compare and contrast essay

In a compare and contrast essay, you draw comparisons and contrasts within a single work of literature, two works of literature, or a work of literature and its media adaptation.  A comparison emphasizes the similarities between two or more items, while a contrast highlights their differences.  As you decide which work or works you will use for this essay, remember to take care and select works that have enough in common to make your comparison interesting and valid.

The good essay will do the following:

• Have a strong, arguable thesis
• Clearly show similarities through comparison
• Clearly show differences through contrast
• Adhere to MLA format
• Provide the reader with a clear sense of the work or works involved in the analysis, and they will be identified in the introduction.
• Paragraphs will be well developed and will support the stated thesis

Minimum Requirements:

Your essays should

• Consist of 1000 words
• Adhere to MLA page formatting
• Cite at least one of the short stories we have discussed in class.  You may choose from Ray Bradbury’s “The Veldt,” Edgar Allan Poe’s “The Cask of Amontillado” or “The Tell-Tale Heart,” or Shirley Jackson’s “The Lottery.” Likewise, you may opt to compare or contrast your chosen short story with its media adaptation that we viewed in class. You must choose one short story as the basis of your essay.
• Include a works cited page in correct MLA format.
• Contain an interesting title, an introduction with a thesis statement, several body paragraphs with topic sentences, evidence, and analysis, and a conclusion.
• Integrate research in the forms of quotes and paraphrases seamlessly into your essay.