comparative essay sample theme or issue

Comparative Essay

How to Write a Comparative Essay – A Complete Guide

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What is a Comparative Essay?

A comparative essay is a type of essay in which an essay writer compares at least two or more items. The author compares two subjects with the same relation in terms of similarities and differences depending on the assignment.

The main purpose of the comparative essay is to:

Highlight the similarities and differences in a systematic manner.
Provide great clarity of the subject to the readers.
Analyze two things and describe their advantages and drawbacks.

A comparative essay is also known as compare and contrast essay or a comparison essay. It analyzes two subjects by either comparing them, contrasting them, or both. The Venn diagram is the best tool for writing a paper about the comparison between two subjects.

Moreover, a comparative analysis essay discusses the similarities and differences of themes, items, events, views, places, concepts, etc. For example, you can compare two different novels (e.g., The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn and The Red Badge of Courage).

However, a comparative essay is not limited to specific topics. It covers almost every topic or subject with some relation.

Comparative Essay Structure

A good comparative essay is based on how well you structure your essay. It helps the reader to understand your essay better.

The structure is more important than what you write. This is because it is necessary to organize your essay so that the reader can easily go through the comparisons made in an essay.

The following are the two main methods in which you can organize your comparative essay.

Point-by-Point Method

The point-by-point or alternating method provides a detailed overview of the items that you are comparing. In this method, organize items in terms of similarities and differences.

This method makes the writing phase easy for the writer to handle two completely different essay subjects. It is highly recommended where some depth and detail are required.

Below given is the structure of the point-by-point method.

Block Method

The block method is the easiest as compared to the point-by-point method. In this method, you divide the information in terms of parameters. It means that the first paragraph compares the first subject and all their items, then the second one compares the second, and so on.

However, make sure that you write the subject in the same order. This method is best for lengthy essays and complicated subjects.

Here is the structure of the block method.

Therefore, keep these methods in mind and choose the one according to the chosen subject.

Mixed Paragraphs Method

In this method, one paragraph explains one aspect of the subject. As a writer, you will handle one point at a time and one by one. This method is quite beneficial as it allows you to give equal weightage to each subject and help the readers identify the point of comparison easily.

How to Start a Comparative Essay?

Here, we have gathered some steps that you should follow to start a well-written comparative essay.

Choose a Topic

The foremost step in writing a comparative essay is to choose a suitable topic.

Choose a topic or theme that is interesting to write about and appeals to the reader.

An interesting essay topic motivates the reader to know about the subject. Also, try to avoid complicated topics for your comparative essay.

Develop a List of Similarities and Differences

Create a list of similarities and differences between two subjects that you want to include in the essay. Moreover, this list helps you decide the basis of your comparison by constructing your initial plan.

Evaluate the list and establish your argument and thesis statement .

Establish the Basis for Comparison

The basis for comparison is the ground for you to compare the subjects. In most cases, it is assigned to you, so check your assignment or prompt.

Furthermore, the main goal of the comparison essay is to inform the reader of something interesting. It means that your subject must be unique to make your argument interesting.

Do the Research

In this step, you have to gather information for your subject. If your comparative essay is about social issues, historical events, or science-related topics, you must do in-depth research.

However, make sure that you gather data from credible sources and cite them properly in the essay.

Create an Outline

An essay outline serves as a roadmap for your essay, organizing key elements into a structured format.

With your topic, list of comparisons, basis for comparison, and research in hand, the next step is to create a comprehensive outline.

Here is a standard comparative essay outline:

How to Write a Comparative Essay?

Now that you have the basic information organized in an outline, you can get started on the writing process.

Here are the essential parts of a comparative essay:

Comparative Essay Introduction

Start off by grabbing your reader's attention in the introduction . Use something catchy, like a quote, question, or interesting fact about your subjects.

Then, give a quick background so your reader knows what's going on.

The most important part is your thesis statement, where you state the main argument , the basis for comparison, and why the comparison is significant.

This is what a typical thesis statement for a comparative essay looks like:

Comparative Essay Body Paragraphs

The body paragraphs are where you really get into the details of your subjects. Each paragraph should focus on one thing you're comparing.

Start by talking about the first point of comparison. Then, go on to the next points. Make sure to talk about two to three differences to give a good picture.

After that, switch gears and talk about the things they have in common. Just like you discussed three differences, try to cover three similarities.

This way, your essay stays balanced and fair. This approach helps your reader understand both the ways your subjects are different and the ways they are similar. Keep it simple and clear for a strong essay.

Comparative Essay Conclusion

In your conclusion , bring together the key insights from your analysis to create a strong and impactful closing.

Consider the broader context or implications of the subjects' differences and similarities. What do these insights reveal about the broader themes or ideas you're exploring?

Discuss the broader implications of these findings and restate your thesis. Avoid introducing new information and end with a thought-provoking statement that leaves a lasting impression.

Below is the detailed comparative essay template format for you to understand better.

Comparative Essay Format

Comparative Essay Examples

Have a look at these comparative essay examples pdf to get an idea of the perfect essay.

Comparative Essay on Summer and Winter

Comparative Essay on Books vs. Movies

Comparative Essay Sample

Comparative Essay Thesis Example

Comparative Essay on Football vs Cricket

Comparative Essay on Pet and Wild Animals

Comparative Essay Topics

Comparative essay topics are not very difficult or complex. Check this list of essay topics and pick the one that you want to write about.

How do education and employment compare?
Living in a big city or staying in a village.
The school principal or college dean.
New Year vs. Christmas celebration.
Dried Fruit vs. Fresh. Which is better?
Similarities between philosophy and religion.
British colonization and Spanish colonization.
Nuclear power for peace or war?
Bacteria or viruses.
Fast food vs. homemade food.

Tips for Writing A Good Comparative Essay

Writing a compelling comparative essay requires thoughtful consideration and strategic planning. Here are some valuable tips to enhance the quality of your comparative essay:

Clearly define what you're comparing, like themes or characters.
Plan your essay structure using methods like point-by-point or block paragraphs.
Craft an introduction that introduces subjects and states your purpose.
Ensure an equal discussion of both similarities and differences.
Use linking words for seamless transitions between paragraphs.
Gather credible information for depth and authenticity.
Use clear and simple language, avoiding unnecessary jargon.
Dedicate each paragraph to a specific point of comparison.
Summarize key points, restate the thesis, and emphasize significance.
Thoroughly check for clarity, coherence, and correct any errors.

Transition Words For Comparative Essays

Transition words are crucial for guiding your reader through the comparative analysis. They help establish connections between ideas and ensure a smooth flow in your essay.

Here are some transition words and phrases to improve the flow of your comparative essay:

Transition Words for Similarities

Correspondingly
In the same vein
In like manner
In a similar fashion
In tandem with

Transition Words for Differences

On the contrary
In contrast
Nevertheless
In spite of
Notwithstanding
On the flip side
In contradistinction

Check out this blog listing more transition words that you can use to enhance your essay’s coherence!

In conclusion, now that you have the important steps and helpful tips to write a good comparative essay, you can start working on your own essay.

However, if you find it tough to begin, you can always hire our professional essay writing service .

Our skilled writers can handle any type of essay or assignment you need. So, don't wait—place your order now and make your academic journey easier!

Frequently Asked Question

How long is a comparative essay.

A comparative essay is 4-5 pages long, but it depends on your chosen idea and topic.

How do you end a comparative essay?

Here are some tips that will help you to end the comparative essay.

Restate the thesis statement
Wrap up the entire essay
Highlight the main points

Write Essay Within 60 Seconds!

Dr. Barbara is a highly experienced writer and author who holds a Ph.D. degree in public health from an Ivy League school. She has worked in the medical field for many years, conducting extensive research on various health topics. Her writing has been featured in several top-tier publications.

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Leaving Cert Notes

Notes and anki decks for the leaving cert, comparative study: theme or issue: the theme of identity, each of the characters has a moment of revelation..

The biggest blow to Ma’s sense of who she is comes about when she allows herself to be interviewed for a television show. The interviewer asked her if she ever considered asking Old Nick to take Jack to a hospital and leave him there so he could be put up for adoption, claiming, ‘Every day he needed a wider world, and the only one you could give him got narrower’. Ma had always considered herself a good mother and had shaped her identity for five years around the belief that she was doing the best that she could for Jack. Until the interview, she had never thought that she was the one keeping Jack imprisoned in Room and she is utterly heartbroken at the suggestion that, far from being a good parent, she was possibly no better than Old Nick, in her own way. Ma, of course, is so vulnerable at this stage in the text that she is incapable of separating her sense of self from the interviewer’s analysis of her situation. Not only has she made Jack the focus of and reason for her life, but she has never had that belief challenged up to this point. Ma is so distressed by this view of herself that she attempts to take her own life.

A Doll’s House

The principal difference between Room and ADH is each character’s reaction to the belief that they have been living a lie. Nora comes to see that sacrificing her sense of self has led to a shallow existence with no strong foundation, while Ma is horrified to learn that building her life around Jack may have harmed him. Both women see that their shaping their identity around the needs of others may have had the opposite effect to that they had intended.

Nora’s sudden realisation that Torvald is more concerned with saving ‘the remains, the fragments, the appearance’ of a marriage and happy family life than he is in understanding the reasons for her taking out the loan shows her that she can never be true to herself if she stays with him. While Ma’s distress leads her to attempt to leave the world together, Nora chooses to leave her husband. She refuses to accept being treated like a ‘doll-wife’ any longer and to exist ‘merely to perform tricks’ for Torvald. She tells him that she must ‘stand quite alone’ if she is to understand herself at last. Torvald objects, saying Nora is a wife and a mother above all else, but Nora says she is ‘a reasonable human being’. Her moment of revelation has shown Nora that she needs to make up her own mind about matters and form a strong, independent identity.

Rick’s moment of revelation is less sudden than in the other two texts and is the culmination of an idea that has been gradually building in his mind rather than a bolt from the blue. His reunion with Ilsa slowly rekindles Rick’s moral code and he moves from an isolationist viewpoint to one of self-sacrificing idealism. The turning point for Rick comes when Ilsa visits his apartment to get the letters of transit and tells him that she loves him still and that she will ‘never have the strength’ to leave him again. After their conversation, Rick knows why Ilsa had to abandon him in Paris, but he is also keenly aware that without her, Lazslo will struggle to carry out his resistance work. Both these facts bring out the best in Rick. He once again becomes the man of whom we caught glimpses earlier in the film: the ‘sentimentalist’ who ran guns to Ethiopia in 1935 and fought on the Loyalist side in Spain in 1936. Rick’s re-embracing of his heroic identity is less traumatic for him than Ma or Nora’s re-examining of their sense of self. Although Rick, like Nora, has to end a relationship, his decision is not made in order to find out who he really is, because he knows exactly who he is, at last. He devises a plan to help Laszlo and Ilsa escape together, even at great risk to his own life and at the cost of his personal happiness.

The ending of each text contributes to our understanding of the theme.

When Jack and Ma are reunited after her overdose and subsequent stay in hospital, they both learn that they need one another a little less than they did when they first escaped from Room, and that is a good thing. The novel shows that in order for people to have a clear sense of their identity, they need to pull apart a little. Jack, during his time with Grandma, has learned that he is capable of living without Ma, and she is coming to terms with her adult self in the world outside Room. The title of this last section of the book is ‘Living’ and both Jack and Ma discover who they are and who they want to be. Both have had their development stunted by their captivity and must now pull away form their reliance on each other in order to be strong, independent individuals with a clear sense of self. Ma is not the same person she was when she went into Room and is concerned that she has become reclusive and content with Jack’s company only. However, Dr Clay and Noreen tell her, she ‘had to change to survive’ and ‘wouldn’t have stayed the same’ even if she hadn’t been imprisoned. Because Room was the place which Jack’s identity was formed and Ma experienced life-changing events, the visit to their former prison at the very end of the book is a significant moment for both. Ma sees Room from the outside in daylight, and although she is distressed, she rises to the occasion because she knows Jack needs this experience. Jack realises that he can let go of his former emotional attachment to Room. They leave, as free as they can be in body and spirit, and ready to move on with the next chapter of self-discovery.

