When you get to choose what you’re comparing and contrasting, or what elements of two things you are comparing and contrasting, be sure that the elements have enough in common or different to justify the comparison or contrast. Additionally, be sure that the differences/similarities aren’t so obvious that your essay seems pointless. AVOID THE TRIVIAL! Trivial: Hester and Dimmesdale both live in Boston; Dimmesdale and Chillingworth are both men. Important: Hester and Dimmesdale define themselves by their relationship to sin; Dimmesdale and Chillingworth are both hiding truths from the world.

Be sure that you treat the same (or similar) elements for each subject you discuss. Example: Text A Text B Major characters Major characters Audience and purpose Audience and purpose Themes Themes

The thesis should tell readers what to expect in your essay, identifying not only the subjects to be compared and contrasted, but also the point you will make about them. Your thesis should indicate whether you will concentrate on similarities or differences, but should address both. A thesis should highlight the central concern of the essay (comparing or contrasting) by placing it as the independent clause, and the lesser concern as the dependent clause. Example: “Despite the fact that television and radio are distinctly different media, they use similar strategies to appeal to their audience.” This essay will focus mainly on similarities.

Two basic structures: point by point and subject by subject. The subjects are the items being compared and contrasted, and the points are the individual elements of the subjects you will be comparing/contrasting.

In the subject by subject format, you address all of the points for the first subject at once, and all of the points for the second subject at once. Introduction: “Despite the fact that television and radio are distinctly different media, they use similar strategies to appeal to their audiences.” TV audiences (Subject 1 ) Radio Audiences(Subject 2) Men (point 1) Women (point 2) Children (point 3)

Use point by point comparison for longer, more complex essays. You make a point about one subject and follow it with a comparable point about the other. Point 1 (Feminist themes) TSL and The Awakening (subjects) Point 2 (Private lives of major characters) Hester in TSL and Edna in The Awakening (subjects)