Lord of the Flies and Hunger Games Compare and Contrast Essay
Compare and contrast the situations in Lord of the Flies with The Hunger Games. Look at the notes in
your Grammar & Composition pattern on different organizational patterns for writing Compare/Contrast essays.
Compare means to note points of similarity. Contrast means to note points of differences.
Railroad pattern
Tennis Court
pattern
Thesis
I. “A”
a. point 1
b. point 2
c. point 3
II “B”
a. point 1
b. point 2
c. point 3
Conclusion
Thesis
I. Point 1
a. “A”
b. “B”
II. Point 2
a. “A”
b. “B”
III. Point 3
a. “A”
b. “B”
Conclusion
Sock Sort pattern
Thesis
I. Similarities of
“A” and “B”
II. Differences of
“A” and “B”
Conclusion
I. Railroad pattern. The writer says
everything about “A” and then says everything
about “B” in a parallel manner, like laying
down railroad tracks. If the parts of “A” and
“B” are substantially different, this pattern can
be effective.
II. Tennis Court pattern. The writer chooses
one point for “A” and “B” and discusses it as it
applies to both “A” and “B” and then selects
another point and discusses it as it applies to
both “A” and “B”; the writer of the paper
moves back and forth between the two items
being compared – like a tennis ball.
You may use any of the patterns of organization.
Using your notes on The Lord of the Flies and The Hunger Games,
create an outline following one of the organizational patterns. See
the guidelines on the back of this sheet.
III. Sock-Sorting pattern. The writer first
discusses the similarities between “A” and “B”
and then turns to a discussion of the differences
between “A” and “B,” like sorting socks and
putting all the brown ones in one pile and all the
black ones in another.
Then format your essay into paragraphs in MLA. Use specific
examples and quotations to make your essay meaningful.
Required: two quotations minimum.
Print the draft of the essay, have it edited using the peer / self-edit sheet, and then make a final copy. Submit it to Turnitin
and print a copy to turn in.
Title __________________________________________________________________________________________
I. Introduction
A. Lead (or Hook - to get the reader’s attention - may be a quote, anecdote, statement, or statistic)
__________________________________

B. General Information (be sure to summarize the two stories in the introduction, and give the authors and
titles– Lord of the Flies by William Golding, and the movie The Hunger Games, based on the novel by Susan
Collins)
______________________________________________________________________________
C. Thesis Statement - state claim/position (include a point of tension word and a counterclaim)
___________________________________
II. Body Paragraph 1 III. Body Paragraph 2 –
III. Body Paragraph 3 – [Necessary for Tennis Court pattern]
See the three choices of compare /
contrast organization, below: set up your
outline according to the organizational
pattern you choose. You may use other
elements from the notes rather than
“Survival, Settings, Leaders.”
V. Conclusion
A. Restate thesis using different
words:______________________________________________________________________________
B. Importance (implications of facts, ideas presented)
_________________________________________________________________________________________
C. So what – Clincher (final thought)
_______________________________________________________________________________
Lord of the Flies and The Hunger Games: Compare and Contrast [Similarities and Differences]
RAILROAD PATTERN
I. Introduction
Thesis: Both the novel Lord of The Flies by William Golding and the film The Hunger Games present
societies that are vicious and cruel, in similar settings, even though there are some differences between the two
stories.
II. The Lord of the Flies
A. Survival
B. Settings
C. Leaders
III. The Hunger Games
A. Survival
B. Settings
C. Leaders
IV. Conclusion. What is similar and different? So what? Make final points.
TENNIS COURT PATTERN
I. Introduction
Thesis: Both the novel Lord of The Flies by William Golding and the film The Hunger Games present
societies that are vicious and cruel, in similar settings, even though there are some differences between the two
stories.
II. Survival
A. LofF
B. HG
III. Settings
A. LofF
B. HG
IV. Leaders
A. LofF
B. HG
V. Conclusion. So What? Make final points.
SOCK SORT PATTERN
I. Introduction. Lead (hook).
Thesis: Both the novel Lord of The Flies by William Golding and the film The Hunger Games present
societies that are vicious and cruel, in similar settings, even though there are some differences between the two
stories.
II. Similarities
A. Settings
B. Survival
C. Leaders
III. Differences
A. Settings
B. Survival
C. Leaders
IV. Conclusion. So What? Make final points.
Lord of the Flies
The Hunger Games
Purpose:
Survival
Survival on isolated island
for group of British school
boys
Purpose:
Survival
Conflicts
Jack – immediate
gratification, hunting, fun –
vs
Ralph – (Piggy, Simon,
Samneric) rules, planning,
shelter
Beautiful tropical island,
food available
Conflicts
Setting
Leaders
Setting
Ralph – conscientious,
Leaders
caring, wants rules
Jack – spontaneous, powerhungry, impatient, violent
Katniss and Peeta keep their
humanity in a society
enjoying violence; the
Games are like reality TV,
the government is a cruel
dictatorship.
Appearance Boys, savages – wear paint, Appearance Appearance important;
changes their personalities
costumes, cosmetics interest
spectators
Similarities
Differences
Theme
The novel attempts to trace
the defects of society back
to the defects of human
nature.
Capital of Pan Am dictates
those in Districts will each
submit 2 Tributes to Hunger
Games – reminder not to
revolt. The Capital watches
Games (entertainment) as
tributes fight to death.
Katniss Everdeen and Peeta
Malark fight the other
tributes to survive. Pres.
Snow – cruel. Capital
citizens – enjoy being able to
put down District citizens.
The Games’ arena is under a
bubble, a “natural” terrain of
forest with hidden dangers.
Food is hard to find. Some
dangers are engineered, such
as the creatures that attack.
Katniss and Peeta band
together. Haymitch is
helpful by sending
parachutes of needed things.
Theme
Civilization a bare gloss, an exterior
Cruelty: Capital has fun realizing how
much better off they are than Districts.
HG – society of haves and have-nots
LF – society at war: boys are not able to
get along
Insert --- Page Break
Works Cited
Golding, William. Lord of the Flies. New York: A Perigee Book, 1954. Print.
The Hunger Games. Dir. Gary Ross. Perf. Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson. 2012. Lionsgate. DVD.