Short Story Theme Essay

Improved Essays
Story Symbols and Themes Franklin D. Roosevelt, the 32nd president, a very influential person through the Great Depression and World War II famously said: “The point in history at which we stand is full of promise and danger. The world will either move forward toward unity and widely share prosperity - or it will move apart.” The Collection stories that we read are the Quilts of a Country by Anna Quindlen, Once Upon a Time by Nadine Gordimer, and the Gettysburg Address by Abraham Lincoln. The role of the individual is to fight for unity. As a student, it is my task to identify that the symbols: a quilt, a gate, and an allusion to the Declaration of Independence, are separate items that represent unity, security and equality respectively.
The quilt is the symbol for Quilts of a Country in all of the various backgrounds, but at times we will still find where we will come together as Americans. First, the text states: “With the end of the cold war there was the creeping concern that without a focus for hatred and disgust, a sense of national identity would evaporate, that the left sign of the hyphen- African-American, Mexican-American, Irish-American- would overwhelm the right.” This goes to ask about why we
…show more content…
First, some evidence would be that the speech contains: “It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here for the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced.” This leads us to think about the unfinished work that was spoken of which would be the fairness that we should be fighting for - a great cause. Next, another piece of evidence, the speech states, “It is altogether fitting and proper that we should do this.” This points towards how they were fighting for such a cause that everybody needed to be in it together. In conclusion, the symbol focuses on people fighting as one country for one significant

Related Documents

  • Improved Essays

    After the end of World War I, Americans began to feel a distinct lack of national identity. They felt disconnected from their past and were unsure where the future was taking them. Compared to their European counterparts with their long and rich history full of art and literature, Americans felt that their country was inferior and provincial. A call to restore the American pride rose from the ranks of writers and artists, demanding the creation of a new history of the United States, one that would provide a worthy foundation of people, places, and events for American artists to draw inspiration from. They responded enthusiastically, excited to shake off the chains of worldly influence and forge ahead to create a new identity for America filled…

    • 976 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    In her short story, Everyday Use, Alice Walker exhibits the perspectives of the three main characters in how they view the family’s quilts. While similar, these perspectives have a very distinct meaning for each of the characters. The quilts symbolize historical moments in each of their lives, except Dee. To her, the quilts are nothing more than fragments of outdated, useless linen. Subsequently, it is not until she transitions into Wangero that she begins to understand, or have an idea of, the significance of the family quilts.…

    • 1054 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    My Mother Pieced Quilts

    • 937 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Does one’s culture inform the way one views others and the world? Yes it does. In many articles it showed how different one's culture could be to another person, and how it affects how they view the world. Some of those articles are Indian Father's Plea, My mothers pieced quilts, HAPA, Everyday use, and Where worlds collide. People's culture changes how they view the world outside of their own.…

    • 937 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    A view on individuality can be formed in many different ways. One way in particular is the formation of someone’s culture. Beliefs, religion, music, and so much more make up the concept of culture. A person’s aspect of the world around them can be influenced by culture. Someone’s personal culture can result in them having a negative experience.…

    • 705 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    After reading and analyzing The Century Quilt by Marilynn Nelson, the reader can interpret that the author is telling a story about her cultural background and the significance of a family heirloom that has been passed down for generations. The narrator was sharing her feelings on how she felt about not getting a family heirloom over her older sister and she related that to her grandmother. Nelson used theme, symbolism, and point of view to showcase her feelings about being an outcast in her own family. When reading the poem, it is evident that the theme of the poem is exclusion. The speaker felt as if she was left out of her own family, so she used her pain and compared it to her grandmother’s experience when she was mended into a new family.…

    • 787 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Superior Essays

    Many Americans today take the privileges they are given for granted. Rarely do citizens of the United States reflect and truly appreciate how such an unlikely circumstance became a wonderful reality. Americans must understand how such a great nation succeeds despite the odds against it. The United States of America, a nation built on improbable foundations, is able to succeed through uniting people under a common goal, and by being tolerant of different people; this is exemplified through the strong symbolism, persuasive pathos, logical logos, and descriptive diction present in A Quilt of a Country: Out of Many, One?, and Lincoln’s Second Inaugural Address.…