The ending of ADH also shows us that it is essential to stand alone and not to shape an identity around another person. Nora learns, over the course of the play, that a person who is not true to themselves will never be truly valued. This is a more negative view of identity than that in Room because Ma and Jack love one another dearly at every stage, even if they have not yet become all they could be.

Since her early childhood, Nora has been the person others wanted her to be but has never been loved for herself as a result. She tells Torvald that when she lived with her father, he ‘told me his opinion about everything, and so I had the same opinions; and if I differed from him I concealed the fact, because he would not have liked it’. Nora brought this same approach to her marriage and now sees she has ‘made nothing’ of her life and has never been happy. Despite creating a persona that she believes will meet the needs and expectations of her husband, Nora is betrayed when Torvald turns on her in fury on discovering that she is being blackmailed because of a secret loan she took out in order to save him from ill health. The realisation rocks Nora’s sense of self and, even though Torvald forgives her on learning that Krogstad has withdrawn his threat of blackmail, Nora decides to leave the man she now views as a stranger. Like Ma and Jack, Nora has been living a restricted life, albeit metaphorical in her case. Still, the result had been similar; Nora has been unable to develop to her full potential. At the end of the text she realises that she can no longer love her husband, as he has shown that he puts himself first and foremost and loves her only when she conforms to his idea of what a perfect wife should be. As in Room, there is some uncertainty about the future. We don’t know how successful Nora will be in her quest to stand on her own two feet and establish an identity separate from that of her husband, but her spirited denunciation of Torvald’s treatment of her gives us hope. Our final sight of Nora is as she walks out the door of the Helmer home, leaving behind her husband and children. Although this is a heart-wrenching decision, it is essential id Nora is to have a chance of living life on her own terms. Nora admits that she does not know exactly what she is going to do when she leaves Torvald, but she is ready to face that challenge, nonetheless. As the door closes behind her, we feel that for the first time, Nora, like Jack and Ma, has the chance of a meaningful, fulfilling life and a better future. Sadly, Nora had to leave her family in order to find herself, while Jack and Ma continue their voyage of self-discovery together.

As in the other two texts, it takes a degree of separation for Rick to fully come to terms with who he is meant to be. Like Ma and Nora, Rick has allowed his sense of self to be too closely ties to another person. Ilsa’s apparent rejection wounds Rick so deeply that he adopts a bitter, cynical façade to hide his pain. Until Ilsa arrives in Casablanca and explains matters, Rick has no idea why she abandoned him in Paris and his sense of self is dealt a huge blow when he thinks that the woman he loves does not care for him. However, he eventually comes to see that Ilsa loves him still and that he has a difficult choice to make. The difference between Rick and the characters in the other texts is that Rick’s identity is intertwined with the American position during the Second World War. Therefore, his decision at the end of the film is not just personal, but also represents the American shift from isolationism to solidarity with the Allied cause.

At the end of the film, Rich embraces his heroic side and merges his political and romantic identities. He aloows Ilsa to leave with another man because the war effort is more important than any individual. In some of the most famous lines from the film, Rick tells Ilsa, ‘I’ve got a job to do, too. Where I’m going, you can’t follow. What I’ve got to do, you can’t be any part of’. Rick claims that he is ‘no good at being noble’ but his actions prove otherwise.

In all three texts, the characters have to make sacrifices if they are to be the best possible versions of themselves and be content with their sense of self. Jack and Ma are luckier than Nora and Rick in the sense that they can continue to develop their identity while remaining close. Both Rick and Nora have to part with loved ones if they are to be true to themselves. Nora leaves her children and Rick says goodbye to the woman he loves. He knows that he must put the greater good before his personal needs if he is to do what is right and be the best version of himself. Rick explains this to Ilsa in their moving goodbye scene: ‘I’m no good at being noble, but it doesn’t take much to see that the problems of three little people don’t amount to a hill of beans in this crazy world’. In all three texts what happens next is far from clear. Jack and Ma have a long road ahead and will surely struggle in their quest to find a clear identity in the new and strange world in which they find themselves. Nora is facing the unknown: a single woman without the support of family or financial support. Rick too heads into the unknown, and symbolically walks off into the Second World War equivalent of a sunset – a foggy airport - with an uncertain but surely more personally and politically fulfilling future ahead. The one thing all the principal characters share is that facing reality and standing on your own two feet is an essential part of establishing a strong sense of identity

The theme of identity is presented differently in each text.

Room presents us with an original but disturbing view of the theme of identity. It shows us how difficult it is develop an identity without being part of the wider community. Jack grows up and forms his sense of self in an entirely artificial environment until he is five years of age. He believes the tiny world in which he lives is the real world and everything else is ‘outside’. Emma Donoghue explores what it is that makes us who we are and shapes our sense of self. Ma and Jack’s identities are intertwined. Everyone needs a sense of purpose to give their life meaning, and Jack’s birth – albeit in horrific circumstances – provides that for Ma. In the five years since Jack’s arrival, Ma has shaped her identity around being the best mother to him that she can be, under the circumstances. She tells Jack that before he was born, she sunk in abject misery and cried until she ‘didn’t have any tears left’. Later in the novel, Ma explains to a television interviewer that Jack was everything to her during her captivity and that when he was born, she felt alive again because she mattered to someone. We never learn Ma’s real name because that is all she is to Jack for a long time, his mother. That she might have another identity and be someone’s daughter, sister or friend is shocking to him when he and Ma eventually escape, and Ma too struggles to regain a sense of herself and her place in the world. Jack is equally shocked to discover that he is not the centre of a small universe but just one among many. However, he is at least young enough to learn and to develop a sense of self that is not connected to Room and his overly-dependent relationship with Ma. Still, his journey of self-discovery is far from straightforward. Jack may be adaptable, but he has been damaged by his time in Room and is far behind a typical five year old in many ways. Now Jack has to discover not only who he is but also learn to recognise that others are different to him, physically and emotionally.

In ADH, the situation is far less restrictive than that in Room, but Nora is also prevented from realising her full potential. In her case, it is a decision to appear as obliging and pleasing as she can that ultimately leads Nora to see that she has been living a lie. Ibsen initially presents us with a far more pleasant and seemingly happy domestic situation than that in Room. Nora, it appears, is happily married and the mother of three children. However, this is merely a façade and while her life is much easier than Ma and Jack’s it is also restrictive. Torvald is nothing as abusive as Old Nick, but he is equally convinced that he should be in absolute control. He wants to be in charge of everything in the Helmer household, from the way money is spent to Nora’s indulging her sweet tooth. Helmer’s use of the word ‘my’ when referring to his wife – ‘my little skylark’ and ‘my little squirrel’ shows that he believes Nora is his to manipulate and that she should not have an identity of her own. While Emma Donoghue shows us a blatantly cruel and obviously appalling setting in which her characters must struggle to find a sense of self, Ibsen is more subversive. He presents us with a seemingly idyllic situation but gradually reveals how damaging coercive control can be, particularly when it is disguised as loving care. Torvald treats Nora like an errant child and expects her to obey his dictates and seek his approval and permission for her every action, all the while supressing her individuality and independent identity. How we view this presentation of the theme depends on our attitude. At the time the play was written, audiences would have been inclined to believe that Torvald, the man of the house, was in the right. Indeed, such was the fuss when the play was released that a German theatre company changed the ending to have Nora remain with Torvald. Ibsen was shocked and disgusted when he learned of this amendment to the most important and significant moment in the text, calling it ‘a barbaric outrage’. The whole point of the play was to show how a seemingly perfect scenario could nevertheless restrict a person’s ability to find and express their true sense of self.

The presentation of the theme is very different in Casablanca than in the other two texts because the film presents us with a political as well as a personal message. Rick many seem callous when we first see him, but his identity is inextricable linked to the American attitude towards the Second World War. In the early part of the film, he represents the American isolationist approach. Having suffered heavy losses in the Frist World War, Americans were understandably reluctant to intervene in European affairs again. Therefore, Rick will not take a side when Ugarte is arrested and he repeatedly states his refusal to involve himself in the troubles of others. Renault calls Rick’s attitude a ‘wise foreign policy’ and assures Strasser that Rick is ‘completely neutral about everything’.

Rick’s situation is nothing like as restrictive as that endured by the characters in Room or ADH. Certainly, he has to preserve a façade of detachment and neutrality in order to evade unwelcome attention from the authorities in Casablanca, but he is not personally affected by those in authority, unlike the characters in the novel and the play. In order to show the shift from American isolationism to siding with the Allied cause, Rick has to have a change of heart. This switch from neutral to anti-Nazi is presented through Rick’s love for Ilsa Lund and his eventual rekindling of a moral code after his reunion with her. Through this meeting, we also learn that Rick has an identity beyond that of a representative of the American stance early in the war. The arrival of Ilsa Lund and Victor Lazslo in Casablanca shatters Rick’s composure and his carefully crafted identitiy as a hardened cynic who has little interest in the affairs of others. Through a flashback, we learn that Rick’s identity was not always that of a cynical, detached observer. He was, and is, more than a mere symbol of a political standpoint. When in Paris with Ilsa, he was far more carefree and much happier: a true romantic hero. However, when Ilsa abandoned him, everything changed for Rick and he internalised his pain, becoming reserved and seeminly unreachable. While Rick’s situation may seem on the surface more restrictive than Nora’s and almost as dangerous as Ma and Jack’s, he has more freedom than any of them and, therefore, a greater chance of realising and expressing his true identity. This is clearly shown at the end of the film when Rick embraces his political side and sacrifices his love affair with Ilsa for the greater good. Like Nora, Rick walks away from a serious relationship at the end of the text, but unlike Nora, Rick does so because he knows who he is. Nora has yet to discover that.

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Comparative essay structure

UPDATE – September 2014.

Again and again it’s been pointed out at marking conferences and in marking schemes that YOU MUST RESPOND TO THE QUESTION. Stock learned off answers are not being rewarded – and rightfully so! Using what you know to offer your opinion is what counts – agree, disagree, partially agree, partially disagree – it’s doesn’t matter as long as your essay is directly responding to the Q asked throughout and is doing so in a comparative way.

Here’s an extract from the Chief Examiner’s Report

“ examiners were pleased when they saw candidates trust in their own personal response and demonstrate a willingness to challenge the ‘fixed meaning’ of texts. The best answers managed to remain grounded, both in the question asked and in the texts ”.

Examiners complained that students had pre-prepared answers which they refused to adapt to the question asked. Don’t get confused here: in the comparative section you have to have done a lot of preparation prior to the exam. The similarities and differences are unlikely to simply occur to you on the day under exam conditions and the structure of comparing and contrasting, weaving the texts together using linking phrases and illustrating points using key moments is not something you can just DO with no practice. It’s a skill you have to learn. But you MUST be willing to change, adapt, and select from what you know to engage fully with the question asked.

This compliment, followed by a warning, was included in the 2013 report:

“ Many examiners reported genuine engagement with the terms of the questions, combined with a fluid comparative approach. As in previous years, examiners also noted that a significant minority of candidates were hampered by a rigid and formulaic approach “.

At the 2011 marking conference, a huge emphasis was placed on students engaging with the question – and the point was made that all too often they DON’T. You may have a general structure in your head but if this structure doesn’t suit the question that comes up DON’T just doggedly write what you’re prepared anyway. Use what you know to answer the Q. The basic structure will remain (text 1 key moment, link, text 2 km, link, text 3 km, general observation) – it’s not rocket science. But you must prove (if you want a grade above 70% in comparative) that you can engage with the question throughout your answer (not justthrow it in @ beginning and end) and conclude by showing how your essay engaged with the question asked. So the moral of the story is, if you puke up a pre-prepared answer & completely ignore the question, don’t be surprised when you then do badly!

