Explanation for Compare/Contrast Essays by Feature

feature: a prominent or conspicuous part or characteristic

1. There are three ways of setting up a compare/contrast essay.

by subject. That means you talk about character 1 in the first paragraph, and then all about character 2 in the second paragraph.
By similarities and differences: in paragraph one, you list all the similarities and then list all the differences in paragraph 2
By feature: you choose some specific features that the characters do or do not share, and discuss one feature in each paragraph.

2. C/C essays by feature are best, because they’re easier for the reader to understand, and more interesting to write. Below is an example of a graphic organizer you can use to write a compare/contrast essay. I’ve done an example comparing and contrasting Derek Zoolander and John Proctor from The Crucible.

Feature 1: both men struggle to overcome their past and protect their future

Zoolander / Proctor

Wants to be best male model and defeat Hansel
Wants his father’s approval
Wants to perfect “Magnum”—his new look.
Wants to learn how to turn left
Wants to build The Derek Zoolander School for Kids Who Can’t Read Good and Want to Learn How to Do Other Stuff Good

Wants to prove his innocence and his wife’s innocence
Feels guilty for his affair with Abigail, and wants to confess so he’ll stop feeling guilty, but is afraid
Wants to save his wife
Fights against the court in Salem

So, using my graphic organizer, I would write my paragraph, going back and forth between the two men.

Both Derek Zoolander and John Proctor deal with many struggles. Each man seeks approval, but not necessarily from the same place. Zoolander craves his father’s approval, because his father, a coal miner, thinks his career as a male model serves no purpose. Proctor wants his wife’s approval, because he feels as though she has not forgiven him for his affair with Abigail. Proctor’s shame over his affair is apparent throughout the play, as he knows his fight with the Salem courts would be quickly won if he told the truth about the girls’ lies. However, he knows that if he does so, Abigail will reveal his secret, leading to punishment of some sort. If the judge sentences him to hang, he will lose his future with his family. Zoolander also worries about his future, as the up-and-coming male model Hansel threatens his status and career. He knows that if he perfects his new look, “Magnum,” and learns how to turn left, his versatility will increase, and Hansel will not be such a threat. However, in the event that Hansel is able to take over Zoolander’s spot, he has philanthropic plans to build a center for illiterate children.

Okay, so obviously not perfect, but I was writing it really quickly, so you’ll get the idea. I focused on one feature: struggle. I talked about both characters.

For the next paragraph, I would choose another feature and write about the two characters again. This set-up works for all kinds of compare and contrast essays, not just characters. You could compare and contrast two themes, or two wars, or two holidays, or whatever. The crazier the comparisons and contrasts seem, the more interesting your essay will be:

Feature 2: both men are used by someone else for purposes of revenge.

Zoolander / Proctor

Used by Mugatu to destroy Prime Minister of Indonesia.
Brainwashed to kill when he hears “Relax”

Used by Abigail to control Salem and get revenge on wife Elizabeth
Wracked by guilt and shame for past sins.

In this paragraph, I would talk about how they’re both “brainwashed” in some way—Zoolander literally, and Proctor is brainwashed to see Abigail as a sweet girl. Then I would talk about how each one is used by someone else.

If you’re having trouble getting started with your features, make a list of adjectives and other descriptions for the two subjects (characters, in this case) and then see where they match up or don’t. They might not match up word for word (Zoolander was brainwashed, Proctor wasn’t), but that got me thinking about the word brainwashed used figuratively and how it applies to Proctor.

There’s another file on the General Resources page called *C/C by Feature: Outline* Feel free to print it out and use it to work on your paragraphs