ESSAY ASSIGNMENT #2 ANALYTICAL COMPARISON

Compare two of the works discussed up to this point in the semester:

• Thurber's "The Secret Life of Walter Mitty";
  
• Wilde's "The Happy Prince";
  
• Touré’s “Solomon’s Big Day”;
  
• Arenas’ “The Glass Tower”;
  
• Harrar's "The 5:22";
  
• Bierce's "An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge";
  
• Chopin's "The Story of an Hour"; and
  
• Chopin's "The Storm"

Your comparison should go beyond comparing the "stories" (i.e., plot) and instead focus on elements of the short stories. An example (that does not meet the assignment) would be to compare Chopin's use of nature in "The Story of an Hour" and "The Storm." That example would require analyzing the words she uses to evoke nature, as well as detailing why she uses those words and images in each story. Do they have the same purpose and effect, e.g.? Finally, you would need to come to a conclusion about the similarities and differences. You can compare themes, lessons, character, styles, settings or any other element.

The point of the essay should be either to show use things that appear similar yet have subtle differences or to show us things that appear very different yet contain similar properties.

This essay should be prepared in MLA style, with a Works Cited page. Refer to handout on MLA style; Appendices A and B in Literature for Composition; and Writing Research Papers (11th ed.), Chs. 11, 13 and 14 in particular. Also, consider visiting Bedford St. Martin’s Re:Writing Site and using The Bedford Bibliographer.

Organization: Remember your rules for comparison/contrast papers. A "point by point" method is usually better than a "subject by subject" method. That is, if you have three points (similarities/differences), it is probably better to organize your paper the following way:

1. Introduction
2. Point 1 (similarity/difference)
   1. Story 1
   2. Story 2
3. Point 2 (similarity/difference)
   1. Story 1
   2. Story 2
4. Point 3 (similarity/difference)
   1. Story 1
   2. Story 2
5. Conclusion

Don't forget to have a thesis. That is, what are you trying to say by making this comparison? The point is not just to make a list of similarities and differences. What do these similarities or differences mean to us?

See also writing links section of the teaching links page.