Unit 3 – Literary Explorations
Short Pairing
What is a “pairing” – A pairing is a comparative project that compares one literary genre to
another by examining similarities and differences. (Graduates do one or two or one long
pairing) / Academic students do two and a long pairing)
Assignment:
Compare the lottery in Shirley Jackson’s short story, “The Lottery” to the reaping in Suzanne
Collin’s book, The Hunger Games.
The Nature of Comparison
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basic procedure of explanation and analysis.
presents two or more objects and describes and analyzes their similarities and
differences.
usually makes us see the items under discussion more clearly and in a new light.
When writing a literary comparison, you will answer the question So What? In other
words you will not only explain the similarities and differences between the two (or
more) works (or plots or characters or other elements of fiction you have chosen to
discuss) but also explain the significance of your comparison
A comparison intends to inform readers of something they haven't thought of before.
Therefore, for a comparison to be illuminating, the things compared must either:
 Appear different but have significant similarities
or
 Appear similar but have significant differences
You must have a purpose for your comparison. In other words, the reader of the
comparison should not have to ask SO WHAT? at the end of your essay.
Grounds for Comparison
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You will develop your discussion of each ground of your comparison by describing and
interpreting the attributes of that ground.
Some common grounds of comparison are
 plot
 character background
 character actions
 character motivations
 setting
 theme
 For example attributes of the ground of setting
Unit 3 – Literary Explorations
 Location
 Year
 time of year
 time of day
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and/or weather.
Organization of Comparison
Block Method
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also called Summary Approach or One Side at a Time
focus is on items being compared.
presents one work, describes all of its relevant grounds and attributes, and then does
the same with the second item, using the same grounds for comparison.
points of comparison are discussed in terms of the works being compared
Advantage--guarantees that each object will have a unified discussion.
Disadvantage--points of comparison, because so widely separated in the essay, may be
less clear to the reader.
Works best when:
 two objects compared are relatively simple
 points of comparison are general and few in number
 amount of information presented is not great
Alternating Method
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Also called element by element or point by point.
Focus is on the grounds and attributes of comparison
Works being compared are discussed in terms of the grounds and attributes of
comparison
Advantage--easy to grasp specific points of comparison
Disadvantage--might be harder to pull together details and form a distinct impression of
what each object is like.
Thesis Statement
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Names the items to be compared
Indicates the purpose of the comparison
Names the grounds for comparison
Thesis Statement
Unit 3 – Literary Explorations
Sample Thesis Statements
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Unacceptable I am going to compare the similarities and differences between the films
Close Encounters of the Third Kind and E.T., the Extraterrestrial.
Acceptable A close examination of the way that Roy Neary, the protagonist of Close
Encounters of the Third Kind, and Elliott, the protagonist of E.T., the Extraterrestrial,
react to their encounters with aliens demonstrates that director Steven Spielberg uses
both films to tell similar stories about the difficulties of growing up. Sample Thesis and
Outline with Explanations
Comparative Transition Words:
contrast, by the same token, conversely, instead, likewise, on one hand, on the other hand, on
the contrary, rather, similarly, yet, but, however, still, nevertheless, in contrast
Example: The children were very happy. On the other hand, and perhaps more importantly,
their parents were very proactive in providing good care.
Conclusion would:
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tie together both sides of the comparison and contrast
restate the major impression left by the discussion
convince the reader that I have fulfilled my purpose
lets the reader know I have finished my essay
How to Get Started
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Reread the assignment.
Choose the works you want to compare.
Skim the works and review.
Choose your grounds for comparison
Answer the question So What? by determining a purpose for making this comparison.
Gather information and evidence from each work to describe and support each grounds
for comparison.
Outline your essay. Choose the pattern for organization – block or alternating
Compose your thesis.
Manuscript Preparation
Revise your essay for clarity and style; pay particular attention to transitions between
paragraphs.
Edit your essay for spelling, grammatical, and mechanical errors.
Edit your quotations for accuracy and punctuation.
Use APA format (parenthetical references) to cite all references to the texts.
Add a References page