First, choose which two works you’ll be focusing on for this essay. 
 
· You can choose two short stories, two poems, or one of each
 
· It is recommended (though not required) that the two works you choose come from the same Module 
 
· The two works should have a topic or theme in common
 
Then, re-read the works.
 
· What do they have in common? What topics, themes, and literary devices are shared?
 
· How do they differ? Are they expressing the same theme in different ways? Discussing the same topic but expressing different themes?
 
· What literary elements does each use to illustrate or emphasize its theme?
 
· Make note of quotes from the texts that you might want to use in your essay.
 
Review these resources:
 
· The Spiderman Paper.docx: This annotated sample essay points out all the required formatting and organizational components in an essay
 
· Video guide to literary analysis
 
· Writing Toolkit: Compare / Contrast
 
Write
 
For this essay, you’ll be comparing how two different works explore the same or similar themes in their own ways.
 
You can choose A or B:
 
A. Write about two works that share theme – which means they both make the same overall point
 
B. Write about two works that share a topic, but have different themes – which means that they each make a different point about the same general topic
 
For example, if there are two stories about growing up that seem to make the same point, that would be option (a); if there were two stories that each made a different point about growing up, that would be option (b). 
 
Your essay should:
 
· Be about 900-1,000 words long (3 pages)
 
· Be organized – it should have an introduction (including your essay’s thesis), at least two discussion sections, and a conclusion
 
· Focus on supporting its thesis statement
 
· Include quotes in each body paragraph
 
· Use MLA format, including internal citations
 
You should avoid:
 
· Copy / pasting from other submissions
 
· Summary – focus on making and supporting points
 
· Unprofessional discourse
 
· Conversational language (you, I, etc.)