Question

Read the excerpt from "A Quilt of a Country." America is an improbable idea. A mongrel nation built of ever-changing disparate parts, it is held together by a notion, the notion that all men are created equal, though everyone knows that most men consider themselves better than someone. "Of all the nations in the world, the United States was built in nobody's image," the historian Daniel Boorstin wrote. That's because it was built of bits and pieces that seem discordant, like the crazy quilts that have been one of its great folk-art forms, velvet and calico and checks and brocades. Out of many, one. That is the ideal. The reality is often quite different, a great national striving consisting frequently of failure. Many of the oft-told stories of the most pluralistic nation on earth are stories not of tolerance, but of bigotry. Slavery and sweatshops, the burning of crosses and the ostracism of the other. Children learn in social-studies class and in the news of the lynching of blacks, the denial of rights to women, the murders of gay men. It is difficult to know how to convince them that this amounts to "crown thy good with brotherhood," that amid all the failures is something spectacularly successful. Perhaps they understand it at this moment [in the aftermath of 9/11], when enormous tragedy, as it so often does, demands a time of reflection on enormous blessings. Which statement best traces the development of a central idea from one paragraph to the next? The first paragraph discusses the aspects of American culture that unify Americans. The second paragraph discusses the aspects of American culture that tear Americans apart and cause friction. The first paragraph discusses the idea that Americans are united as one despite their differences. The second paragraph discusses the idea that acts of intolerance make it difficult to believe that Americans are united as one. The first paragraph discusses possible benefits to living in a society like America. The second paragraph discusses the disadvantages of living

Answer 1

The development of a central idea from the excerpts transitions from America's unity in diversity to the challenges in living up to this ideal, highlighting the contrast between the unifying concept of equality and the realities of intolerance and bigotry that exist.

Step-by-step explanation:

The development of a central idea from one paragraph to the next in the excerpt from "A Quilt of a Country" can be best understood by looking at how the first and second paragraphs contrast with each other. The first paragraph introduces the idea that America is a nation built on diverse and ever-changing parts, united by the concept of equality. The second paragraph delves into the reality that America's history and present are fraught with acts of intolerance and bigotry that tarnish this unifying ideal. Hence, the passage transitions from presenting the ideal of unity in diversity to exposing the struggles and failures in living up to that ideal.

The notion of American Exceptionalism plays a significant role in this context. It suggests that notwithstanding the unique opportunity that America represents, the history of inequality and repression towards various groups cannot be overlooked. The contrast between the ideal portrayed in founding principles and the historical reality serves as a reflection of the struggles to achieve a multicultural and equitable society.

This struggle is further enriched by the acknowledgment of a multicultural America where different groups, such as African Americans, Native Americans, Asian Americans, and others, contribute to the nation's fabric yet face challenges. Authors have grappled with portraying America's diversity in literature, reflecting not a monolithic culture but a tapestry of different experiences and perspectives.