Anyway, you still want to know what the basic comparative structure IS but remember you do not know what you will write until you see the question. Even then, your brain should be on fire non-stop as you write your answer. This is not about ‘remembering’ stuff – this is about knowing it so well, that it’s all there in your brain and you just have to shuffle it about so that it makes sense as a response to whatever question is asked.

Sorry, I don’t intend to scare you – but nor do I want to you be under some illusion that you just write one essay for each comparative mode during the year and that will do. IT WON’T…

UPDATE OVER

Right, here goes…

The quality of your links is REALLY SUPREMELY important. This section of the course is called ‘comparative studies’ for a reason. The more detailed a link is the more marks you’ll get for it. Thus just using the words ‘similarly’ or ‘by contrast’ isn’t really enough. Link individual characters from different texts, establish the ways they or their circumstances are similar but also point out subtle differences. You can extend this comparison throughout your paragraph/section if necessary (in fact this is a good idea) – but don’t simply repeat yourself.

Here’s some general advice on how you might structure your comparative essay, but I repeat, adapt, adapt adapt to the question asked .

Introduction:

Theme or Issue : Address the Q, introduce your theme, then your texts – genre, name, author and mention the central character who you will focus on in your discussion of this theme.

General Vision & Viewpoint : Address the Q, introduce the idea of GV&V (briefly), then your texts – genre, name, author and mention the major emotions you associate with each.

Cultural Context: Address the Q, introduce the idea of cultural context (briefly), then your texts – genre, name, author, plus where and when they are set. You may want to mention the aspects of cultural context you intend to discuss.

Literary Genre: Address the Q, briefly introduce what literary genre means, then introduce your texts – genre, name, author. Outline the aspects of literary genre you will discuss (depends on the Q asked).

Look at the following examples. Imagine the Q is “Exploring a theme or issue can add to our enjoyment of a text”

“I found it fascinating to explore the central theme of plagiarism in my comparative texts. In the novel ‘Old School ‘ (OS) by Tobias Wolff I was intrigued by the narrator’s self delusion after he entered a competition with a short story he had not written. By contrast, I found the film ‘Generous’ (GEN) directed by Frank Faulkner quite disturbing. It explores a young girl’s obsession with becoming famous as she ‘borrows’ outrageous online articles to make her blog more popular. Finally I found the play “IMHO” by Judy Price hilarious. It looks at how we all ‘copy’ ideas from others and pass them off as our own at dinner parties. Thus exploring this theme greatly added to my enjoyment of each text”.

Now look at how this changes for a different mode. Imagine the Q is “The general vision & viewpoint of a text often offers the reader both joy & despair”

“ All of my comparative texts took me on a rollercoaster ride through the highs and lows experienced by the central characters . In the novel “Old School” (OS) by Tobias Wolff I experienced the narrator’s joy at the visit of Robert Frost, and his despair when his cheating was uncovered. Similarly, the film “Generous” (GEN) directed by Frank Faulkner begins in elation for Emily as her blog goes viral but ends in complete mental and physical collapse. By contrast, the lighthearted play “IMOH” by Judy Price offers a hilarious look at the falseness of modern dinner parties and the only despair the audience feels is lamenting the complete lack of self-awareness of the central characters. Thus the vision & viewpoint of each text offered me a wide and varied range of emotions from joy to depair”.

Now look at how this changes again: Imagine the Q is: “Characters are often in conflict with the world or culture they inhabit”

“ The novel ‘Old School’ (OS) written by Tobias Wolff is set in an elite American boarding school in the 1960’s and the unnamed narrator certainly comes into conflict with his world. This text explores cultural issues such as social class, ethnic identity and authority figures. Similar issues are explored in the film “Generous” (GEN) directed by Frank Faulkner and set in modern day London as Emily comes into conflict with her parents, peers and teachers. My third text the play “IMOH” by Judy Price set in Celtic Tiger Ireland also looks at the conflicts which occur as a result of people’s social snobbery and their desire to escape their cultural identity and heritage. In this text the major authority figure is Susan, the host of the dinner party, who desperately tries to keep her guests in line. Thus I absolutely agree that these three texts made me more aware of the ways in which people can come into conflict with the world or culture they inhabit”.

Finally look at this literary genre question : “The creation of memorable characters is part of the art of good story-telling” .

The unnamed narrator in Tobias Wolff’s novel ‘Old School’ (OS) is a fascinating and memorable character because he is struggling to come to terms with his own flaws. Similarly, the film ‘Generous’ (GEN) directed by Frank Faulkner has a central character Emily who we emphathise with despite her many flaws. Finally, the play ‘IMHO’ by Judy Price with its emsemble cast creates many memorable characters but for the purposes of this essay I will focus on the dinner party host Susan. These characters live on in our memories because of the writer’s choice of narrative point of view, because of the vivid imagery we associate with them and because the climax of the action revolves around their character.

NEXT you need to think about structuring the essay itself. The most important thing to decide in advance is what aspect you wish to compare for each page/section but this may need to change to adapt to the Q.

For theme or issue you might plan it out like this but at all times focus on answering the Q:

How is this theme introduced? How does this theme affect the central character/characters?
How is this theme developed? Do the central characters embrace or fight against it? How?
Do other characters influence how this theme unfolds?
How does the text end & what are our final impressions of this theme as a result?

Asking the same question of each text allows you to come up with the all important links (similarities & differences).

For general vision & viewpoint you might plan as follows but at all times focus on answering the Q:

What view is offered of humanity (are the main characters likable or deplorable?)
What view is offered of society (is this society largely benign or does it negatively impact on the characters)
How does the text end & what vision are we left with (positive or negative) as a result?

Alternatively you could just take a beginning, middle, end approach but you must at all times focus on whether the vision/feelings/atmosphere is positive or negative and how this impacts on the reader/viewers experience.

For literary genre you must focus on the aspects mentioned in the question – possibly some of these:

Genre – diff between novel/play/film
Narrator / point of view
Characterisation
Chronology – flashback / flashforward
Climax / twist

For cultural context you must decide which of the following issues are most prominent in all three texts – try to find links before you decide. At all times focus on answering the Q asked

Social class / social status
Wealth / poverty
Job opportunities / emigration
Authority figures
Sex / Marriage (attitudes towards)
Gender roles
Stereotypes / Ethnic identity

You may find some overlap between 2 of these – for example social class often influences a person’s wealth or poverty; religion often effects attitudes towards sex and marriage; marriage can often be a financial necessity for those with limited job opportunities (mostly women, so this overlaps with gender roles). Choose your sections carefully so you don’t end up repeating yourself.

You might plan as follows for the example given above but everything depends on the texts & the question.

Social status
Ethnic identity
How does the text end? Do the main characters escape or remain constrained by their cultural context?

Once you’ve decided what sections to include your structure for each goes a little something like this:

STATEMENT – ALL 3 TEXTS e.g. All of the central characters are deeply aware of their social class and wish to ‘climb the ladder’ as it were in the hope that they will achieve recognition, the envy of their peers and ultimately a better life.

STATEMENT – TEXT 1 e.g. In OS, the narrator hides his background (he comes from a broken home) from his wealthier peers.

KEY MOMENT TEXT 1 e.g. This is evident when he discusses how, at school, your social class was defined not just by your clothes but also by how you spent your summers – in his case “working as a dishwasher in the kitchen crew at a YMCA camp” a fact which he vows never to reveal to his classmates.

LINKING PHRASE & STATEMENT TEXT 2 e.g. Similarly, in GEN, Emily comes from a broken home, but it is her family’s absolute impoverishment which she keeps hidden from her classmates. Like the narrator in OS, she fears their pity but unlike him she is already dealing with the harsh reality of being a social outcast at school.

KEY MOMENT TEXT 2 e.g. During one key moment she describes leaning down to tie her shoes, all the while talking, only to look up and find her friends have walked off and are now laughing at her for talking to thin air. Thus her desire to escape the limitations of her background is more urgent than in OS.

LINKING PHRASE & STATEMENT TEXT 3 e.g. By contrast, in IMHO, Jane, Lucy, Joel, Zach & Max all come from upper middle class backgrounds. Their social status is more secure than the narrator in OS or Emily in GEN, yet they are all obsessed with creating the impression that they have links to the aristocracy – or in Zach’s case, royalty.

KEY MOMENT TEXT 3 e.g. Several key moments spring to mind, the funniest of which is when Lucy boasts about the diamond necklace she’s wearing being a family heirloom bequeathed by her Aunt Tess, only to have one of the so-called diamonds fall into her soup. Joel the jeweller then delights in pointing out the evident ‘fake’ in the room (the woman AND the diamond).

STATEMENT ALL 3 & PERSONAL RESPONSE TO QUESTION ASKED e.g. Thus I found it fascinating, tragic and at times hilarious to see how all of these characters were so deeply affected by their obsession with their social status and to observe the conflicts – both internal & external – which resulted.

This all sounds very technical but if you break it down as follows it’s not so complicated (easy for me to say!)

STATEMENT ALL 3 TEXTS

STATEMENT TEXT 1 & KEY MOMENT

LINKING PHRASE & STATEMENT TEXT 2 & KEY MOMENT

LINKING PHRASE & STATEMENT TEXT 3 & KEY MOMENT

STATEMENT ALL 3 & PERSONAL RESPONSE TO QUESTION

Now look at how the paragraph/section flows when you put it all together.

All of the central characters are deeply aware of their social class and wish to ‘climb the ladder’ as it were in the hope that they will achieve recognition, the envy of their peers and ultimately a better life. In OS, the narrator hides his background (he comes from a broken home) from his wealthier peers. This is evident when he discusses how, at school, your social class was defined not just by your clothes but also by how you spent your summers – in his case “working as a dishwasher in the kitchen crew at a YMCA camp” a fact which he vows never to reveal to his classmates. Similarly, in GEN, Emily comes from a broken home, but it is her family’s absolute impoverishment which she keeps hidden from her classmates. Like the narrator in OS, she fears their pity but unlike him she is already dealing with the harsh reality of being a social outcast at school. During one key moment she describes leaning down to tie her shoes at her locker, all the while talking, only to look up and find her friends have walked off and are now laughing at her for talking to thin air. Thus her desire to escape the stigma of her background is more urgent than in OS. By contrast, in IMHO, Jane, Lucy, Joel, Zach & Max all come from upper middle class backgrounds. Their social status is more secure than for narrator in OS or Emily in GEN, yet they are all obsessed with creating the impression that they have links to the aristocracy – or in Zach’s case, royalty. S everal key moments spring to mind, the funniest of which is when Lucy boasts about the diamond necklace she’s wearing being a family heirloom bequeathed by her Aunt Tess, only to have one of the so-called diamonds fall into her soup. Joel the jeweller then delights in pointing out the evident ‘fakes’ in the room (the woman AND the diamond). Thus I found it fascinating, tragic and at times hilarious to see how all of these characters were so deeply affected by their obsession with their social status and to observe the conflicts – both internal & external – which resulted.

This paragraph only establishes that the characters want to hide or improve their social class. You could now look at some of their attempts to improve their social status.

If a paragraph gets too long, break it into two. The linking phrase will make it clear that you’re still talking about the same issue.

For the 30 / 40 marls question just take all of your statements & key moments for Text 1 and put them together, all the while answering the question and offering personal response. This is your 30 marks part.

Then take all of your statements & links for texts 2 & 3 and put them together, all the while answering the question and offering personal response. This is your 40 marks part. You will refer back, in passing, to Text 1 but only when establishing your links.

Also, I’ve said it before but I’ll say it again: the more detailed a link is the more marks you’ll get for it. Thus just using the words ‘similarly’ or ‘by contrast’ isn’t really enough. Link individual characters from different texts, establish the ways they or their circumstances are similar but also point out subtle differences.

This structure applies no matter what the mode – theme or issue / general vision or viewpoint / cultural context / literary genre.

