Historical Narrative
Comparative Essay
The Assignment
O Write an essay of 5 or more paragraphs
comparing and contrasting 2 of the
historical narratives you read.
Format
O Handwritten blue or black ink or typed
O One side of paper
O 1” margins
O Double spaced
O Name, period, date, and title on 1st page
O Neat corrections
O 3rd person
Form
O Essay
O 5 or more paragraphs
O No research
O Intro, body, & conclusion
Introduction
O Grabs audience’s attention
O Clear thesis statement
O Identifies the works by title (correct punct.)
O Identifies the authors
O Identifies the genre
O Succinctly states the meaning of each of the
works
Thesis Statement
O 1 Sentence that clearly expresses the main
idea of the paper
O Example: _____ and ____ are
similar/dissimilar works because _______.
Example Thesis
O William Bradford’s historical chronicle Of
Plymouth Plantation and Olaudah Equiano’s
slave narrative The Interesting Narrative of
the Life Of Olaudah Equiano are similarly
important historical documents.
A Thesis for a Comparative
Essay
O In a comparative essay, you will be required to
formulate a thesis that encompasses two or
more features that you will be comparing and
analyzing. Therefore, you will be writing a thesis
that looks at multiple perspectives, not
necessarily leaning one way or the other, but
bringing out a central comparative idea between
or among the things, issues, authors, etc., that
you deem worthy as the focus of your essay.
http://rwc.hunter.cuny.edu/reading-writing/on-line/thesis.html
Example of a Comparative
Thesis
O In Kate Chopin's book The Awakening and
Charlotte Perkins Gillman's novella The
Yellow Wallpaper, the female protagonists
veer from the collective mainstream of a
patriarchal society because of their
pronounced feelings of alienation,
frustration, and emotional and creative
repression within this social structure,
marked by the subordination of women.
Try something like this
Although Of Plymouth Plantation and The
Interesting Narrative of the Life Of Olaudah
Equiano were both written within 100 years of
each other, their differences can mainly be
contributed to _____________________.
Although Of Plymouth Plantation and The
Interesting Narrative of the Life Of Olaudah
Equiano were both written within 100 years of
each other, their similarities can mainly be
contributed to _____________________.
Try this
O Although Of Plymouth Plantation and The
Interesting Narrative of the Life Of Olaudah
Equiano both express the hardships people
endured in the early years of the American
Colonies, readers are more likely to be
sympathetic toward Equiano’s slave
narrative than William Bradford’s historical
chronicle.
Body
O Explains and develops the thesis
O Provides supporting examples from the work
to back up the main point of the paragraph
O Uses 2 or more carefully selected quotes to
help explain or give examples to points
made in the paragraphs.
O See “Compare/Contrast Essay Help Sheet”
Whole-to-Whole
Organization
Introduction
II. 1st piece information
III. 1st piece additional information
IV. 2nd piece information
V. 2nd piece additional information
VI. Conclusion
I.
Similarities-to-Differences
Organization
Introduction
II. Piece 1 & 2 similarities
III. Piece 1 & 2 similarities
IV. Piece 1 & 2 differences
V. Conclusion
I.
Point-by-Point
Organization
Introduction
II. Main point 1 about both pieces
III. Main point 2 about both pieces
IV. Main point 3 about both pieces
V. Conclusion
I.
Conclusion
O Restates the thesis
O Leaves the reader with a question,
quotation, fresh insight, or memorable
impression
To Turn in
O Historical Narratives Notes pages
10 pts
O Comparison Essay Planning pages 10 pts
O 1st draft
10 pts
O Final draft
70 pts
100 points total