    • 1121 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Superior Essays
  • Superior Essays

    The quilts that have been passed down for generation’s to represent the importance of their family heritage. According to Jennifer Martin, quilting has been part of the African-American tradition since slavery. Women use quilting as a source of expressing themselves and to connect with others. In addition, quilting was a sign of women sisterhood and empowerment. As a result of having a negative aspect about something so valuable and priceless, the family suffering from the lack of communication and support from each other.…

    • 1034 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Superior Essays
  • Superior Essays

    In "A Quilt of a Country " the quilt symbolizes one group as a whole even with diversity in America. In "Making the Future Better Together "Washington's speech symbolizes the future. Theme is a lesson learned in the text. In almost all the texts there is a theme presented to the readers. The symbols in the three texts lead to a theme in the text.…

    • 1049 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Superior Essays
  • Improved Essays

    In the Gettysburg Address, Lincoln appeals to ethos, logos and pathos through his use of Allusion, structure and diction. While in the mist of the civil car, President Abraham Lincoln went on stage to address the attendees of the Soldiers National Cemetery for their dedication to fighting for the country. During his speech, Lincoln uses pathos to express his message to soldiers of the Civil War. He does this by emphasizing the importance of equality, freedom and liberty. His goal was to honor the brave soldiers who fought in the battle of Gettysburg.…

    • 593 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Decent Essays

    The American Flag has always been a symbol for freedom, unity, and power. This monument will stand as a reminder of that and of all the founding fathers have done to build this country. The founding fathers displayed are George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, Benjamin Franklin, John Adams, John Jay, and Alexander Hamilton. The flag has stood by us in times of good and bad, and has continued to inspire us. During the Olympics our flag has been a sign of victory.…

    • 244 Words
    • 1 Pages
    Decent Essays
  • Improved Essays

    The dollar bill has many symbols that symbolizes our nations history. Such as the two great seals the eagle, all seeing eye, and the pyramid. It all dates back to the freemasonry, they symbolised everything for a reason and many people don't know why some also say that is what the freemasons were trying to accomplish. What does all of the eagles features symbolize about our nations history. The olive branch suggested by the second committee whose designs had female figures representing Peace and Liberty holding the olive branch.…

    • 500 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Symbolism in the works of literature refers to the use of objects, people, animals, and situations that have other meaning than the literal one used in the story. It creates a certain emotion or mood in the story making the reader understand it better. Symbolism is widely applied in the story Everyday Use by Alice Walker. This paper will explore symbolism in the story Everyday Use which includes the house, quilt, yard and characteristics of some characters.…

    • 1219 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    The importance of family heritage and tradition is demonstrated throughout Alice Walker’s work, “Everyday Use.” A family’s heritage reflects their relative’s beliefs or nationality and usually includes an important item that is being passed down throughout many generations. There are many symbols that influence Walker’s writing and reveal the theme of the story. Although Mama, the narrator, and one of her daughters, Maggie, understand the value of family heritage, the older daughter, Dee, has a different view on this concept. Even though the two sisters, Dee and Maggie, were raised under the same roof, there are a numerous amount of characteristics that differ between the two siblings.…

    • 830 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Stitching Conclusions The physical world is filled with symbols. Symbols, physical objects that represent ideas, emotions, or philosophies, are universally recognizable and important, especially in the literary tradition. Authors use symbols to rationalize the world by connecting thoughts and people; they use symbols to explain and expose the reality of the world, society, and the human condition. Yet, in many ways, the significance of symbols transcends beyond their connections to themes. People not only assign meaning to objects, they assign humanity into objects, permanently interjecting a personal part of themselves into the world.…

    • 1106 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    A short story is brief but has to contain meaningful story to make readers interested. Even if a story has mass of ideas or has a good and long structures, people will not focus on reading and start quitting reading if it is too complicated. Also, a story affects totality. Totality can define unity. So, a short story unifies ideas by holding each person’s single emotion.…

    • 792 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays