Unity. Isolation. Scared. Content. Those are just some of the words to describe our country. In the texts of “Rituals of Memory” by Kimberly M. Blaeser, “A Quilt of a Country” by Anna Quinten, and “Once Upon a Time” by Nadine Gordimer, the reoccurring theme of the importance of an individual who participates in society by adding diversity to the community and how individualism relates to the community is apparent and foremost and how being together and united as one is better than being disconnected and part. A character, a memorial service, a battleground, a cemetery, a quilt, excessive security measures, and the events of September 11, 2001, symbolize the relationship and discordance between the individual and society.
“Once Upon a Time” …show more content…
Blaeser, central idea plays a huge role in the essay because it helps develop the overall theme in collections one. The central idea of “Rituals of Memory” is no matter how tangled or distant we get, we always return to our central being. “Or perhaps because it seems a fine metaphor for the looped relationships of family, place, and community, the innate patterns of ourselves that always keep us returning. No matter how long our lives, no matter how far our experience takes us from our origins, our lives remain connected, always loop back to that center of our identity, our spirit” (Blaeser 21). This quote is a connection because it talks about an individual’s role in society by saying no matter how long they live or the relationships they have with people and places around them, they always return to the place where their memories first began. “I believe we belong to the circle and, for our survival, we will return in one way or another to renew those rhythms of life out of which our sense of self to emerged. Some of us have a physical place and a people we return to” (Blaeser 22). Talks about how we belong to something or someone and they have a pull that keeps us coming back and making new memories while reliving the other ones is a connection to the theme. There’s a pull greater than our minds can handle that makes us play our role of making new memories and telling others our story. “Memory begins with various wonders” (Blaeser 21). Without a memory of beautiful or horrible events, we wouldn’t be who we are. Our memories and dreams make us who we are and set the path for our
“Once Upon a Time” …show more content…
Blaeser, central idea plays a huge role in the essay because it helps develop the overall theme in collections one. The central idea of “Rituals of Memory” is no matter how tangled or distant we get, we always return to our central being. “Or perhaps because it seems a fine metaphor for the looped relationships of family, place, and community, the innate patterns of ourselves that always keep us returning. No matter how long our lives, no matter how far our experience takes us from our origins, our lives remain connected, always loop back to that center of our identity, our spirit” (Blaeser 21). This quote is a connection because it talks about an individual’s role in society by saying no matter how long they live or the relationships they have with people and places around them, they always return to the place where their memories first began. “I believe we belong to the circle and, for our survival, we will return in one way or another to renew those rhythms of life out of which our sense of self to emerged. Some of us have a physical place and a people we return to” (Blaeser 22). Talks about how we belong to something or someone and they have a pull that keeps us coming back and making new memories while reliving the other ones is a connection to the theme. There’s a pull greater than our minds can handle that makes us play our role of making new memories and telling others our story. “Memory begins with various wonders” (Blaeser 21). Without a memory of beautiful or horrible events, we wouldn’t be who we are. Our memories and dreams make us who we are and set the path for our