P.S. If you’re wondering why you’ve never heard of the film Generous or the play IMHO, I can explain. I made them up.

65 responses to “ Comparative essay structure ”

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Theme or Issue – Wuthering Heights, A Doll’s House, Juno for Leaving Cert English Comparative #625Lab

Some texts leave readers with a largely idealistic impression of a theme or issue, while others leave readers with a more realistic or believable impression of the same theme or issue. (2015 q1).

#625Lab . Corrected by experienced examiner, graded as H3 with feedback on how to improve below. You may also like: Leaving Cert English Complete Guide (€).

I have studied ‘Wuthering Heights’ [WH] BY Emily Brontë, ‘A Doll’s House’ [ADH] by Henrik Ibsen, and “Juno”, directed by Jason Reitman. As a teenager in the twenty-first century, i found ‘Juno’ to be the most relatable to my own life. While WH and ADH often portrayed the theme of love and relationships in quite an idealistic way, all three texts provided a variety of both believable and idealistic elements. For example, while Heathcliff’s undying love for Cathy can sometimes come across as overly romanticised, his abusive treatment of Isabella is a very prevalent and common issue in life today. (The introduction needs to set up your answer clearly. How will you be addressing the question and what is your main argument? I would avoid the example here as you cannot develop it in the introduction)

In my opinion, both ADH and ‘Juno’ present very realistic portrayals of marital breakdowns. (Relate to your theme ) Vanessa and Mark’s relationship ultimately does not work because they want different things in life- Vanessa’s one true desire is to become a mother, whereas Mark simply wants to concentrate on his music. ‘Well, aren’t you the cool guy?’. ( Quote needs to introduced/explained). Mark keeps his interests confined to a single room- ‘she’s got you on a long leash, Mark’ and keeps his true feelings about the adoption to himself until he reveals his plans to leave Vanessa. ‘It feels a little like bad timing.’ This kind of secrecy is also seen between Nora and Torvald in ADH. From early on in the first act there are hints that the relationship is not quite as perfect as it initially appears. Nora ‘pops the bag of macaroons in her pocket’ before Torvald can see her eating the forbidden treat . Nora soon reveals to Mrs Linde that she is keeping a rather large secret from her husband- she says, ‘it was I who found the money’ to save Torvald’s life. Nora is aware that Torvald would not be happy if he were to find out her secret. It was no surprise to me that by the end of these two texts, both of these marriages had disintegrated. It is clear to me that, with this lack of transparency and honesty between a couple, a happy and healthy relationship is unrealistic. (Good comparison between two texts and good reference to question)

Though I was happy with Nora’s decision to leave Torvald, I found her sacrifice of her children at the end of the play to be unrealistic. In contrast, Cathy’s sacrifice of her and Heathcliff’s relationship for materialistic reasons was very realistic and relates very much to our modern money-obsessed society. (Good purpose and effective comparison) Nora is a very loving mother and cares deeply about her children, and this makes it difficult to understand how she could bear to leave them, even in order to escape her marriage. ‘ I don’t want to see the children. I know they’re in better hands than mine’. In my view, most mothers would take their children with them, or stay with their husband in order to be with them. This is very different to WH, where Cathy’s motivation behind her betrayal of Heathcliff and their relationship is far more believable. Heathcliff is of a lower social class than her- ‘it would degrade me to marry Heathcliff’. Edgar Linton, on the other hand, is rich, and it is no surprise that she chooses social status over love. ‘He will be rich, and i shall like to be the greatest woman of the neighbourhood’. In our increasingly image-obsessed society, true love outweighing status and wealth is a highly idealistic notion, and Cathy’s decision is significantly more representative of real life. (Good argument here but ensure adequate development)

I felt that ‘Juno’ was also successful in portraying an accurate teenage friendship. The support and humour between Juno and Leah is very realistic in my opinion. In ADH on the other hand, I do not think that Nora and Mrs Linde’s friendship is very true to life. When Mrs Linde first arrives into Nora’s home early in Act One, it is revealed the pair had not been in contact for almost ten years. Nora did not even write to Mrs Linde when she heard her husband had died three years prior. ‘Something else always cropped up.’ Despite the decade-long separation of the two, Mrs Linde did not hesitate to become immediately involved in Nora’s marital issues. I found this aspect of their relationship to be quite unbelievable. It was Mrs Linde who decided that Nora must tell Torvald her secret- ’Helmer must know the truth. This unhappy secret of Nora’s must be revealed.’ This is quite a personal decision that many people would not share with their closer friends, let alone someone they hadn’t talked to in ten years. In contrast, Juno and Leah are very close. Leah is the first person Juno tells about her pregnancy, and Leah instantly supports her, and offers her a ride to the abortion clinic. (Watch sentence structure here.) Leah does not judge Juno when she changes her mind, and she stands by her throughout the duration of the film. She does not hesitate to call her out, however, when she sees Juno’s jealousy, and this shows the strength of their friendship. ‘Are you jealous?’ The humour between the pair -’it’s probably just a food baby’ – creates an endearing and accurate portrayal of a true friendship. (Is this realistic or idealistic? How does this link to your theme? Your theme was never explicitly stated in the essay)

While, in my opinion, ‘Juno’ has proven to be the most realistic of the three texts I have studied, I felt that the film ended a little too perfectly. Despite the various issues the characters faced throughout the film, everyone got their happy ending. (slightly informal ) In a similar way, I found that Heathcliff and Hareton’s relationship towards the ending of WH to be unrealistic. Heathcliff undoubtedly treated Hareton cruelly, and I do not think that Hareton’s fondness for his uncle later on is an authentic representation of real life. (Good) Both texts showcase idealistic outcomes for their characters. Mark and Vanessa decide to separate, but there is no mention of the long and tedious divorce process- we only find out that Mark gets his long-awaited studio apartment, and Vanessa finally becomes a mother. The pregnancy seems to have little emotional effect of either Juno or Paulie- both are content to play music together without a care in the world. Even Brenda finally gets a dog. While it is always enjoyable to see characters get their happy ending, I think that the denouement of this film was overly-optimistic and not very lifelike. Similarly, despite Heathcliff’s abusive behaviour- ’now my bonny lad, you are mine! And we’ll see if one tree won’t grow as crooked as another with the same wind to twist it’- Hareton is ‘the only one that really suffered much’ following Heathcliff’s death. I think it is quite idealistic to imagine that Hareton would hold Heathcliff to such a high regard after the way he had treated him. (Some excellent comparisons and references to key words of question)

Hareton was not the only one to suffer from Heathcliff’s abuse, and Heathcliff’s treatment of Isabella in particular presents a very shocking though unfortunately realistic portrayal of domestic violence. In a very comparable way, the coercive control that Torvald exerted over Nora in ADH is very representative of real life. (Excellent) As, reportedly, one in five women in Ireland who have been in relationships have been abused by a former or current partner, both of these relationships can be related to the real lives of thousands of women. ( Sentence a little clunky here ). Before Heathcliff marries Isabella, it is clear their relationship is not based on love, but rather on revenge. Heathcliff vows that if he were to marry Isabella, he’d ‘turn the blue eyes black.’ Throughout the novel we are presented with several examples of both the verbal and physical abuse Isabella is subjected to. Heathcliff says he has ‘sometimes relented from pure lack of invention, in my experiments on what she could endure.’ He calls her a ‘mere slut’ and a ‘pitiful, slavish, mean-minded brach’. Though Torvald does not physically abuse Nora, there is strong evidence of psychological torture in their relationship. From the hints of his controlling nature at the beginning of the text-’[wags his finger]: has my little sweet-tooth been indulging herself in town today?’ – to his shocking reaction at the end, it is evident that the Helmers’ marriage is not a healthy one. Upon hearing of Nora’s secret debt, Torvald instantly thinks only of himself and his social image-’you have ruined my whole future’. In his view, ‘it means she has become his property in a double sense.’ This kind of controlling mindset is not uncommon in abusive relationships, and in my opinion, both Ibsen and Brontë have successfully represented controlling and manipulative marriages in a believable way. ( Very strong comparisons here to support a strong argument. Be careful that your language is confident in order to strengthen your point.)

From my study of my comparative texts, I have been left with a variety of both realistic and idealistic impressions of the theme of love and relationships. As a result I have gained a deeper insight into this theme and its role in real life. While the realistic elements were easier to comprehend and relate back to my own life, the elements of idealism and exaggeration in the texts added to my enjoyment and engagement with the texts. (Brief but effective conclusion).

P -16 /21 There is evidence of clear purpose here with excellent comparisons and some clear references to the question. The thematic content is slightly unclear at the beginning and the essay takes two or three paragraphs to get going.

C -16 /21 This is a coherent essay and it is well-structured. Introduction loses marks and it does not set up the essay.

L – 15/21 Language is mostly very good. Be careful with sentence structure. Read over essay to ensure sentences flow well.

M – 6/7 Very good . You do not need a comma before/after the word and.

Overall mark and comment: 53/70 – 76% – H3

An excellent essay overall which could easily develop into a H2 grade after some small edits.

Post author: Martina
Post published: May 6, 2019
Post category: #625Lab / A Doll's House / Comparative / English / Juno / PCLM / Theme or Issue / Wuthering Heights

Theme or issue – room and philadelphia, here i come for leaving cert english comparative #625lab, leaving cert robert frost sample essays #625lab, hamlet: corruption, deception, dramatic techniques.

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Writing Resources

Comparative essays.

This handout is available for download in DOCX format and PDF format .

What is a comparative essay?

A comparative essay asks that you compare at least two (or possibly more) items. These items will differ depending on the assignment. You might be asked to compare

positions on an issue (e.g., responses to midwifery in Canada and the United States)
theories (e.g., capitalism and communism)
figures (e.g., GDP in the United States and Britain)
texts (e.g., Shakespeare’s Hamlet and Macbeth )
events (e.g., the Great Depression and the global financial crisis of 2008-9)

Although the assignment may say “compare,” the assumption is that you will consider both the similarities and differences; in other words, you will compare and contrast.

Make sure you know the basis for comparison

The assignment sheet may say exactly what you need to compare, or it may ask you to come up with a basis for comparison yourself.

Provided by the essay question: The essay question may ask that you consider the figure of the gentleman in Charles Dickens’s Great Expectations and Anne Brontë’s The Tenant of Wildfell Hall . The basis for comparison will be the figure of the gentleman.
Developed by you: The question may simply ask that you compare the two novels. If so, you will need to develop a basis for comparison, that is, a theme, concern, or device common to both works from which you can draw similarities and differences.

Develop a list of similarities and differences

Once you know your basis for comparison, think critically about the similarities and differences between the items you are comparing, and compile a list of them. For example, you might decide that in Great Expectations , being a true gentleman is not a matter of manners or position but morality, whereas in The Tenant of Wildfell Hall , being a true gentleman is not about luxury and self-indulgence but hard work and productivity. Your list is not yet your outline for the essay, but it should provide you with enough similarities and differences to construct an initial plan.

Develop a thesis based on the relative weight of similarities and differences

Once you have listed similarities and differences, decide whether the similarities on the whole outweigh the differences or vice versa. Create a thesis statement that reflects their relative weights. A more complex thesis will usually include both similarities and differences and will argue that one of them (either the similarities or the differences) outweighs the other.

Come up with a structure for your essay

Alternating method: point-by-point pattern.

In the alternating method, you find points common to your central subjects A and B, and alternate between A and B on the basis of these points (ABABAB …). For instance, a comparative essay on the French and Russian revolutions might examine how both revolutions either encouraged or thwarted innovation in terms of new technology (body paragraphs 1 and 2), military strategy (body paragraphs 3 and 4), and the administrative system (body paragraphs 5 and 6).

Two notes about the alternating method:

The two entities may be dissimilar in the themes you identify. To use this method, they need not be similar; you just need to have something to say about both A and B in each area.
You may certainly include more than three pairs of alternating points: allow the subject matter to determine the number of points you develop in the body of your essay.

