A Quilt of a Country

Quindlen uses quotes from notable figures to bolster her argument. For example, she cites historian Daniel J. Boorstin, who wrote, “Of all the nations in the world, the United States was built in nobody’s image” (1). How does Quindlen interpret this quote? Conduct some research into the source text by Boorstin. What do you think he means? Does Quindlen use this quote in a way that is faithful to Boorstin’s argument? Use evidence to back up your claim.

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.