1. Writing Workshop Expository Writing: Comparison-Contrast Essay

2. Assignment: Write an essay comparing and contrasting two characters, literary works, or subjects. Comparison-Contrast Essay: Assignment A good way to understand something is to compare it to something else. Comparing and contrasting are particularly useful when analyzing literature.

3. Comparison-Contrast Essay: Prewriting Choosing a Topic Finding Similarities and Differences Organizing Your Information Getting Started Assignment Feature Menu

4. when you contrast, you look for differences. Comparison-Contrast Essay Prewriting: Choosing a Topic When you compare, you look for similarities; For your essay, you will compare and contrast two literary works or two literary elements. For instance, you might write about two stories you have read... you might write about two characters you remember. or

5. A good way to get started is to look through your textbook for selections that have something in common. Are there two characters who have different responses to the same situation? “My Mother Pieced Quilts” “Suéter/Sweater” Dr. Nemur and Miss Kinnian in Flowers for Algernon Comparison-Contrast Essay Prewriting: Choosing a Topic Are there two poems with similar subjects?

6. Your subjects have to be similar in some way. Comparison-Contrast Essay Prewriting: Choosing a Topic For example, are they both about the American dream… Or do they have similar settings… but from different points of view? in different times? [End of Section]

7. Let’s say you’ve chosen to compare two poems with a similar theme. Comparison-Contrast Essay Prewriting: Finding Similarities and Differences “Refugee in America”“The New Colossus”

8. Comparison-Contrast Essay Prewriting: Finding Similarities and Differences Jot down some notes in two columns. What’s similar in the poems?What’s different? Both are about the American dream. Both use “freedom” words (freedom, liberty). Both are rhymed. American dream is unfulfilled in one poem—just beginning in the other. One poem has an ironic tone. The other does not. One poem suggests sadness and disappointment; the other suggests triumph and welcome. One uses simple words—the other, elaborate words.

9. A Venn diagram can also help you see your subjects’ similarities and differences. Comparison-Contrast Essay Prewriting: Finding Similarities and Differences List information about one subject on the left. Similarities should appear where the circles overlap. List information about the other subject on the right.

10. This Venn diagram compares and contrasts Anne Frank and her sister Margot. Comparison-Contrast Essay Prewriting: Finding Similarities and Differences SIMILARITIES AnneMargot  mind of her own  outgoing  optimistic  Frank daughter  in hiding  strength to endure  obedient and polite  very shy  feels betrayed, mistrustful [End of Section]

11. Comparison-Contrast Essay Prewriting: Organizing Your Information Choose one of the two basic ways to organize a comparison-contrast essay. 1. The block method focuses on all points of comparison, or features, for one subject at a time. Subject 1: Anne Frank Feature 1: behavior Feature 2: personality Feature 3: feelings Subject 2: Margot Frank Feature 1: behavior Feature 2: personality Feature 3: feelings

12. Comparison-Contrast Essay Prewriting: Organizing Your Information 2. The point-by-point method alternates between subjects, explaining each point of comparison for both subjects. Feature 3: Feelings Subject 1: Anne Frank Subject 2: Margot Frank Feature 2: Personality Subject 1: Anne Frank Subject 2: Margot Frank Feature 1: Behavior Subject 1: Anne Frank Subject 2: Margot Frank

13. Comparison-Contrast Essay Drafting: Getting Started As you start on your draft, keep in mind words and phrases that signal similarities and differences. like not only…but also in the same way as well asbothalsoanother neither too in addition similarlyjust as although but instead howeverin contrast in spite of on the other hand unlike yet [End of Section]

14. Writing Workshop Expository Writing: Comparison-Contrast Essay The End