative connotation. The phrase "splintered whole" is an oxymoron. A thing that is splintered cannot be whole, and yet in this case it is.

Historically the Arab and Jewish people have hated each other. Their beliefs leading them to many violent conflicts

In essence, the author is stating that the degree of diversity that exists in the United States is much greater than any other country in the world.

  1. Open Ended Discussion Question

Do you have a story about someone in your family standing up against injustice?

What’s your earliest memory of becoming aware that some people looked different from you?

What’s your earliest memory of becoming aware of racism?

What privileges do you have that others do not?

Do all people in your country have the same rights?

Is there any difference between white and black people ?

What is your opinion about racism?