When do I use the alternating method?

The alternating method generally does a better job of highlighting similarities and differences between A and B. It also tends to produce a more tightly integrated and analytical paper. Consider the alternating method if you are able to identify clearly related points between A and B. Otherwise, if you attempt to impose the alternating method, you will probably find it counterproductive.

Block method: Subject-by-subject pattern

In the block method (AB), you discuss all of A, then all of B. For example, a comparative essay using the block method on the French and Russian revolutions would address the French Revolution in the first half of the essay and the Russian Revolution in the second half. If you choose the block method, however, make sure they are connected! The B block should refer to the A block and make clear points of comparison whenever comparisons are relevant: (“Unlike A, B . . .” or “Like A, B . . .”). This technique will allow for a higher level of critical engagement, continuity, and cohesion.

When do I use the block method?

The block method is particularly useful in the following cases:

You are unable to find points about A and B that are closely related to each other.
Your ideas about B build upon or extend your ideas about A.
You are comparing three or more subjects as opposed to the traditional two.

Adapted from the University of Toronto, https://advice.writing.utoronto.ca/types-of-writing/comparative-essay/, 2020.

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Comparing and contrasting in an essay | Tips & examples

Comparing and Contrasting in an Essay | Tips & Examples

Published on August 6, 2020 by Jack Caulfield . Revised on July 23, 2023.

Comparing and contrasting is an important skill in academic writing . It involves taking two or more subjects and analyzing the differences and similarities between them.

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When should i compare and contrast, making effective comparisons, comparing and contrasting as a brainstorming tool, structuring your comparisons, other interesting articles, frequently asked questions about comparing and contrasting.

Many assignments will invite you to make comparisons quite explicitly, as in these prompts.

Compare the treatment of the theme of beauty in the poetry of William Wordsworth and John Keats.
Compare and contrast in-class and distance learning. What are the advantages and disadvantages of each approach?

Some other prompts may not directly ask you to compare and contrast, but present you with a topic where comparing and contrasting could be a good approach.

One way to approach this essay might be to contrast the situation before the Great Depression with the situation during it, to highlight how large a difference it made.

Comparing and contrasting is also used in all kinds of academic contexts where it’s not explicitly prompted. For example, a literature review involves comparing and contrasting different studies on your topic, and an argumentative essay may involve weighing up the pros and cons of different arguments.

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As the name suggests, comparing and contrasting is about identifying both similarities and differences. You might focus on contrasting quite different subjects or comparing subjects with a lot in common—but there must be some grounds for comparison in the first place.

For example, you might contrast French society before and after the French Revolution; you’d likely find many differences, but there would be a valid basis for comparison. However, if you contrasted pre-revolutionary France with Han-dynasty China, your reader might wonder why you chose to compare these two societies.

This is why it’s important to clarify the point of your comparisons by writing a focused thesis statement . Every element of an essay should serve your central argument in some way. Consider what you’re trying to accomplish with any comparisons you make, and be sure to make this clear to the reader.

Comparing and contrasting can be a useful tool to help organize your thoughts before you begin writing any type of academic text. You might use it to compare different theories and approaches you’ve encountered in your preliminary research, for example.

Let’s say your research involves the competing psychological approaches of behaviorism and cognitive psychology. You might make a table to summarize the key differences between them.

Or say you’re writing about the major global conflicts of the twentieth century. You might visualize the key similarities and differences in a Venn diagram.

A Venn diagram showing the similarities and differences between World War I, World War II, and the Cold War.

These visualizations wouldn’t make it into your actual writing, so they don’t have to be very formal in terms of phrasing or presentation. The point of comparing and contrasting at this stage is to help you organize and shape your ideas to aid you in structuring your arguments.

When comparing and contrasting in an essay, there are two main ways to structure your comparisons: the alternating method and the block method.

The alternating method

In the alternating method, you structure your text according to what aspect you’re comparing. You cover both your subjects side by side in terms of a specific point of comparison. Your text is structured like this:

Mouse over the example paragraph below to see how this approach works.

One challenge teachers face is identifying and assisting students who are struggling without disrupting the rest of the class. In a traditional classroom environment, the teacher can easily identify when a student is struggling based on their demeanor in class or simply by regularly checking on students during exercises. They can then offer assistance quietly during the exercise or discuss it further after class. Meanwhile, in a Zoom-based class, the lack of physical presence makes it more difficult to pay attention to individual students’ responses and notice frustrations, and there is less flexibility to speak with students privately to offer assistance. In this case, therefore, the traditional classroom environment holds the advantage, although it appears likely that aiding students in a virtual classroom environment will become easier as the technology, and teachers’ familiarity with it, improves.

The block method

In the block method, you cover each of the overall subjects you’re comparing in a block. You say everything you have to say about your first subject, then discuss your second subject, making comparisons and contrasts back to the things you’ve already said about the first. Your text is structured like this:

Point of comparison A
Point of comparison B

The most commonly cited advantage of distance learning is the flexibility and accessibility it offers. Rather than being required to travel to a specific location every week (and to live near enough to feasibly do so), students can participate from anywhere with an internet connection. This allows not only for a wider geographical spread of students but for the possibility of studying while travelling. However, distance learning presents its own accessibility challenges; not all students have a stable internet connection and a computer or other device with which to participate in online classes, and less technologically literate students and teachers may struggle with the technical aspects of class participation. Furthermore, discomfort and distractions can hinder an individual student’s ability to engage with the class from home, creating divergent learning experiences for different students. Distance learning, then, seems to improve accessibility in some ways while representing a step backwards in others.

Note that these two methods can be combined; these two example paragraphs could both be part of the same essay, but it’s wise to use an essay outline to plan out which approach you’re taking in each paragraph.

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If you want to know more about AI tools , college essays , or fallacies make sure to check out some of our other articles with explanations and examples or go directly to our tools!

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Post hoc fallacy
Appeal to authority fallacy
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Some essay prompts include the keywords “compare” and/or “contrast.” In these cases, an essay structured around comparing and contrasting is the appropriate response.

Comparing and contrasting is also a useful approach in all kinds of academic writing : You might compare different studies in a literature review , weigh up different arguments in an argumentative essay , or consider different theoretical approaches in a theoretical framework .

Your subjects might be very different or quite similar, but it’s important that there be meaningful grounds for comparison . You can probably describe many differences between a cat and a bicycle, but there isn’t really any connection between them to justify the comparison.

You’ll have to write a thesis statement explaining the central point you want to make in your essay , so be sure to know in advance what connects your subjects and makes them worth comparing.

Comparisons in essays are generally structured in one of two ways:

The alternating method, where you compare your subjects side by side according to one specific aspect at a time.
The block method, where you cover each subject separately in its entirety.

It’s also possible to combine both methods, for example by writing a full paragraph on each of your topics and then a final paragraph contrasting the two according to a specific metric.

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Mentor Texts

Writing Comparative Essays: Making Connections to Illuminate Ideas

Breathing new life into a familiar school format, with the help of Times journalism and several winning student essays.

By Katherine Schulten

Our new Mentor Text series spotlights writing from The Times and from our student contests that teenagers can learn from and emulate.

This entry aims to help support those participating in our Third Annual Connections Contest , in which students are invited to take something they are studying in school and show us, via parallels found in a Times article, how it connects to our world today. In other words, we’re asking them to compare ideas in two texts.

For even more on how to help your students make those kinds of connections, please see our related writing unit .

I. Overview

Making connections is a natural part of thinking. We can’t help doing it. If you’re telling a friend about a new song or restaurant or TV show you like, you’ll almost always find yourself saying, “It’s like _________” and referencing something you both know. It’s a simple way of helping your listener get his or her bearings.

Journalists do it too. In fact, it’s one of the main tools of the trade to help explain a new concept or reframe an old one. Here are just a few recent examples:

A science reporter explains the behavior of fossilized marine animals by likening them to humans making conga lines.

A sportswriter describes the current N.B.A. season by framing it in terms of Broadway show tunes.

An Op-Ed contributor compares today’s mainstreaming of contemporary African art to “an urban neighborhood undergoing gentrification.”

Sometimes a journalist will go beyond making a simple analogy and devote a whole piece to an extended comparison between two things. Articles like these are real-world cousins of that classic compare/contrast essay you’ve probably been writing in school since you could first hold a pen.

For example, take a look at how each of the Times articles below focuses on a comparison, weaving back and forth between two things and looking at them from different angles:

Consider a classic sports debate: Jordan vs. James. See how this 2016 piece explores what the two have in common — as well as how they differ.

Or, check out this 2019 piece that argues that “ Friendsgiving Has Become Just as Fraught as Thanksgiving ,” and compares the two to determine which has become “a bigger pain in the wishbone.”

Though written as a list rather than an essay, this fun piece from the Watching section in 2018 contends that “ ‘Die Hard’ Never Died, It Just Turned 30 and Had Cinematic Children ” by comparing the original to heirs like “Speed” and “Home Alone.” Read it to notice how, in just a paragraph per movie, the writer still manages to provide plenty of evidence to make each comparison work.

To find real-world examples that are closer to what you’re asked to do in school, look to Times sections that feature in-depth writing, like the Sunday Review and the Times Magazine . Both often publish pieces that connect some aspect of the past to an event, issue or trend today. For example:

“ What Quakers Can Teach Us About the Politics of Pronouns ” suggests lessons for “today’s egalitarians” by making a link to the 17th-century Quakers, “who also suspected that the rules of grammar stood between them and a society of equals.”

Other recent pieces focus on historical comparisons, including “ Early Motherhood Has Always Been Miserable ,” “ Donald Trump, Meet Your Precursor ” and a satirical video Op-Ed, “ Here’s What Cancel Culture Looked Like in 1283 .”

The 1619 Project , a Times Magazine initiative observing the 400th anniversary of the beginning of American slavery, is an especially rich example of this kind of connection-making. It reframes American history by “placing the consequences of slavery and the contributions of black Americans at the very center of the story we tell ourselves about who we are” — and uses that frame to look at issues including today’s prison system, health care, the wealth gap, the sugar industry and traffic jams in Atlanta.

Now, are all of these pieces structured exactly like that essay you have to write for your English class comparing a contemporary work to “Romeo and Juliet?” Does each have a clear thesis statement in the last line of the first paragraph and three body paragraphs that begin with topic sentences?

Of course not. They were written for an entirely different audience and purpose than the essay you might have to write, and most of them resist easy categorization into a specific “text type.”

But these pieces are full of craft lessons that can make your own writing more artful and interesting. And if you are participating in our annual Connections Contest , the essays we feature below will be especially helpful, since they focus on doing just what you’ll be doing — making a comparison between something you’re studying in school and some event, issue, trend, person, problem or concept in the news today.

First you’ll consider one excellent Times essay that does pretty much exactly what we’re asking you to do.

Next, we’ve supplied examples from over a dozen previous student winners to help guide you through the basic elements of any comparative analysis. Whether you’re writing for our contest or not, we hope you’ll find plenty of strategies to borrow.

II. Looking at Structure Over All: One Times Mentor Text

Take a look at the essay the Times book critic Michiko Kakutani wrote in the first weeks of the Trump administration. Just as many of you will do for our contest, she examines how a classic literary work can take on new significance when considered in light of real-world events.

Whether you agree with her analysis or not, notice how “ Why ‘1984’ Is a 2017 Must-Read ” is structured. You might highlight three categories — places where she’s writing chiefly about “1984”; places where she’s writing chiefly about our world today; and places where the two merge.

Here is how her piece, a Critic’s Notebook essay, begins:

The dystopia described in George Orwell’s nearly 70-year-old novel “1984” suddenly feels all too familiar. A world in which Big Brother (or maybe the National Security Agency) is always listening in, and high-tech devices can eavesdrop in people’s homes. (Hey, Alexa, what’s up?) A world of endless war, where fear and hate are drummed up against foreigners, and movies show boatloads of refugees dying at sea. A world in which the government insists that reality is not “something objective, external, existing in its own right” — but rather, “whatever the Party holds to be truth is truth.”

