Writing the Comparison and Contrast Essay

Writing the Comparison and Contrast Essay Moon over Manifest Navigating Early

What is the purpose of comparison and contrast? • Contrasts draw out differences between two subjects. • Comparisons outline both similarities and differences between two subjects. • Demonstrates how one subject is superior in some way to the other. • Demonstrates how two subjects, which appear dissimilar, are actually similar. • Instead of judgmental, may be informational.

How do I prepare to write a comparison and contrast essay? • Brainstorm everything about two subjects. • Venn Diagram _ Theme Analysis graphic organizer • Identify points that are relevant to both subjects. • Establish a dominant idea (theme) after examining points of similarity and difference. This is the basis of the comparison/contrast. • Select points (three total points; points for body paragraph) to focus upon based upon your theme statement.

Using Transitions

Why do I need to use transitions? • Good comparison or contrast essays feature the use of transition words to convey to the reader at any given moment whether a comparison or contrast is being made and the nature of it.

To Compare also as in the same way like likewise similarly comparable equally in addition To Contrast -although -but -even though -however -on the other hand -otherwise -yet -still -conversely -as opposed to -different from -whereas Example Transitions

Organizing a Comparison and Contrast Essay

I.Introduction a) Hook b) Background Information c) Thesis II. Body Paragraph #1: Point #1 a) Moon over Manifest b) Navigating Early III. Body Paragraph #2: Pont #2 a) Moon over Manifest b) Navigating Early IV. Body Paragraph #3: Point #3 a) Moon over Manifest b) Navigating Early IV. Conclusion a) Emphasize Connection of theme b) Restate points c) Clincher Essay Outline

Organization of Essay: The format Introduction Each body paragraph will discuss both Moon over Manifest and Navigating Early All about Point X All about Point Y All about Point Z Conclusion

Paragraph Organization 2nd Paragraph 3rd Paragraph 4th Paragraph

Body Paragraph #1 Point 1: XXXXXXXXXX Moon over Manifest Point Evidence Explain Navigating Early Point Evidence Explain Body Paragraph #2 Point 2: XXXXXXXXXXXX Moon over Manifest Point Evidence Explain Navigating Early Point Evidence Explain Thesis statement:Sometimes what we are searching for is sometimes different from what we find. • Body Paragraph #3 • Point 3: XXXXXXXXXXXXX • Moon over Manifest • Point • Evidence • Explain • Navigating Early • Point • Evidence • Explain

The Rules of Thumb with Comparison and Contrast Essays • Be sure to discuss the same point in body paragraph and discuss the points equally in terms of coverage. For example: In body paragraph #1, your points is about friendship then you need to discuss how friendship is shown in BOTH novels and provide evidence and an explanation to support it. What not to do is to talk about friendship and death in the same paragraph. Those are TWO different points and topics. • Have a clear purpose to achieve in the comparison and contrast – this is your theme statement!!

Writing the Introduction Writing the Thesis Statement

Materials • Composition Notebook • Pencil • Theme Graphic Organizer and Venn Diagrams

How do I write a thesis statement for a comparison and contrast essay? • Your thesis statement is your theme statement that connects both novels. • Create a thesis statement that reflects that thematic connection. • Ask yourself: What theme do both novels share?

Examples: Weak Thesis StatementsDO NOT Write this… • They are both somewhat alike and somewhat different. • I can see some similarities and some differences too. • Both of them involve only a single similarity and no differences. Remember, DO NOT use “I” “me” “my” “you” in this paper.

Examples: Better Thesis Statements • Jack, Early, and Abilene have very different personal obstacles and motivations that determine each one to find the truth. In their quest, they each discovered that there is a silver lining in every situation. • Jack and Early, and Abilene are all on a quest to learn the truth about themselves and their families. However, in learning the truth, these characters take different paths to find answers. The common theme in these stories is sometimes what we are searching for is sometimes different from what we find.

Writing the Compare and Contrast Essay Writing the introduction

Paragraph #1: Introduction • Hook • Author - Clare Vanderpool • Title of novels: Navigating Early and Moon over Manifest • Two sentence summary of both books explaining how they are connected. • Thematic Statement that supports both books.

