AP Seminar Comparison Essay Topics

Writing an Effective Thesis Statement  What literary devices are being used to establish tone and express theme?  How are these literary devices being used to establish tone and express theme?  When considering a thesis for a literary analysis, look for the ironic center in the literary work that unifies the whole!  In other words, look for ambiguity, contradiction, paradox; explore the nuances of the literary work, and consider how they lead to a deeper meaning and understanding of the literary work!  Thesis Pattern: Topic (author and title) + Strong Action Verb + “Sexy” Adjective + Literary Device (two or three) + Infinitive (to + strong action verb) + Insightful Observation/Interpretation (e.g., shifts in tone) + Theme (introduced with an –ing word).

Thesis Statement Examples  The Road by Cormac McCarthy uses extremely graphic violence juxtaposed with astonishing acts of kindness to illustrate humanity’s constant struggle with the “devil inside,” emphasizing that we are more than mere animals struggling to survive.  Theodore Roethke’s “My Papa’s Waltz” juxtaposes imagery of playfulness and violence to evoke an ambiguous tone of reverence mixed with fear, illustrating the speaker’s attempt to reconcile his paradoxical childhood relationship with his father.  Robert Hayden’s “Those Winter Sundays” uses perceptive diction, evocative imagery, and a regretful tone to illustrate the speaker’s realization of an overlooked expression of his father’s love—building fires on cold Sunday mornings in winter, suggesting that a father’s love is often taken for granted.

Comparison Essay Point by PointBlock  Introduction  First Main Point  Poem or Story 1  Poem or Story 2  Second Main Point  Poem or Story 1  Poem or Story 2  Third Main Point  Poem or Story 1  Poem or Story 2  Conclusion  Introduction  Poem or Story 1  First Main Point  Second Main Point  Third Main Point  Poem or Story 2  First Main Point  Second Main Point  Third Main Point  Conclusion

Topics for Comparison Paper #1  Roethke’s “My Papa’s Waltz” and Hayden’s “Those Winter Sundays”  Roethke’s “My Papa’s Waltz” and Olds’s “The Victims”  Roethke’s “My Papa’s Waltz,” Hayden’s “Those Winter Sundays,” and Olds’s “The Victims”  Joyce’s “Araby” and Updike’s “A&P”