How does the first line set up the comparison?

How does the writer weave back and forth between today’s world and the world of “1984”? For example, what is she doing the two times she uses parentheses?

After you read the full essay, you might then consider:

Over all, what did you notice about the structure of this piece? How does it emphasize the parallels between the world of “1984” and the world of January 2017?

Is it effective? What is this writer’s thesis? Does she make her case, in your opinion? What specific lines, or points of comparison, do that especially well?

What transitional words and phrases does the writer use to move between her two topics? For example, in the second paragraph she writes “It was a phrase chillingly reminiscent …” as a bridge. What other examples can you find?

How does she sometimes merge her two topics — for example in the phrase “make Oceania great again”?

What else do you notice or admire about this review? What lessons might it have for your writing?

III. Elements of Effective Comparative Analyses: Great Examples From Students

Our Connections Contest asks students to find and analyze parallels, just as Ms. Kakutani does in her essay on Orwell — though she had some 1,200 words to build a case and students participating in our contest have only 450.

But if you look at the examples below from our 2017 and 2018 winners, you’ll see that it’s possible to make a rich connection in just a few paragraphs, and you’ll find plenty of specific strategies to borrow in constructing your own.

Here are some tips, with student examples to illustrate each.

1. Make sure you’re focusing on a manageable theme or idea.

One of the first ways to get on the wrong track in writing a comparative essay is to take on something too big for the scope of the assignment. Say, for example, you’re studying the Industrial Revolution and you realize you can compare it to today’s digital revolution in an array of ways, including worker’s rights, the upheaval of traditional industries and the impact on everyday lives. Where do you even begin?

That’s more or less the problem Alex Iyer, a student winner of our 2018 contest, had after reading “The Odyssey” in class, and noticing connections between the tale of that famous wanderer and today’s global refugee crisis. What can you possibly say in 450 words to connect two enormous topics, both of which have been the subject of innumerable scholarly books?

Notice how this student focuses. Instead of starting with a broad thesis like “We can see many parallels between the themes of ‘The Odyssey’ and our world today,” he looks only at how the Greek concept of xenia echoes today — and does so by examining just one article about Uganda. Below are the first two paragraphs, but we suggest you read the entire essay , paying close attention to how he describes both texts solely through this lens.

Try this: Once you choose a manageable focus, make sure all your details and examples support it.

Example: Alex Iyer, Geneva School of Boerne, San Antonio: Homer’s “The Odyssey” and “ As Rich Nations Close the Door on Refugees, Uganda Welcomes Them ”

In literature, we learned that in Homer’s epic poem “The Odyssey,” Homer uses the tribulations of the hero Odysseus to illustrate the Ancient Grecian custom of xenia. This custom focused on extending hospitality to those who found themselves far from home. As Odysseus navigates the treacherous path back to his own home, he encounters both morally upstanding and malevolent individuals. They range from a charitable princess who offers food and clothing, to an evil Cyclops who attempts to murder the hero and his fellow men. In class, we agreed that Homer employs these contrasting characters to exemplify not only proper, but also poor forms of xenia. For the people of its time, “The Odyssey” cemented the idea that xenia was fundamental for good character, resulting in hospitality becoming ingrained in the fabric of Ancient Grecian society. I saw a parallel to this in a New York Times article called “As Rich Nations Close the Door on Refugees, Uganda Welcomes Them” published on October 28, 2018. Similar to the prevalent custom of xenia in Ancient Greece, Uganda has made hosting refugees a national policy. The country is now occupied by up to 1.25 million refugees, many of whom are fleeing the violent unrest of South Sudan.

2. Introduce and briefly explain the significance of the connection.

We know it’s tempting to resort to a generic statement like, “In this essay I will compare and contrast _________ and _________ to show that …”

Not only is that deadly dull, but if you are participating in our contest, you also don’t want to waste any of your 450 words on a sentence that doesn’t say much.

Consider, instead, four more powerful ways to introduce the two things you’ll be connecting, and show right away how they work together.

Try this: Pose a question or questions that both texts are asking.

Example: Connor Stevens, Sunset High School, Portland, Ore.: Comparing “Fahrenheit 451” by Ray Bradbury and “ How Egypt Crowdsources Censorship ” ( Read the full student essay .)

How can you control ideas? In today’s world, you scroll through feeds, finding any information available: government trade deals, local restaurants, movies, and TV shows. We are in an age where the power to find any fact, answer or piece of information that floats into question is available anywhere. If this privilege was stripped by a bodying government, how would freedom of information change?

Try this: Make a statement that is true for both, and then explain why briefly.

Example: Jack Magner, Flint Hill School, Oakton, Va.: Comparing biological feedback loops and homeostasis with “ After #MeToo, the Ripple Effect ” ( Read the full student essay .)

All it takes is a single action to spark innumerable reactions. In the case of Jessica Bennett’s “After #MeToo, the Ripple Effect,” it is the publishing of a 2017 article in the Times that launches a revolution, changing the treatment and recognition of women for the better. In the case of AP Biology, it is the connection of a ligand to a receptor protein or a drastic change to an organism’s environment that sends millions of signals that protect the organism from harm.

Try this: Explain how or why you’ll look at a classic work through a new lens.

Example: Zaria Roller, Verona Area High School, Wis.: Comparing “Things Fall Apart” by Chinua Achebe and “ The Boys Are Not All Right ” ( Read the full student essay .)

Colonial-age Nigeria and modern day Western society have more in common than one would think. Although the buzz phrase “toxic masculinity” did not exist at the time Chinua Achebe’s “Things Fall Apart” was written, its protagonist, Okonkwo, might as well be the poster boy for it.

Try this: Trace your thinking about how you came to connect the two things. Please note: For this contest, use of the word “I” is not only permitted but also encouraged if it helps you explore your ideas.

Example: Alexa Bolnick, Indian Hills High School, Franklin Lakes, N.J.: “Death of a Salesman” by Arthur Miller and “ A Lack of Respect for the Working Class in America Today ” ( Read the full student essay .)

Last year, reading the play “Death of a Salesman,” I couldn’t understand why salesman Willy Loman refused to accept his son’s desire to perform manual labor for a living. If working on a ranch made him happy, then why couldn’t Willy let his son go.

Example: Isabella Picillo, 17, Oceanside High School: “The Scarlet Letter” and “ Judge Partially Lifts Trump Administration Ban on Refugees ” ( Read the full student essay .)

I stumble upon a New York Times article, “Judge Partially Lifts Trump Administration Ban on Refugees,” that makes me wonder if Hawthorne, the literary genius, is wrong.

3. Use transition words and phrases to pivot between the two works.

When you’re discussing two works in the same piece, you’ll find yourself needing to switch gears regularly. How do you do that gracefully?

Try this: Explore a connection by choosing transition words that emphasize commonality.

Here are some sentences, all from our 2018 winners , with examples of those words in bold:

— “ Similar to the prevalent custom of xenia in Ancient Greece, Uganda has made hosting refugees a national policy.” — “John Steinbeck’s classic novel ‘The Grapes of Wrath,’ which chronicles the struggles of the Joad family during the Great Depression, documents a similar reality.” — “Republican anti-Trump attitudes echo those of their nineteenth century counterparts, such as Carl Schulz, who wrote, ‘Our duty to the country … is … paramount to any duty we may owe to the party.’” — “ Paralleling the same theme, the short story ‘Harrison Bergeron’ by Kurt Vonnegut describes a future in which absolute equality has become the obsession of society.” — “This phenomenon mirrors that of negative feedback loops in biology, in which a stimulus triggers a biological response designed to keep a biological system at equilibrium.”

4. Acknowledge important contrasts between the two things you are connecting.

Part of comparing two things is contrasting them — showing where the commonalities end and explaining why the differences are significant.

But your essay shouldn’t just be a list of all the things the two texts have in common vs. all the things they don’t. Instead, you need to use the contrasts to acknowledge obvious differences, but still further your point about how and why the two ideas work together.

For example, the article comparing LeBron James and Michael Jordan makes the crucial distinction that they played in different eras — and thus it’s hard to compare them since we remember Jordan through “rose-colored” memories, while James, playing today, is considered by many “the most scrutinized and criticized American athlete, much of the naysaying unwarranted and aggravated by the polarizing effects of social media” that didn’t exist in Jordan’s heyday.

Keep in mind that since our contest emphasizes connections, not all of our previous winners have done this — but those who did only strengthened their cases.

Try this: Point out that surface differences are less important than the underlying message.

Example: Megan Lee, West Windsor Plainsboro High School North, Plainsboro, N.J.: “Harrison Bergeron” by Kurt Vonnegut and “ The Curse of Affirmative Action ” ( Read the full student essay .)

Although the “Harrison Bergeron” is a heavily exaggerated piece of fiction writing while “The Curse of Affirmative Action” was written to denounce a real world policy, both allude to the delicacy of equality.

Try this: Use a contrast to illuminate a bigger point — in this case that the ways in which the #MeToo movement is different than a biological feedback loop is also what makes it so “revolutionary.”

Example: Jack Magner, Flint Hill School, Oakton, Va.: Biological feedback loops and homeostasis and “ After #MeToo, the Ripple Effect ” ( Read the full student essay .)

#MeToo and feedback loops are extremely interconnected, but there is one key difference in the #MeToo movement that makes it so dynamic and revolutionary. In biology, feedback responses are developed slowly and organically over millions of years of evolution. Environments select for these responses, and a species’s fitness increases as a result. The #MeToo movement is the exact opposite, attacking the perceived natural order that our environment has selected for at the expense the “fittest” members of society: powerful men. This positive feedback loop does not run in concurrence with the already-established negative feedback loop. It instead serves as its foil, aiming to topple the destructive systems for which hyper-masculine society has selected for over thousands of years.

5. End in a way that sums up and says something new.

We could repeat this piece of advice in every edition of our Mentor Text series regardless of genre: No matter what you’re writing about, don’t waste your conclusion by just lazily restating what you’ve already said.

Instead, keep your readers thinking. Pose a new question, use a fresh quote that sums up your main idea, give some surprising new information, or tell a fitting final story.

In other words, no “In conclusion, I have shown how _________ and _________ have many similarities and many differences.”

Instead you could …

Try this: Draw a final lesson, takeaway or “moral” that the two together express.

Example: Samantha Jones, 16, Concord Carlisle Regional High School: “Walden” and “ Dropping Out of College Into Life ” ( Read the full student essay .)

The moral is clear: there are gaps in our education system, and because of these gaps students aren’t adequately prepared for their own futures. In his book Walden, Thoreau elaborates on the ideas Stauffer touches on in her article. As stated before, he believed learning through experience was exponentially better than a in classroom. When a rigid curriculum with expectations is set in place, students aren’t given the same hands on learning as they would be without one. Just as Stauffer embraced this learning style in the New School, Thoreau did so in Walden Woods …

Example: Robert McCoy, Whippany Park High School, Whippany, N.J.: Gilded Age Mugwumps and “ Republicans for Democrats ” ( Read the full student essay .)

The parallels in the Mugwump and Never Trump movements demonstrate the significance of adhering to a strict moral standard, despite extreme partisan divides …

Try this: Raise a new question or idea suggested by the comparison.

In this essay, Sebastian Zagler compares the ways that both a famous mathematical problem and the issue of climate change will require new innovation and collaboration to solve. But he ends the essay by engaging a new, related question: Why would anyone want to take on such “impossible problems” in the first place?

Example: Sebastian Zagler, John T. Hoggard High School, Wilmington, N.C.: the Collatz, or 3n+1, conjecture, a mathematical problem that has produced no mathematical proof for over 80 years, and “ Stopping Climate Change Is Hopeless. Let’s Do It. ” ( Read the full student essay .)

