First, choose which two works you’ll be focusing on for this essay.
You can choose two short stories, two poems, or one of each
It is recommended (though not required) that the two works you choose come from the same Module
The two works should have a topic or theme in common
Then, re-read the works.
What do they have in common? What topics, themes, and literary devices are shared?
How do they differ? Are they expressing the same theme in different ways? Discussing the same topic but expressing different themes?
What literary elements does each use to illustrate or emphasize its theme?
Make note of quotes from the texts that you might want to use in your essay.
Review these resources:
The Spiderman Paper.docx Download The Spiderman Paper.docx: This annotated sample essay points out all the required formatting and organizational components in an essay
Video guide to literary analysisLinks to an external site.
Writing Toolkit: Compare / Contrast
Write
For this essay, you’ll be comparing how two different works explore the same or similar themes in their own ways.
You can choose A or B:
Write about two works that share theme – which means they both make the same overall point
Write about two works that share a topic, but have different themes – which means that they each make a different point about the same general topic
For example, if there are two stories about growing up that seem to make the same point, that would be option (a); if there were two stories that each made a different point about growing up, that would be option (b).
Your essay should:
Be about 900-1,000 words long (3+ pages)
Be organized – it should have an introduction (including your essay’s thesis), at least two discussion sections, and a conclusion
Focus on supporting its thesis statement
Include quotes in each body paragraph
Use MLA format, including internal citations
You should avoid:
Copy / pasting from other submissions
Summary – focus on making and supporting points
Unprofessional discourse
Conversational language (you, I, etc.)
