Why is Quindlen reluctant to define anything remotely resembling a national character What qualities does she propose are essentially American explain?

Why is Quindlen reluctant to define anything remotely resembling a national character What qualities does she propose are essentially American explain?

In the text, Quindlen refuses to define anything remotely resembling a national character in America. This is because she believes America cannot be defined in these terms. America is a country that was born out of a combination of people from many different nations and cultures. It is a “mongrel” of a nation.

What is the main message the writer is trying to communicate in a quilt of a country?

What main message is the writer trying to communicate in “A Quilt of a Country”? The United States is very different from other countries. People in the United States value the idea that all people are created equal. It is amazing that a country made up of such diverse people can be united as one nation.

What are America’s two defining ideals that are often in conflict?

The two “defining ideals” that are often in conflict in America are community and individualism.

On what memorable day in history does this story take place?

Nove

What does Elena’s mother warns her about?

Eugene’s mom rejects Elena’s friendship with her son because Elena is Puerto Rican and lives in the tenement apartments next door. In fact, Elena’s mother warned her about going over to Eugene’s house right before she went there.

Who does Elena cry for at the end of the story?

She does not feel that she is a part of a group. Who does Elena cry for at the end of the story? What happens to Lizabeth in the middle of the night? She hears her father cry.

What do Elena’s mother and Eugene’s mother have in common?

Elena wants to jump rope with the girls in school, while her m other wants her to stay away from people who will hurt her. What do Elena’s mother and Eugene’s mother have in common? They both worry about their children’s grades in their classes. They both want their children to study hard and go to college.

Why is Elena turned away from Eugene’s house?

She is turned away by Eugene’s mother because Elena is Puerto Rican and not a southern white.

What is Elena’s greatest personal concern on this day?

What is Elena’s greatest personal concern on this day? She is concerned about her study date with Eugene at his house.

How is Elena’s visit to Eugene’s house different from the way she imagines it will be?

Elena feels her home is large and noisy; Eugene’s home is quiet and comfortable.

Why is the story called American history?

The ways that this story reflects on social issues faced in American is that the prejudice that Eugene has in Elena. The author called this story ” American History ” because it was the day that JFK was assassinated. This later become American history.

What lesson does Elena learn in American history?

The personal lesson that Elena learned is that there are different levels of outsiders, and she would be considered beneath Eugene by his own family. For Elena, a personal heartbreak converges with a national crisis. She feels like an outsider, not an American. When she meets Eugene, she sees her chance at happiness.

What is the setting of the story American history?

PLOT SUMMARY. “American History” beings with a description of the narrator’s neighborhood in Paterson, New Jersey, in 1963. The narrator, fourteen-year-old Elena, lives in what she refers to as a Puerto Rican tenement building called El Building. It is an old, rundown apartment building on a busy city corner.

What is the main theme of American history?

The themes of American History by Judith Ortiz Cofer are cultural isolation and the effects of racism and xenophobia, signified in Elena’s difficulty living in Patterson, New Jersey and how the attitudes of people around her affect her feelings about herself and the world.

What is the rising action of American history?

Rising Action When Eleana goes to Eugene’s house and his Mother came to the door, she tells Eleana that Eugene wont be able to study with her because she is hispanic, and she lives in “El building”.

Who is the antagonist in American history?

Cameron Alexander is the main antagonist of American History X.