Courtney Said:

I am writing a comparative essay on the Han dynasty and Rome. Help?

We Answered:

mee tooo! haha do you go to NHS?

Herman Said:

Writing comparative essay and im having trouble with my thesis statement?

We Answered:

You've made an observation, but you're lacking a point/thesis.

What's the end effect or take-home message of the two stories? How is love depicted? Is love something frail that should be protected and nurtured? Or is it something powerful that triumphs over all? Your observation that the journey is different is good, but what's the significance of that? Is it a social commentary/criticism of the times? What point is the author trying to make or what effect are they trying to achieve? How is plot used to achieve this?

Your teacher knows you (and the class) have read the works, so he isn't interested in you summarizing or paraphrasing the whole works. What is important is how you interpret the stories, synthesize ideas, and effectively communicate and provide evidence for your points. Point out key similarities (e.g., how those who try to meddle end up miserable) and differences (e.g., happy vs sad ending), but only to illustrate your thesis.

Also, your first two sentences sound weak and don't really add to your paper. Your paragraph might be better without it. I also agree with a previous answerer that you should introduce the two works in the first sentence and start off strong and to-the-point.

A SAMPLE thesis:
"Although the lovers in Wuthering Heights and Romeo and Juliet undergo drastically different journeys that lead to climactic but opposite endings, Emily Bronte and William Shakespeare both use plot to demonstrate the power of true love and to caution readers that its manipulation only leads to tragedy."

You're interpretation of the works may lead you to a different conclusion/take home message. So change accordingly.

Marjorie Said:

Some advice on writing a comparative essay on two books...?

We Answered:

I would do it as a compare/contrast essay. In the first paragraph, I would briefly introduce the author. Then I would say how the books are similar, in the second paragraph, and in the third one, how they differ. The conclusion should be pretty much like the introduction, only going backwards. It should be easy if you read both books. The contrasts could be the times, characters, ets...

Elizabeth Said:

How do you write comparative essay about two short fairy tales?

We Answered:

Hi, James!

To jumpstart your thesis, you'll want to brainstorm (in a list or diagram) the categories in which the stories are similar and/or different.

For example, are the main characters similar? In what ways?

Is the use of magic similar? How so?

After you identify the categories and determine the extent of the similarity/difference, you can craft a thesis. It look something like this:

Although both Harry Potter and Beetlebub have teenage protagonists and a focus on justice, the two differ in settings.

This thesis would set up an essay with this organization:

Intro/thesis

Discussion: How the two are similar--characters

Discussion: How the two are similar--theme

Discussion: How the two are different--setting

Conclusion

Hope this helps! Of course, you may have three similarities or 2 sim/2 diff. It's up to your prompt, really.

MS>K

Dustin Said:

Writing a comparative essay comparing Jack from Lord of the flies with Napoleon what are some good topics?

We Answered:

1. Born leaders
2. Manipulative
3. Willing to do evil and punish others to get their way
4. Walk on two legs at the end

From Shmoop Lit