Compare and Contrast Fever 1793

Coming of Age Coming of age is often a topic of fiction, in the form of a coming-of-age story. In literature, a novel which deals with the psychological and moral growth associated with coming of age is called a bildungsroman. Similar stories told in film are called coming- of-age films.

Bildungsroman bil·dungs·ro·man: noun \ˈbil-du̇ŋ(k)s-rō- ˌmän, -du̇ŋz-\ Definition of BILDUNGSROMAN:  a novel about the moral and psychological growth of the main character Origin of BILDUNGSROMAN: German, from Bildung education + Roman novel First Known Use: 1910

Dynamic Characters Dynamic characters change during the course of the story. Outlook on life Compassion toward people Attitudes toward responsibility Purpose in life Relationships with other people Morals Selfishness vs. selflessness Etc. Static characters remain the same during the course of the story.

Character Analysis Compare and Contrast essay Mattie was a dynamic character in the novel Fever 1793. Fever 1793 was a coming of age story as well as an example of historical fiction. You will compare and contrast the personal qualities of Mattie before and after the yellow fever epidemic of 1793 in order to illustrate how she was a dynamic character. Possible comparison points include the following. You will choose four points of comparison: one relationship and three other points. Relationship with mother Relationship with grandfather Relationship with Eliza Relationship with Nathaniel Attitude toward work Outlook toward the future Methods of making decisions Areas of responsibility Motivation

What is a compare/contrast essay? This type of essay is one in which you take two or more subjects and look at the similarities and differences of each. Compare and contrast essays require research and close text examination in order to provide details. Compare and contrast essays always have a purpose – they make a point!

The Thesis Statement A compare/contrast essay must serve some sort of purpose by making a point. This point is the thesis statement. A thesis statement… States the main point of your argument Clarifies something unknown or not well understood. Leads to a fresh insight or a new way of viewing something. Brings one or both of the subjects into sharper focus.

Block Arrangement Introductory paragraph In the 2 body paragraphs Introduce Mattie in the context of the novel Introduce your thesis statement Give an overview of what criteria you will use for comparison points Restate your thesis in another way In the 2 body paragraphs In the first body paragraph, talk about Mattie before the yellow fever in reference to each of the 3 comparison points. Cite textual evidence for each statement you make. In the second body paragraph, talk about Mattie after the yellow fever in reference to each of the 3 comparison points. Cite textual evidence for each statement you make. Conclusion paragraph Generalize the evidence given in the body paragraphs Based on the evidence you gave in the body paragraphs, draw a conclusion that focuses on the main thesis or point of your paper

Point by point Introductory paragraph In each of the 3 body paragraphs Introduce Mattie in the context of the novel Introduce your thesis statement Give an overview of what criteria you will use for comparison points Restate your thesis in another way In each of the 3 body paragraphs Use one paragraph for each of the 3 comparison points Write about Mattie before the yellow fever and Mattie after the yellow fever in reference to each comparison point Cite textual evidence for each statement you make and include parenthetical citations for page numbers(Anderson 3-4) Conclusion paragraph Generalize the evidence given in the body paragraphs (summary of your points) Based on the evidence you gave in the body paragraphs, draw a conclusion that focuses on the main thesis or point of your paper

Let’s begin…The Big 3 decisions Choose the criteria for comparison (specific points or criteria that you will focus on for the paper) Create a thesis statement (a statement of fact that summarizes the main point of the essay Choose an organization pattern for the body paragraphs (point-by-point or block arrangement)

Clarifying our thoughts… Complete the following statements: "I am comparing Mattie before and after the yellow fever epidemic in order to make the point that ____________________________________ .” “I will compare Mattie before and after the yellow fever epidemic in relation to the following comparison points____________, ____________, ______________, _____________.” “I will use the following organizational structure for my essay______________________________” "The similarities and differences I discover relate to the essential meaning of the novel because __________________________________________.

Organize your thoughts Complete the Compare/Contrast Essay outline sheet Include page numbers of textual evidence for any statement that you make

Now Let’s create an outline of your essay (Point by Point) Introductory paragraph Body Paragraph 1 Body Paragraph 2 Body Paragraph 3 Conclusion

MLA Basics: Parenthetical Citations Researchers place brief parenthetical descriptions to acknowledge which parts of their paper reference particular sources. Generally, you want to provide the last name of the author and the specific page numbers of the source. If such information is already given in the body of the sentence, then exclude it from the parenthetical citation. Place the parenthetical citation where there is a pause in the sentence – normally before the end of a sentence or a comma. The in-text citation will differ depending on how much information you provide within the sentence. Example: Johnson argues this point (12-13). This point had already been argued (Johnson 12-13).

Now let’s look at some samples…