Nakiya Goings Ms. Lehmann English 1-1A 20 November 2018 Compare & Contrast What are the values of our nation that have stood the test of time? Both “The Gettysburg Address” and “Quilt of a Country” explore this very question. This essay will compare and contrast “The Gettysburg Address,” by Abraham Lincoln, and “Quilt of a Country,” by Anna Quindlen. The first value the two authors explore is unity. Both Lincoln and Quindlen see the value of unity in our nation. By unifying our people, the United States will be stronger and go further in the future. Lincoln’s “Gettysburg Address,” delivered after one of the bloodiest battles of the Civil War, stresses the importance of uniting the North and South. Lincoln tells his audience to make sure that “this nation, under god, shall have a new birth of freedom – and that the government of the people, by the people, for the people shall not perish from the earth” (Lincoln 28). Lincoln recognized that the only way to keep this country’s government alive was to unify the two parts of the nation. Quindlen, though, is concerned with uniting the various cultures that make up our country today. Quindlen writes, “One of the things that [America] stands for is this vexing notion that a great nation can consist entirely of refugees from other nations, that people of different, even warring religious and cultures can live, if not side by side, then on either side of the country’s Chester Avenues” (Quindlen 5). Quindlen makes the observation that unity is one of the values that have stood the test of time in our nation. Although it looks different today than it did for Lincoln, unity still matters to our nation. Unity often leads to patriotism, another value the authors share. Lincoln and Quindlen both demonstrate a large amount of patriotism and urge their audiences to share in that as well. “The Gettysburg Address,” delivered at the dedication of the Gettysburg Cemetery, honored the fallen soldiers who fought for the North. Lincoln tells his audience that “we cannot dedicate –we cannot consecrate, we cannot hallow this ground” because “The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here have consecrated it, far above our poor power to add or detract” (Lincoln 27). He even says that the world “can never forget what they did here” (Lincoln 27). Lincoln praises the soldiers for their patriotism and urges the audience to show the same dedication to the US. For Quindlen, patriotism means being proud of our nation’s diversity. Quindlen writes that “patriotism is partly taking pride in this unlikely ability to throw all of us together in our country that across its length and breadth is as different as a dozen countries, and still able to call it by one name” (Quindlen 6). While Lincoln was proud of the soldiers who fought to unify the country politically, Quindlen’s patriotism lies in unifying our modern, diverse population. Although it takes different forms, both authors agree that the United States is unlike any other country, and that is something its citizens should be proud of. Along with patriotism, both authors value peace. Both Lincoln and Quindlen want to unify our nation with freedom. Lincoln wants to make peace with the government and for slaves. Lincoln tells his audience that “The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here. It is for us, the living rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who have fought here have thus far so nobly advance” (Lincoln 27-28). Lincoln wants everybody to remember the freedom that was won because of the soldiers who have fought for our country. Anna Quindlen wanted peace for everybody in America. Quindlen tells her audience that “When photographs of the faces of all those who died in the World Trade Center destruction are assembled in one place, it will be possible to trace in the skin color, the shape of the eyes and the noses, the texture of the hair, a map of the world... it’s a wonder” (Quindlen 6). Quindlen finds that many of us together, from diverse cultures, is fascinating in many ways. Lincoln and Quindlen want the best in our country, and for both of them, that means peace between their citizens. “The Gettysburg Address” and “A Quilt of a Country” both examine the values of our nation, though they do so in different ways. Abraham Lincoln and Anna Quindlen both talk about unity, patriotism, and peace in ways that are similar and different. For both authors, unity is important politically for Lincoln and culturally for Quindlen. Patriotism for Lincoln centers on the government of the US while Quindlen values our diversity, but both authors agree that our patriotism matters. Both authors make a plea for peace. Lincoln’s and Quindlen works prove that unity, patriotism, and peace are values of our nation that have stood the test of time.
Compare and Contrast Reflection 1. List one thing you've learned from writing this paper that you can apply to other writing assignments. What will that look like? I learned how to compare and contrast in an essay. 2. Identify a specific revision you were asked to make and explain why (this can be at any stage of the writing process). How did you revise? What did you learn? "The Gettysburg" and "Quilt of a country", I wanted to see what both Lincoln and Quindlen had to say about unity. I explained how they want our country to come as one and unify. I learned how to compare and contrast an essay. I learned that how to use quotations in a sentence and site the authors last name and page number after words. 3. What are the conventions of an argumentative essay and how did you meet those in this assignment? I gathered information and typed out all that I knew from "Quilt of a Country" and "Gettysburg Address". Explaining the similarities and differences. 4. Given more time to work on this assignment, how would you improve it? I would go back and review any mistaken words that I might've typed, and replace them with the correct spelling. 5. What is one thing you're proud of in this paper? I'm proud that I learned step by step how to properly use quotations in a compare and contrast essay..