What draws mankind to these impossible problems, whether it be solving the Collatz conjecture or reversing climate change? Fighting for a common cause brings people together, making them part of something greater. Even fighting a “long defeat” can give one a sense of purpose — a sense of belonging …

Try this: End with an apt quote that applies to both.

Here are Sebastian Zagler’s last two lines:

There is a beauty in fighting a losing battle, as long as a glimmer of hope remains. And as Schendler and Jones write, “If the human species specializes in one thing, it’s taking on the impossible.”

And here are Samantha Jones’s:

For that is all Walden really is; Thoreau learning from nature by immersing himself in it, instead of seeing it on the pages of a book. A quote from Walden most fitting is as follows, “We boast of our system of education, but why stop at schoolmasters and schoolhouses? We are all schoolmasters, and our schoolhouse is the universe”

In both cases, the quotes are inspiring, hopeful and get at truths their essays worked hard to demonstrate.

Additional Resources

In our description of Unit 3 of our writing curriculum you can find much, much more, including related writing prompts and a series of lesson plans that can help teachers teach with our Connections Contest.

Comparative Essay

Academic institutions always provide writing exercises to students so that the level of understanding that the students can have about a particular subject manner is widened. One of the most common academic essay examples that’s given as writing assignment to students is the comparative essay. A comparative essay, also known as comparison essay or compare and contrast essay, is the type of essay that specifically analyzes two subject matters. There are a lot of academic fields where writing a comparative essay can be beneficial to students and their educational undertaking.

Download Comparative Essay Bundle

A comparative essay can either compare or contrast two topics, theories, materials and other subjects of discussion. However, there are activities where both comparisons and contrasts are necessary to be presented. If you are required to write a comparative essay but is unaware on how you can do one effectively, you can browse through the samples that we have gathered for you so you can be more knowledgeable on how to structure both the content and layout of this kind of essay.

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Comparative Essay For High School

College Comparative Essay

Comparative Essay Plan Template

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Compare and Contrast Sample Essay

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Sample Comparative Essay Format

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The Concept of Comparative Essays

Different college essay examples are written based on different sets of instructions. Depending on the writing task that you have at hand, the things that you may include in your comparative essay may vary. However, the concept of making a comparative essay remains the same. For it to be clearer in your mind, here is how a comparative essay works:

A comparative essay is an academic essay that requires students to create a comprehensive and precise comparative report about two things.
A comparative essay is an organized written material that is meant to provide a comparison that should be easily understood by the target readers. It is set to impress people by providing them the information that they need to be aware of about two subjects and how they differ and/or compare with each other.
A comparative essay can be written if you have two objects or subjects that can be compared in a level where their similarities and/or differences are relevant or meaningful for a specific purpose.
A comparative essay can be used in formal writing assignments and it can also be the basis for various research assessments.
A comparative essay is created through pertaining precise points of comparison. These points should be backed by actual researchers, factual information, and other reliable evidence.

Block Comparative Essay Example

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Student Comparative Essay Sample

How to Develop the Content of Your Comparative Essay

Before writing a comparative essay, you first need to arm yourself with the information that you need. This will allow you to create a comparative essay that is filled with relevant and helpful information. More so, this can help you veer away from committing common essay mistakes if you are already in the process of actual content writing.

The way that you plan to present your ideas, especially if they are backed up with facts, can make your comparative essay more successful. Listed below are the steps that you may use when developing the content of your comparative essay.

The first thing that you need to do is to be aware of the question that you need to answer. You need to be aware of the essay prompt so you can address the needs of your readers. It is essential for you to be fully knowledgeable of the essence of the question so you can interpret it accordingly. The content that you will write will only be effective if it is related to the question and if it matches the purpose on why the essay is necessary to be written.
Know whether there are limits for your discussion . Always identify whether you need to know the similarities or the differences between your subjects. Also, you need to know whether the scope of your essay assignment requires you to do any of these or both.
Select the ideas that you would like to compare. It is important for you to have an in-depth understanding of the kind of comparison that you will write. The framework of your essay should be based on an actual evaluation that can point out how you were able to perceive the similarities or differences of the subject.
Assess whether you already have sufficient points for comparison. Your ability to present as many valid points as possible can make a lot of clarifications about the unanswered questions that you can enlighten your readers with.
Once the points of your comparison are already specified, list down whether they are under the similarities or differences of the two subjects. This step can help you be organized throughout the writing process. With easy access to how subjects are compared, you can be guided on how to use them in your content development.
Evaluate your list. Your list is only your initial view about the subjects being reviewed or assessed. Hence, further evaluation is necessary. Make sure that you will read through the entire list so you can rank them based on their impact and weight of thesis.
Chronologically arrange your list based on your basis of comparison . Make sure that you will follow a metric when examining the items that you will place in your actual comparative essay.
Know the approach that you will use when developing your essay content. Will you be theoretical? Will you focus on answering questions for comparison? It is essential for you to be aware of your basis so your approach can provide you with maximum benefits within the entirety of the content development process.
Research further about your subjects so you can verify whether your claims and initial claims are correct. This can help you create more topics and gather more evidence that can support your comparison.
Create a thesis statement where your discussion can set its foundation. This will enable you to start writing the comparative essay that you would like to achieve.

You may think that this is a very long process just for developing the ideas that you will present. In a way, you may be right. However, being prepared and ready on how you will attack and execute the writing assignment can make it easier for you to create a valid discussion.

Comparative Contrast Essay Template

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Printable Comparative Essay Sample

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Steps in Organizing Your Comparative Essay Discussion

Aside from knowing the idea of what you will write about, the structure of your essay or the organization of your essay’s content can affect the smooth flow of your discussion. Even during last minute essay writing activities, you can still come up with an outstanding comparative essay if you are already knowledgeable on how you can organize your essay’s idea, content, structure, and discussion. Listed below are some of the ways on how you can efficiently organize your comparative essay’s content.

Refer to the outline of your comparisons. This is where the items that we have discussed above can be helpful. If you are already guided by your comparisons, then you can easily rank their relevance to the essay that you will write. Referencing your comparisons can make it easier for you to have a thesis statement that you can further discuss.
Organize your writing strategies. The strategies that you will incorporate into your discussion can make it easier for readers to relate to your point. You need to make sure that your strategies are aligned with your type of comparison and the subjects that you are comparing.
Properly address your comparisons. For your comparative essay to be highly-usable, you need to make sure that you will implement simplicity within your discussion. Do not make it complicated. The content of your comparative essay should be as simple as possible so that it can be furthermore understood.
Organize your paragraph structure. The way that you create your paragraph listing can be one of the factors that can either improve or destroy your comparative essay. You should create a draft that can specifically state the items that you will discuss per paragraph. Create statements that can address specific comparisons and divide them per paragraph. Each of your paragraphs should be talking about one subject so you can give focus per comparison aspect.
Evaluate whether your writing guide is already organized enough. It is essential for you to not overlap subjects of discussion. When organizing your statements, make sure to cover one subject at a time. This will help you create a comparative essay that contains a list of carefully arranged and curated evidence which are further discussed and broken down into relevant specification pieces.

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Sample Comparative Essay in PDF

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Writing Guide in Creating the Actual Comparative Essay

Just like descriptive essay examples and other kinds of academic essays, a comparative essay can be created in different ways. Each writer has various techniques that can be applied when doing this particular kind of essay. Since there are no strict rules when it comes to crafting a comparative essay, all you need to ensure is that your comparative essay is comprehensive, understandable and credible. Here is how you can effectively write your actual comparative essay:

Create an introduction to the topic. Your thesis statement should contain the subjects that you will talk about. You also need to create an initial discussion of what your readers can expect to the reader within the content of your comparative essay. A strong validation of your comparison can make your readers more interested to browse through the entire essay document.
Develop your next paragraphs for discussion. As mentioned above, work per paragraph. Arrange your topics of discussion in a way that each paragraph can specifically state one comparison topic per time. You have to create an interesting discussion so you need to ensure that all your paragraphs are organized and well-written.
Finalize your comparative essay with a conclusion. Your last paragraph should contain the information about your final thoughts with regards the comparison. How different or similar are the two subjects from one another? How sure are you that your basis is factual and relevant? Create a great impact b
y having a conclusion that can put together all your points of discussion.

Compare Contrast Essay Sample

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Sample Comparative Essay Guide

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Factors to Consider When Writing a Comparative Essay

In comparison to evaluation essay examples , a comparative essay is more keen with regards the assessment of two subjects. If you will write a comparative essay, you need to have an idea of the impacts of different factors to the result that you may get at the end of the writing activity. Listed below are some of the elements or factors that you need to take into consideration when writing a comparative essay.

Your discussion’s organization. Within the entirety of the comparative essay creation, it is very evident that organization is key to success. As a writer, you need to ensure that you have a skeletal plan that can create your discussion more polished and coherent. The discussion of your organization can greatly affect the impression of your readers with regards your knowledge about your topic as well as your level of understanding with what you are talking about.
Your thesis statement. When creating a comparative essay, you need to stick with an argument that can provide you the framework for the effective dissemination of information. Your thesis statement should be based on the results of your frame of references. You need to analyze your subjects properly so that you can create a stand on how you perceive them in levels of similarities and/or differences.
Your claims or grounds for comparison. You should always be aware of your selection processes. At the end of the writing activity, you need to validate the importance of comparing two subjects. Always have your grounds of comparison ready so you can ensure your readers that you have followed a particular set of criteria that can enable the objectivity between the selection of two items for comparison. The rationale that you have behind your subject selection can make your comparative essay more appealing.
Your reference frame. A comparative essay’s frame of reference deals with the way that the writer has created the groupings for the comparison. May it be talking about the similarities, differences, or both of these factors; a comparative essay should be able to have a reference that can identify how the characteristics of ideas, themes, theories or even problems are arranged.

With the samples that we have in this post, it will be faster for you to identify the points of discussion that you need to provide. Again, comparative essays vary from one another in terms of content. Ensure that you are fully aware of the writing instructions given to you so you can plan your comparative essay’s content and structure accordingly.

Always refer to the guidelines and tips that we have specified so you can create effective decisions in every step of your comparative essay development. Do not be afraid to write what your thoughts. As long as these thoughts are based on factual references, then it will be easy for you to have a comparative essay that can achieve its purpose or reason for creation.

the art of writing a comparative essay lies in the delicate balance of presenting similarities and differences in a clear, coherent manner. This type of essay encourages critical thinking and develops analytical skills, crucial for academic success. For further guidance on creating effective comparative essays, the UNC Writing Center offers a detailed resource on comparing and contrasting ( UNC Writing Center ). This link provides valuable insights and examples, helping students refine their comparative writing skills. By mastering the comparative essay, students not only enhance their writing abilities but also deepen their understanding of contrasting subjects, an essential skill in many academic and professional fields.

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Free Comparative Literature Essay Examples & Topics

Comparative literature explores the relationship between works of fiction of different cultures and times. Its purpose is to establish the connection between specific genres, styles, and literary devices and the historical period. At the same time, it provides an insight into the meaning hidden between the lines of a given text.

What is a literary comparison essay? This academic paper requires a specific methodology but follows the typical rules. A student is expected to perform comparative textual analysis of a short story, novel, or any other piece of narrative writing. However, it is vital to remember that only the pieces with something in common are comparable.

This is where all the challenges start. Without an in-depth literature review, it is not always clear which works can and should be compared. Which aspects should be considered, and which could be left out? The structure of a comparative essay is another stumbling rock.

For this reason, our team has prepared a brief guide. Here, you will learn how to write a successful comparative literature essay and, more importantly, what to write in it. And that is not all! Underneath the article, we have prepared some comparative literary analysis essay examples written by students like you.

How to Write a Comparative Essay

Comparative literary analysis requires you to know how to correlate two different things in general. So let us start from the basics. This section explains how to write a comparative paper.

A good comparison essay structure relies on two techniques:

Alternating or point-by-point method.

