Writing WorkshopExpository Writing: Comparison-Contrast

Essay

Assignment: Write an essay comparing and contrasting two literary elements, subjects, or works. (The audience is your teacher and classmates.)

When you compare and contrast two or more things, you look for similarities and differences. Comparison-and-contrast writing helps you understand and analyze elements in a story, poem, play, or novel.

Comparison-Contrast Essay: Assignment

Comparison-Contrast Essay: Prewriting

Choosing a Topic

Finding Similarities and Differences

Organize Your Information

Getting Started

Assignment

Feature Menu

Look through your textbook for selections that have something in common. Ask yourself these questions to get started.

Comparison-Contrast EssayPrewriting: Choosing a Topic

Are there two folk tales or myths with similar elements?

“Aschenputtel”

“Yeh-Shen”

a Cinderella figure

magical animals

Look through the collections in this book for selections that have something in common. Ask yourself these questions to get started.

Comparison-Contrast EssayPrewriting: Choosing a Topic

What about characters who have similar problems?

Laurie in “Charles” adjusting to school rules and expectations

Roger Clark in “Miss Awful”

Look through the collections in this book for selections that have something in common. Ask yourself these questions to get started.

Comparison-Contrast EssayPrewriting: Choosing a Topic

Do two poems have a common theme or subject?

“Abuelito Who”

“Ode to Family Photographs”

connection to family

the power of memory

When you have identified two selections for your essay, jot down similarities and differences in two columns.

Comparison-Contrast EssayPrewriting: Choosing a Topic

Similarities Differences

Both “Aschenputtel” and “Yeh-Shen” are folk tales and Cinderella stories.

Both involve wicked stepmothers and handsome monarchs.

In both, magical animals help the heroine get to a party.

In both, the shoe fits.

They all live happily ever after!

The handsome monarch is a king in one story—a prince in the other.

A magical fish helps one heroine go to the spring festival; magical birds help the other heroine go to a ball.

How might two characters be alike?

Now decide which features to compare and contrast. Focus on the same elements in both works.

rhythm

Comparison-Contrast EssayPrewriting: Finding Similarities and Differences

Which elements might be similar in two poems?

imagery

formtheme

actions appearance

feelingsthoughts

Creating a Venn Diagram can help you see how your subjects are alike and different.

Comparison-Contrast EssayPrewriting: Finding Similarities and Differences

List one character’s traits on the left.

List the other character’s traits on the right.

Similarities should appear where the circles overlap.

Comparison-Contrast EssayPrewriting: Finding Similarities and Differences

▪ “fair, lean, and lanky”

▪ better boxer

▪ before fight passes time on rooftop

▪ “dark, short, and husky”

▪ better slugger

▪ before fight watches boxing movie

▪ 17 yrs old

▪ keep scrapbooks

▪ jog and work out daily

Antonio FelixSIMILARITIES

Here is a Venn Diagram for the Student Model.

Arrange your details using one of these patterns.

Subject 1: AntonioFeature 1: behaviorFeature 2: characteristicsFeature 3: feelings

Subject 2: FelixFeature 1: behaviorFeature 2: characteristicsFeature 3: feelings

Comparison-Contrast EssayPrewriting: Organize Your Information

1. The block method focuses on all points of comparison for one subject at a time.

Comparison-Contrast EssayPrewriting: Organize Your Information

2. The point-by-point method alternates between subjects, explaining each point of comparison for both subjects.

Feature 1: behaviorSubject 1: AntonioSubject 2: Felix

Feature 2: characteristicsSubject 1: AntonioSubject 2: Felix

Feature 3: feelingsSubject 1: AntonioSubject 2: Felix

Once you have chosen two elements or selections to compare and contrast, you are ready to help your readers get a clearer view of both subjects.

Comparison-Contrast EssayGetting Started

Remember to use specific examples to support your claims about similarities and differences.

Writing WorkshopExpository Writing: Comparison-Contrast

Essay

The End