Introduction Paragraph Example Hook- Universal Thought Everyone in their life searches for something whether it be love, friendship, truth, belonging, or acceptance. In Clare Vanderpool’s Navigating Early and Moon over Manifest, Jack and Early, and Abilene are all on a quest to learn the truth about themselves and their families. However, in learning the truth, these characters take different paths to find answers. The common theme in these stories is sometimes what we are searching for is sometimes different from what we find. Author and Title Summary Theme Statement/Thesis

Organizing a Comparison and Contrast Essay Writing the Body Paragraphs

I.Introduction a) Hook b) Background Information c) Thesis II. Body Paragraph #1: Point #1 a) Moon over Manifest b) Navigating Early III. Body Paragraph #2: Pont #2 a) Moon over Manifest b) Navigating Early IV. Body Paragraph #3: Point #3 a) Moon over Manifest b) Navigating Early IV. Conclusion a) Emphasize Connection of theme b) Restate points c) Clincher Essay Outline

Paragraph Organization 2nd Paragraph 3rd Paragraph 4th Paragraph

The Rules of Thumb with Comparison and Contrast Essays • Be sure to discuss the same point in body paragraph and discuss the points equally in terms of coverage. For example: In body paragraph #1, your points is about friendship then you need to discuss how friendship is shown in BOTH novels and provide evidence and an explanation to support it. What not to do is to talk about friendship and death in the same paragraph. Those are TWO different points and topics. • Have a clear purpose to achieve in the comparison and contrast – this is your theme statement!!

Example of body paragraph In the beginning of Navigating Early, Jack Baker, a landlocked, All-Ameican Kansas boy, is suddenly uprooted after his mother’s death and placed in a boy’s boarding school in Maine. Jack yearns for belonging, acceptance, and friendship into this new school. Jack says, “Somehow Early maintained a sense of direction. He knew who he was and where he was going. I did not.” (Vanderpool 101). Newcomer Jack feels lost yet can’t help being drawn to Early Auden, the strangest of boys, who reads the number pi as a story and collects clippings about the sightings of a great black bear in the nearby mountains (Vanderpool 25). Jack’s search for friendship draws him closer to Early. After the death of Jack’s mother, Jack feels lost, lonely, and yearns for companionship. Although, Early wasn’t exactly the kind of friend Jack envisioned. Early was complicated, odd, and moreover self-confident which were all contrary of Jack. However, through Early’s uniqueness and pesky annoyance, Jack discovers friendship, acceptance, and belonging through an unexpected soul. Likewise in Moon over Manifest, Abilene, like Jack, is suddenly uprooted from her life and is sent away to live on her own. Just like Jack, Abilene yearns for belonging, acceptance, and friendship in this new, mysterious town of Manifest. Similarly, Abilene’s father sent her away and therefore she feels lost, lonely, and yearns for friendship. Abilene admits, “For the first time I could recall, I was alone” (Vanderpool 23). In contrast, Abilene meets several unexpected individuals such as a mysterious diviner, jovial school girls, a pastor with a past, and a local news reporter who welcome her with open arms and eases her transition into a unfamiliar town with a past. Whereas, Jack just befriended Early. Reluctantly, Abilene befriends these certain individuals (Vanderpool 60) and soon realizes that just like the town of Manifest, everyone has a past, including herself and her father. Nonetheless, meeting these individuals have provided her friendship and opened her eyes to see the truth (Vanderpool 248). Even though, Abilene discovers the truth about her father’s past, she meets unexpected people that change her life that allow her to see people, places, and things in a new perspective. More importantly, they accept Abilene for who she is and delight in her quirky ways. In Abilene’s discovery of her father, she also discovered friendship, like Jack, through expected people. Throughout their quest, both Jack and Abilene were given exactly what they needed by unexpected people.. Ultimately both Jack and Abilene learn that sometimes what we are searching for is sometimes different from what we find.

