1. Literary Comparison Essay Using the RACE Strategy
“Thank You, M’am” by Langston Hughes

2. RACE Strategy Mini Book
Color, cut, and assemble
your mini book.

3. Restate Writing Prompt:
In an essay, compare the character traits revealed by Mrs. Jones in the dialogue in the story “Thank You, M’am” with the traits revealed by the mother in “Mother to Son.” Both women talk about difficulties in their own lives. Be sure to cite information from the story or poem. Think about the following:
1. Characters’ pasts
2. Characters’ current situations
3. The message each character is trying to convey to her listener
Restate Prompt in your own words.

4. Answer
Reword the writing prompt into a statement that provides the answer to the prompt.
This reworded prompt will be your thesis statement.
Example – Ms. Jones and the mother have similar pasts, current situations, and messages.

5. Cite
Example:
Ms. Jones and the mother have similar pasts because they both talk about the hard times they had when they were younger. In “Thank You, M’am,” Ms. Jones states, “I were young once and I wanted things I could not get” (112).

6. Explain
In addition to your evidence cited from the work, you must also explain why your answer is correct.
Example:
Ms. Jones and the mother have similar pasts because they both talk about the hard times they had when they were younger. In “Thank You, M’am,” Ms. Jones states, “I were young once and I wanted things I could not get” (112). This shows that Ms. Jones had limited money when she was growing up.

7. Final Notes
Because you are comparing two characters, you must be sure to explain your reasoning for both characters.
Cite short stories with the page number in parentheses before the period.
Cite poems with the line number in parentheses before the period.
Write about literature in the present tense.
NO CONTRACTIONS! (except in quoted material)
Remember to use transition words between paragraphs.