Transcript Comparison and Contrast

Comparison
and
Contrast
Review
Compare- to examine how thing are
similar
Contrast- to examine how things are
different
The Prompt—for our example today
Compare and contrast the two poems by
Edgar Lee Masters.
“George Gray”
Edgar Lee Masters
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5
10
15
I have studied many times
The marble which was chiseled for me—
A boat with a furled sail at rest in a harbor.
In truth it pictures not my destination
But my life.
For love was offered me…and I shrank from its
disillusionment:
Sorrow knocked at my door, but I was afraid:
Ambition called to me, but I dreaded the chances.
Yet all the while I hungered for meaning in my life.
And now I know that we must lift the sail
And catch the winds of destiny
Wherever they drive the boat.
To put meaning in one’s life may end in madness.
But life without meaning is the torture
Of restless and vague desire—
It is a boat longing for the sea and yet afraid.
“Fiddler Jones”
Edgar Lee Masters
The earth keeps some vibration going
There in your heart, and that is you.
And if the people find you can fiddle,
Why fiddle you must, for all your life.
5 What do you see, a harvest of clover?
Or a meadow to walk through to the river?
The wind’s in the corn; you rub your hands
For beeves hereafter ready for market;
or else you hear the rustle of skirts
10 Like the girls when dancing at Little Grove.
To Cooney Potter a pillar of dust
Or whirling leaves meant ruinous drouth;
They looked to me like Red-Head Sammy
Stepping it off, to “Toor-a-Loor.”
15 How could I till my forty acres
Not to speak of getting more,
With a medley of horns, bassoons and piccolos
Stirred in my brain by crows and robins
And the creak of a windmill—only these?
20 And I never started to plow in my life
That someone did not stop in the road
And take me away to a dance or picnic.
I ended up with a broken fiddle—
25 And a broken laugh, and a thousand memories,
And not a single regret.
Some questions to consider when comparing two
pieces of writing
 What are their titles?
 What do they describe or depict?
 What is their tone or mood?
 What is their form?
 Why do you think they were created as they
were?
 What themes do they address?
 Do you think one is of higher quality or greater
merit than the other(s)—and if so, why? For
writing: what plot, characterization, setting,
theme, tone, and type of narration are used?
Venn Diagram---one way to organize your
thoughts
Alike
Another way to organize thoughts
Topics
George Gray
regretful
sad
fearful
desperate
heavy
dark
tragic
depressing
Back to
JOT
Fiddler Jones
Character
Sim/Dif
Mood
Sim/Dif
don’t hide from life Theme
take chances
live your life
Sim/Dif
artistic
lighthearted
fulfilled
talented
happy
light
playful
optimistic
meaning in life
use your talents
The Plan
Things I might want to compare and or
contrastCharacters
Mood
Theme
In writing about each idea, you would
include literary techniques used to convey
these ideas.
Writing a Thesis Statement
Review your data
Decide to what extent you will stress the
similarities between your subjects and to
what extent you will stress their
differences
Create a thesis statement that reflects that
decision
Weak Thesis Statements
They are both somewhat alike and
somewhat different.
I can see some similarities and some
differences too.
Both of them involve (only a single
similarity, no differences).
What is your point? Thesis Statement
 Here, the point is to compare and
contrast.
 What will you compare and contrast?
literary elements, events, or beliefs
 Although the characters and mood in
“George Gray” and “Fiddler Jones” by
Edgar Lee Masters are vastly different,
the theme of living life to its fullest is
present in both.
Outline #1 - Block Method—Subject by Subject
Warning: these are VERY basic outlines
I.
Introduction—ALWAYS have a
thesis…a full intro is not
needed unless you have
time
a) Attention Getter or Hook
b) Background Information
c) Thesis
II. Poem 1
Characters
Mood
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Theme
III. Poem 2
•
Characters
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Mood

Theme
IV. Conclusion
a) Emphasize Major Ties
b) Give insightful final thoughts
Maybe not the best method b/c you could run out of time before you get to
second poem, and sometimes, it feels like you are writing a mini essay on poem
1 and then on poem 2 without ever connecting the two.
Outline #2 - Point by Point
I. Introduction
a) Attention Getter or Hook
b) Background Information
c) Thesis
II. Character
a) Poem 1
b) Poem 2
III. Mood
a) Poem 1
b) Poem 2
IV. Theme
a) Poem 1
b) Poem 2
IV. Conclusion
a) Emphasize Major Ties
b) Give insightful final thoughts
Follow same order in each paragraph. A better idea to use b/c you can address
similarities and/or differences of each poem next to each other. If you run out of
time, you will have at least written about both poems thus answering the prompt.
Transitions—make good use of these so
it doesn’t sound choppy.
 To Compare
 also
 as
 in the same way
 like
 likewise
 similarly
 comparable
 equally
 in addition
 To Contrast
-although
-but
-even though
-however
-on the other hand
-otherwise
-yet
-still
-conversely
-as opposed to
-different from
-whereas
Other thoughts continued
To do a good job, make the best effort to
organize by ideas and not literary
techniques.
In organizing by ideas, you will discuss
literary techniques and HOW they convey
the big ideas within each paragraph.
Talking about differences is usually more
interesting than talking about similarities
Two Poems from Spoon River Anthology---a VERY brief example
that would need work to make a good AP ESSAY!
“George Gray” and “Fiddler Jones” by Edgar Lee Masters are characters who
speak from the grave from the book of poems called Spoon River Anthology. The
main characters Fiddler Jones and George Gray are very different. Like night and
day, the mood in each poem is in total contrast . Although the characters and
mood in both poems are vastly different, the theme of living life to its fullest
is present in both.
Fiddler Jones is the polar opposite of George Gray. While Fiddler Jones is
artistic and lighthearted, George Gray is filled with regret, fear, and sadness. While
fiddler Jones ended up with “a thousand memories,” George Gray lived life “without
meaning.” One character embraced the human experience and the other hid from
it.
Similarly, the mood in each poem is at opposite ends of the light
spectrum. Fiddler Jones reflects of his life in a light and playful manner. He
remembers being taken away by friends to “dance and picnic.” George Gray’s
tragic life is punctuated by darkness, missed chances, and regret. He remembers
hiding from life because he was afraid.
Both characters arrive at the same conclusion when reflecting on their
lives; a life lived without meaning is meaningless. Even though George Gray
missed his chance to experience life while living, he now sees the error of his
ways. Fiddler Jones lived and felt every joy life offered because he also allowed
himself to experience life’s pain.
This Week
Guided practice with “To the Virgins” and
“Coy Mistress”
You will receive your c/c selection on
Thursday---in class work
In-class timed-writing (summative) on
Friday (or Thursday)