A Quilt of a Country

Quindlen argues that the United States is a dynamic nation that nevertheless maintains “two strains of behavior,” one of which she attributes to colonial settlers of what would become the United States. Do a little research into the beliefs and customs of this group. Do you think there is still a detectable influence of this group in the present-day United States, as Quindlen claims (and/or in other ways which she does not mention)? Support your answer with evidence from your research.

Quindlen refers to the United States using the metaphors of the “quilt” and the “mongrel.” Explore the meaning and implications of each metaphor in relation to the country’s ethnically/racially plural quality, comparing and contrasting them. What does each represent, and why might Quindlen feel both are necessary?

Discuss Quindlen’s references to foundational American texts like the Declaration of Independence (“all men are created equal”). Why does she incorporate these allusions into her argument?

In Paragraph 8, Quindlen suggests that the United States is a nation that consists “entirely of refugees from other nations.” What does she mean? Why do you think she makes this claim? What effect does it have on the reader?

There have been major shifts in the way information is shared among members of a nation (and the world community) since Quindlen published this piece in 2001. What are some issues Quindlen’s call for unity might not have anticipated? Discuss how the internet and social media shape notions of belonging to a nation.

What does Quindlen mean when she writes that the United States is “impossibly interwoven even in its hostilities” (4)? What are some examples of countries that have split into new ones within the last century? What were the factors leading to fragmentation, and how is the United States different (assuming that it is)?

One could argue that Quindlen misuses the term “apartheid,” equating it with voluntary segregation when in fact apartheid refers not only to segregation, but segregation that results from unequal power dynamics. That is, it entails one dominant group imposing its will upon the rest, with the support of the state. Why do you think she uses this term here and what is the effect of doing so?

Quindlen’s writing style has been critiqued for emotional excesses, i.e., an excessive use of pathos at the expense of facts. What are some examples of her use of pathos to engage the reader in this essay? What emotions does she attempt to draw on and why?