Short Story Comparison/Contrast Essay
Your task: Choose a character from one of the three stories we have read in class during this unit. Compare a character and his or her experiences to your life and your experiences based on three of the essential questions for the unit.
Here's how to do it:
1. Choose one of characters to compare/contrast. If you have another idea, check with me first.
Zaroff
Rainsford
Doodle
Doodle's Brother
Mme. Mathilde Loisel
2. Choose three essential questions to base your comparison and contrast on.
3. Fill out the Compare/Contrast Chart.
4. Outline your paper. Decide what to talk about first, second, etc. Decide what you will or will not include. Get quotes to support each point.
5. Write a rough draft.
6. Edit. Read over your paper and decide what needs to be changed and what would make your paper better to read.
7. Type your final draft! It should be typed, double-spaced, Times New Roman, 12 pt font, with one inch margins. If it is not correctly formatted and printed BEFORE class begins, it will not be accepted.
DUE: ______
Parts of the Paper:
Introduction: Your introduction should entice people to read your paper. You can do this by grabbing your reader's attention. Use a quote, ask a question, paint a picture, etc. Then you should talk about what you are including in the paper. Your thesis should also be your introduction. It should be your LAST SENTENCE in the first paragraph.
Thesis: Your thesis is the sentence that defines what you are arguing in your paper. In this
case, it will describing the similarities and differences between you and a character based on three essential questions.
Opinion+3 reasons = Thesis
Body Paragraphs: You should have at least three body paragraphs. Be sure to include why these similarities and differences are significant. Example: Jim and the Narrator are both male. This doesn't really work because what significance does it have. Why do we care that they are of the same sex? Are both authors making statements about males? If yes, than use it. If no, don't.
Structure of Body Paragraph:
1. Topic sentence – be sure to reference the essential question and the character's name, along with referencing you.
2. Support with specific examples and a quote.
3. Explain your support.
4. So What? Why do we care and how can the reader relate to the point you just made?
Conclusion: This paragraph should summarize what you just covered in your paragraph, without restating word for word. You also should answer the “So What?” question. This means you need to draw a conclusion about what the similarities and differences mean. What can we learn from these things? What can we apply to our own lives?
Compare/Contrast Paper Name:______
Grading Rubric:
Introduction _____/10
Thesis (5)
Attention Getter (5)
Essential Question - Similarity/Difference #1 _____/15
Topic Sentence (5)
Example from Text and Explanation (8)
So What? (2)
Essential Question - Similarity/Difference #2 _____/15
Topic Sentence (5)
Example from Text and Explanation (8)
So What? (2)
Essential Question - Similarity/Difference #3 _____/15
Topic Sentence (5)
Example from Text and Explanation (8)
So What? (2)
Conclusion ____/10
Restate Thesis (5)
So What? (5)
Spelling and Grammar ____/ 10
Ideas and Organization ____/ 10
Brainstorming Compare/Contrast Chart _____ / 5
Outline: _____ / 10
Total: ______/ 100 points
Themes and Essential Questions
Disposition: Inter-Relationships and Self-Reliance
Themes
· Story is the basic principle of mind. One story helps make sense of another.
· Story can help us to come to a deeper understanding of ourselves and the world around us.
· History is a story that we can learn from so we do not repeat the mistakes of history.
Essential Questions
· Who am I? How can I find my identity and discover where I fit in the world?
· How do I relate to my family, my community, and my country?
· How do my relationships, skills and talents help to define me?
· What can I learn from story about myself, my relationships and my world?
· What lesson(s) can I derive from stories? How can I apply these lessons to my life?
· What lessons can I learn from the stories of history to help me succeed in the present?
Brainstorming: Compare/Contrast Paper
Character that you are comparing yourself to: ______
Essential Question #1:
Character Name: / Your Name:Differences / Differences
Essential Question #2:
Character Name: / Your Name:Differences / Differences
Essential Question #3:
Character Name: / Your Name:Differences / Differences
Thesis Statement:
Example: The character Mme. Loisel is similar to me because she learned a lesson through making a mistake, her relationships define her, and she struggled to find her place in the world.
______
Brainstorming Total Points: ______/ 5
Compare/Contrast Paper – Outline
I. Introductory Paragraph
A. Attention Getter
B. Thesis
II. Body Paragraphs
A. Paragraph 1 Essential Question:
1. Topic Sentence:
2. Quote to support:
3. Explain quote and how you and the character are similar and/or different based on this point.
4. So What?
B. Paragraph 2 Essential Question:
2. Topic Sentence:
2. Quote to support:
3. Explain quote and how you and the character are similar and/or different based on this point.
4. So What?
C. Paragraph 3 Essential Question:
1. Topic Sentence:
2. Quote to support:
3. Explain quote and how you and the character are similar and/or different based on this point.
4. So What?
III. Conclusion
A. Restate Thesis Statement (using different words)
B. So What? How can the reader relate and what can he/she learn from your paper?
Outline Total Points: ______/ 15