Transition Introduction to body paragraph Example of body paragraph Point Text Evidence In the beginning of Navigating Early, Jack Baker, a landlocked, All-Ameican Kansas boy, is suddenly uprooted after his mother’s death and placed in a boy’s boarding school in Maine. Jack yearns for belonging, acceptance, and friendship into this new school. Jack says, “Somehow Early maintained a sense of direction. He knew who he was and where he was going. I did not.” (Vanderpool 101). Newcomer Jack feels lost yet can’t help being drawn to Early Auden, the strangest of boys, who reads the number pi as a story and collects clippings about the sightings of a great black bear in the nearby mountains (Vanderpool 25). Jack’s search for friendship draws him closer to Early. After the death of Jack’s mother, Jack feels lost, lonely, and yearns for companionship. Although, Early wasn’t exactly the kind of friend Jack envisioned. Early was complicated, odd, and moreover self-confident which were all contrary of Jack. However, throughEarly’s uniqueness and pesky annoyance, Jack discovers friendship, acceptance, and belonging through an unexpected soul.Likewisein Moon over Manifest, Abilene, like Jack, is suddenly uprooted from her life and is sent away to live on her own. Just like Jack, Abileneyearns for belonging, acceptance, and friendship in this new, mysterious town of Manifest.Similarly, Abilene’s father sent her away and therefore feels lost, lonely, and yearns for friendship. Abilene admits,“For the first time I could recall, I was alone” (Vanderpool 23). In contrast, Abilene meets several unexpected individuals such as a mysterious diviner, jovial school girls, a pastor with a past, and a local news reporter who welcome her with open arms and eases her transition into a unfamiliar town with a past. Whereas, Jack just befriended Early. Reluctantly, Abilene befriends these certain individuals (Vanderpool 60) and soon realizes that just like the town of Manifest, everyone has a past, including herself and her father. Nonetheless, meeting these individuals have provided her friendship and opened her eyes to see the truth (Vanderpool 248). Even though, Abilene discovers the truth about her father’s past, she meets unexpected people that change her life that allow her to see people, places, and things in a new perspective. More importantly, they accept Abilene for who she is and delight in her quirky ways. In Abilene’s discovery of her father, she also discovered friendship, like Jack, through expected people. Throughouttheir quest, bothJack and Abilene were given exactly what they needed by unexpected people. Ultimately both Jack and Abilene learn that sometimes what we are searching for is sometimes different from what we find. Explain **Links back to theme

You already have your first paragraph done! Pretty easy, huh?Finish body paragraphs #3 and #4.

Writing a Good Concluding Paragraph Theme Analysis Essay

Materials • Composition Notebook • Pencil • Theme Essay (Rough Draft)

What does the conclusion do? 1. It synthesizes (not summarizes) the essay. Don’t repeat; Show how the points, quotes, support and examples you used were not random, but fit together. 2. It shows you proved the point you set out to make. 3. It gives the reader a sense of completion. 4. It leaves the reader remembering your main point. 5. Drop the Microphone. END STRONG!

How to structure your conclusion paragraph for your theme essay 1.Topic Sentence: Repeat the ideas in your thesis (theme) statement, but with deeper understanding. 2.Supporting Sentences: Summarize the main points in the body of your essay. (What points did you use from the book to prove your theme? Use these as your supporting sentences.) 3.Closing sentence: connect back to the introduction (thematic statement/thesis) to "clinch" the ideas in the essay, showing their importance.

What NOT to Include in the Concluding Paragraph: 1. Overused phrases: “In conclusion," “In summary," “In closing“ or “The End” – DO NOT say this! 2. A new idea or subtopic 3. Supporting evidence or details (these should be in the body of the essay) 4. A question

The theme of my essay Theme: Sometimes what we are searching for is sometimes different from what we find.

ExampleConclusion Paragraph Through Abilene, Jack and Early’s gallant adventure and discovery of themselves, it is evident that what they were searching for was sometimes different from what they found. Abilene and Jack’s longing for friendship and belonging, their search for the truth of Abilene’s father and Early’s brother, and Abilene and Jack’s relationship with their estranged father all depict what we think we want is different than what we actually need. Undoubtedly, what these characters discover is better than what they could have ever imagined. Synthesizes; Restates theme Points used to support theme Synthesizes Links back to theme; Synthesizes; "clinch" the ideas in the essay, showing their importance

Conclusion Paragraph Checklist 1.Topic Sentence: Repeat the ideas in your thesis (theme) statement, but with deeper understanding. 2.Supporting Sentences: Summarize the main points in the body of your essay. (What points did you use from the book to prove your theme? Use these as your supporting sentences.) 3.Closing sentence: connect back to the introduction (thematic statement/thesis) to "clinch" the ideas in the essay, showing their importance.

Writing the Comparison and Contrast Essay