Using this technique, you dedicate two paragraphs for each new comparison aspect, one for each subject. It is the best way to establish similar and different features in the two novels. Such comparative analysis works best for research, providing a detailed and well-structured text.

1st Body Paragraph: Social problems in Steinback’s works.

2nd Body Paragraph: Social problems in Hemingway’s works.

3rd Body Paragraph: Psychological problems in Steinback’s works.

4th Body Paragraph: Psychological problems in Hemingway’s works.

5th Body Paragraph: Interpersonal problems in Steinback’s works.

Block or subject-by-subject method .

This approach means that you divide your essay in two. The first part discusses one text or author, and the second part analyzes the other. The challenge here is to avoid writing two disconnected papers under one title.

For this purpose, constantly refer the second part to the first one to show the differences and similarities. You should use the technique if you have more than two comparison subjects (add another paragraph for each next one). It also works well when there is little in common between the subjects.

1-3 Body Paragraphs: Description of rural labor in Steinback’s works.

4-6 Body Paragraphs: Description of rural labor in Hemingway’s works.

You will formulate a thesis and distribute the arguments and supporting evidence depending on the chosen structure. You can consult the possible options in our comparative literature essay examples.

How to Conduct Literary Comparison: Essay Tips

Let us move to the main point of this article: the comparison of literature. In this section, we will discuss how to write an ideal essay in this format.

We suggest you stick to the following action plan:

Choose literary works to compare. They should have some features in common. For example, the protagonist faces the same type of conflict, or the setting is the same. You should know the works well enough to find the necessary passages. Check the comparative literature examples below if you struggle with the step.
Select the topic, thinking of similarities. The broader the matter, the more challenging the writing. A comparative study of the protagonists in two books is harder than analyzing the same theme that appears in them. Characters may have little in common, making the analysis more complicated.
Find both differences and similarities. Once you’ve formulated the topic , make a list of features to compare. If the subjects are too different, choose the block method of contrasting them. Otherwise, the alternating technique will do.
Formulate a thesis statement that has a comparative nature. It should convey the gist of the essay’s argument. Highlight the relationship between the books. Do they contradict, supplement, develop, or correct each other? You can start the thesis statement with “whereas.” For example, “Whereas Heathcliff in Wuthering Heights and Darcy in Pride and Prejudice are full of pride, this trait leads them to different troubles.”
Outline and list key elements. Select three to six comparable aspects depending on your essay’s expected length. Then, plan in what order you’ll present them and according to which technique.
Link elements and write. Distribute the features among the comparative paragraphs. If you wish to prove that the books are more different than alike, start with the most diverging factors and move to the most similar ones.

That’s it! Thank you for reading this article. For more examples of comparative literature essays, check the links below.

744 Best Essay Examples on Comparative Literature

Hamlet, laertes, fortinbras: revenge for the deaths of their fathers, “the lady with the pet dog”: oates & chekhov [analysis], gilgamesh and odysseus: a comparison.

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Blindness in Oedipus Rex & Hamlet

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Compare and Contrast “To His Coy Mistress” & “To the Virgins”

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Compare and contrast Wordsworth and Keats

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Feminist Perspective: “My Last Duchess”, “To His Coy Mistress”, and “The Secretary Chant”

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Defoe’s “Robinson Crusoe” and Swift’s “Gulliver” Comparative Analysis

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The Absurd Hero as an Interesting Type of Hero in Literature and Movies

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The Aspects of Human Nature That George Orwell Criticizes in His Work 1984 Compared to Today’s World

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Atwood’s “Dancing Girls” and Achebe’s “The Madman”

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“Annabel Lee” and “The Raven” by Edgar Allan Poe

William shakespeare “romeo and juliet” and “a midsummer night’s dream”.

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The Great Gatsby and Winter Dreams by Scott Fitzgerald

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The Concept of True Love

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Comparison of Ideas Thomas More’s ‘Utopia’ and Machiavelli’s ‘The Prince’

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Joy Harjo’s “She Had Some Horses” Analytical Essay

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Racism in the “Dutchman” by Amiri Baraka

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William Blake’ Poems Comparison: “The Lamb” and “The Tyger”

Lamb to the slaughter: movie vs. book.

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Peter Singer and Onara O’Neill: Comparative Position

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Rama and Odysseus as Eastern and Western Heroes

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Macbeth & Frankenstein: Compare & Contrast

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“Appointment With Love” and “The Gift of the Magi” Comparison

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Confessional Poetry

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A Rose for Emily: Faulkner’s Short Story vs. Chubbuck’s Film

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Nascent Colonialism in Robinson Crusoe and Gulliver

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British Literature: Beowulf vs. Macbeth

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Concept of Science Fiction Genre in Books “Dark They Were, and Golden-Eyed” by Ray Bradbury, and “Nightfall” by Isaac Asimov

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Power and Corruption in Shakespeare’s Plays

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John Donne’s and Edmund Spenser’s Works Comparison

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“Hills Like White Elephants”: Argument Comparison

The mother image in a poem, a song, and an article.

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Comparing Robert Frost’s Poems: The Road Not Taken and A Question

Anne bradstreet and mary rowlandson comparison of famous puritan writers – compare and contrast essay.

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“Unguarded Gates” by Thomas Aldrich and “Courting a Monk” by Katherine Min Comparing

Role of fate and divine intervention in oedipus and the odyssey.

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Characterization’s Importance in Literature

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Ken Liu’s “Good Hunting” and The Perfect Match

Sex and sexuality in “dracula” and “the bloody chamber”.

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Little Things are Big by Jesus Colon and Thank You M’am by Langston Hughes Analysis + Summary

Comparison of “hamlet”, “king lear” and “othello” by shakespeare.

Words: 1687

“A Doll’s House” and “Death of a Salesman” Comparison

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The Play “Trifles” and the Short Story “A Jury of Her Peers” by Glaspell

Comparison of shakespeare’s and donne’s works.

Words: 1113

“The Holy Man of Mount Koya” and “The Narrow Road to Oku”: Comparison of Emotions in Journey Narratives

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“The Hobbit”: Book vs. Movie

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“The Fall of the House of Usher” & “The Cask of Amontillado”: Summaries, Settings, and Main Themes

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‘Sex without love’ by Sharron Olds and ‘She being Brand’ by E.E Cummings

“the bacchae” by euripides, and “the secret history” by donna tartt.

Words: 1920

“Raisin in the Sun” and “Harlem”

Contact and comparison of types of conflicts in white’s charlotte’s web and munsch’s the paper bag princess.

Words: 1125

Family Conflict in Unigwe’s, Kwa’s, Gebbie’s Stories

Robert frost and walt whitman: poems comparison, hawthorne’s concept of evil in “rappaccini’s daughter” and “the scarlet letter”.

Words: 2692

Compare and Contrast Lena Younger and Walter Lee Younger

Salih’s “season of migration to the north” and “othello” by shakespeare.

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Women in “The Lady with the Dog” by Chekhov and “The Dead” by Joyce

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Comparison of G. Orwell’s “1984”, R. Bradbury’s “Fahrenheit 451” and A. Huxley’s “Brave New World”

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The Death of Ivan Ilych and The Metamorphosis

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Animals as Symbols of the Human Behaviour

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Comparative Literature for Robert Browning and Elizabeth Barrett Browning

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Roman & Greek Mythology in Pop Culture: Examples, Referenses, & Allusions

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Achilles, Odysseus and Aeneas Comparison

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Comparison Between the Book “Oedipus – The King” and the Movie “Omen”

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Words: 2314

Hindu Creation Myth

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Words: 2433

Identity in Maupassant’s “The Necklace” and Alvi’s “An Unknown Girl”

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Words: 1359

The Drover’s Wife by Murray Bail and Henry Lawson Comparison

Hamlet and king oedipus literature comparison, gregor’s relationship with his father in “the matamorphosis”.

Words: 1983

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Coming-of-age fiction: “the bell jar” by sylvia plath.

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Homage to My Hips

Different cultures in tito’s good buy and in the land of free.

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War Justification in The Iliad and The Bhagavad-Gita

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Words: 1693

Appearance vs. Reality in Shakespeare’s “Hamlet” and Sophocles’ “Oedipus Rex”

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The Book “Fahrenheit 451” and the Movie “Equilibrium”

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Macbeth and Hamlet Characters Comparison

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On His Blindness: A Response to the Poem

A critical comparison of two readings.

Words: 1182

The Epic of Gilgamesh Poem Analysis

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“The Lesson” and “Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?”

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“To a Locomotive in Winter” and “I Like to See It Lap the Miles” Literary Elements

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Words: 2094

Incomplete Families: “The Drover’s Wife,” “The Chosen Vessel,” and “Good Country People”

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Satan’s Comparison in Dante and Milton’s Poems

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Comparison Between Sun Tzu’s Art of War and Machiavelli’s Art of War

The jungle and fast food nation.

Words: 1493

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Chekhov’s vs. oats’ “the lady with the pet dog”, women’s roles: 1001 nights and the iliad.

Words: 1969

Father-Son Relationships in “My Oedipus Complex” and “Powder”

Words: 1875

Comparing poems “To My Dear and Loving Husband” by Anne Bradstreet and “Stop All the Clocks” by W.H. Auden

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The Investigation of Ethical Issues in The Tell-Tale Heart and The Pond

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The Analysis of Two Literary Works

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Words: 1673

“The Jungle” and “The Return of Mr. Wills”

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Divine Comedy and The Odyssey as Epics

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Critical Study of Ikuru and the Death of Ivan Ilyich

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Symbolism in “The Birthmark” & “The Minister’s Black Veil”

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Words: 1210

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A comparative essay asks that you compare at least two (possibly more) items. These items will differ depending on the assignment. You might be asked to compare • positions on an issue (e.g., responses to midwifery in Canada and the United States) • theories (e.g., capitalism and communism) • figures (e.g., GDP in the United States and ...
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Free Comparative Literature Essay Examples & Topics
Comparative literature explores the relationship between works of fiction of different cultures and times. Its purpose is to establish the connection between specific genres, styles, and literary devices and the historical period. At the same time, it provides an insight into the meaning hidden between the lines of a given text.

How to Write a Comparative Essay – A Complete Guide

What is a Comparative Essay?

Comparative Essay Structure

How to Start a Comparative Essay?

Choose a Topic

Develop a List of Similarities and Differences

Establish the Basis for Comparison

Do the Research

Create an Outline

How to Write a Comparative Essay?

Comparative Essay Introduction

Comparative Essay Body Paragraphs

Comparative Essay Conclusion

Comparative Essay Examples

Comparative Essay Topics

Tips for Writing A Good Comparative Essay

Transition Words For Comparative Essays

Transition Words for Similarities

Transition Words for Differences

Frequently Asked Question

How do you end a comparative essay?

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Leaving Cert Notes

A Doll’s House

The ending of each text contributes to our understanding of the theme.

The theme of identity is presented differently in each text.

Comparative essay structure

65 responses to “ Comparative essay structure ”

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Theme or Issue – Wuthering Heights, A Doll’s House, Juno for Leaving Cert English Comparative #625Lab

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Writing Resources

What is a comparative essay?

Make sure you know the basis for comparison

Develop a list of similarities and differences

Develop a thesis based on the relative weight of similarities and differences

Come up with a structure for your essay

Two notes about the alternating method:

When do I use the alternating method?

Block method: Subject-by-subject pattern

When do I use the block method?

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Writing Comparative Essays: Making Connections to Illuminate Ideas

I. Overview

II. Looking at Structure Over All: One Times Mentor Text

III. Elements of Effective Comparative Analyses: Great Examples From Students

1. Make sure you’re focusing on a manageable theme or idea.

2. Introduce and briefly explain the significance of the connection.

3. Use transition words and phrases to pivot between the two works.

4. Acknowledge important contrasts between the two things you are connecting.

5. End in a way that sums up and says something new.

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