ENG4U
Compare/Contrast Essay using The Great Gatsby
Rationale/Objective
By grade 12, in a university level English class, you must be able to demonstrate critical thinking
skills and to demonstrate a higher level of comprehension and appreciation for literature. One of the
main assessment criteria for English is Application, or the ability to apply your knowledge that you
have gained through your studies. This compare/contrast essay will illustrate your ability to apply
the knowledge you have gained from The Great Gatsby by comparing and contrasting this text and
another of your own choice on your choice of topic that includes support from secondary sources.
Expectations
You will be expected to select a topic of comparison to compare/
contrast between The Great Gatsby and your own choice of text, and
write a compare/contrast essay. For your topic, you must compare
ONE CENTRAL IDEA between your two texts. There should be
THREE arguments that show how each text is affected by the idea.
For each argument, you need a total of 2 quotes – 1 per text, per
argument. You will also need 2 examples from secondary sources
in each argument – 1 per text, per argument. You will be expected to
follow the structure outlined for this essay in order to meet
expectations of this assignment. You must be cognisant of the writing
process and pay attention to editing and revising. And of course, it is
imperative that you meet all deadlines.
Please note: You must imagine the expectations imposed on
you in your post-secondary experience. Meeting deadlines
must reflect your future educational experience. All essays
and steps must be completed on the assigned due dates.
The Assignment
You are to write a 2000 word compare/contrast essay (approximately 7-8 pages double-spaced)
using The Great Gatsby and a text of your own choice. In order to ensure successful essay writing,
this paper will be written step by step to help ensure comprehension and success. The steps and
timeline will work as follows:
Step 1:
Grounds for Comparison – Let’s say you’re writing a paper on global food distribution, and you’ve
chosen to compare apples and oranges. Why these particular fruits? Why not pears and bananas?
The rationale behind your choice, the grounds for comparison, lets your reader know why your
choice is deliberate and meaningful, not random. You need to indicate the reasoning behind your
choice.
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Step 2:
Essay Topic and Thesis – Create your own essay topic and thesis. The grounds for comparison
anticipates the comparative nature of your thesis. As in any argumentative paper, your thesis
statement will convey the gist of your argument, which necessarily follows from your frame of
reference. But in a compare/contrast essay, the thesis depends on how the two things you’ve chosen
to compare actually relate to one another. Do they extend, complicate, contradict, correct or debate
one another? In the most common compare/contrast paper – one focusing on differences – you can
indicate the precise relationship between A and B by using the word “whereas” in the thesis:
EXAMPLE:
Tom, through his indiscretions, takes action to maintain his lifestyle, whereas
Gatsby takes action through his indiscretions in attempt to gain a superior
lifestyle.
EXAMPLE:
Amir, in The Kite Runner, is haunted by his past as a result of his lack of action,
whereas Victor, in Frankenstein, is haunted as a result of his selfish actions.
EXAMPLE:
Nick, in The Great Gatsby, becomes corrupted as a result of his own actions,
whereas Eliezer, in Night, becomes corrupted as a result of actions beyond his
control.
Step 3:
Arguments – Create THREE distinct arguments using point-by-point format where you alternate
points about Text #1 with comparable points about Text #2.
Step 4:
Quotations – Analysis of quotations for each argument. This will follow a step-by-step process for
effective analysis that also includes research from secondary sources.
Step 5:
Topic/Transition Sentences – Write your topic/transition sentences to structure each argument.
Step 6:
Introduction – Write the introduction to your essay.
Step 7:
Conclusion – Write the conclusion to your essay.
Step 8:
Rough Copy – Prepare your rough copy with proper citations and Works Cited for peer-editing.
Step 9:
Editing – Make sure you are editing your paper for mistakes; complete the editing checklist.
Step 10:
Submit – Hand in your polished essay and ALL worksheets.
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