2.6. Comparison/contrast essay Every day, more or less consciously, you compare and contrast things, people, ideas, and on that basis you form opinions and make decisions. For example, you get up in the moming, listen to a radio forecast to find out that it would be a rainy day and then look into your ward- robe to decide what to wear. In this process you look for differences between your clothes try- ing to find those that would make you feel comfortable in the forecast weather conditions. A different example would be deciding which university to attend to get a degree. Again you try to find similarities and then differences that would prove which school would, for in- stance, a) be cheaper, b) assure a better career, c) be easier to enroll, etc. As you can see, your decisions may be trivial or very serious, however, in either case you need to go through the process of comparing and contrasti m ; is i iti aware of if you want to produce a quality essay. . Choosing a subject First of all, the choice of the two elements to be compared or contrasted is not incidental. They need to belong, at least, to the same category sharing enough fe to make their comparison/contrast logical and meaningful. So, you ‘no point in com- , or a politician and a housekeeper. To have Paring a car and a tree, or a restaurant and a significance, the subjects you are comparing must be compared on the same basis: there should be something different or similar between them. On the other hand, it is no use to com- pare two obviously different (e.g. a car and a plane) or obviously similar things, as it would Not interest your reader. 2.6.2. Audience & Purpose you need to realize who your readership is Secondly, before starting to write your essay, : i st the two chosen subjects. What is and think of the reason why you want to compare or contra Your purpose? Here are some options you might want to consider. 107_+ to clarify the unknown by placing next to the familiar eg. football vs. rugby (familiar vs. unfamiliar): to lend a fresh insight into something already familiar cat draw similarities between perceived opposites like falling in love and ding tak, _+ to bring things into sharper focus: % > to demonstnite that one thing is superior to another (persuasive papery 1 the purpose determine the selection of detaity , Needless to say, both the audience a support and to prove your thesis statement. js statement 2.6.3. Thesi Thinily, the thesis statement, as usual, becomes a core for your essay. That is why it iy very important to use specitic words when stating the general subject: two elements in ques tion, and the indication whether you will try to prove their similarity or difference or both anuj why. If you only mention that there are similarities or differences between the two subjects Without taking a clear stand, or making a clear point, the reader may ask the question, “, what?” Consider the examples below. When | went to England to baby-sit, | had no qualifications for the job, tumed out, taking care of a baby was not much different from taking is care dog. similarities between taking care of a small dog and a baby) After a month in my own apartment, | realized that living on my own was not what imagined it to be. (the expectations for living on one’s own contrasted with the reality) The book and the movie version of Henryk Sienkiewicz “With Fire and Sword” are aie several important ways, but they differ significantly a well. “So what? (the book and the movie compared and contrasted, however, for no clear reason) The last thesis could be improved by just including some adjective/adjectives that wo specify the point(s) of difference/similarity. eg. The book of Henryk Sienkiewicz “With Fire and Sword” has richer descriptions ara more vivid action than the movie version though both are very valuable artistically and wot getting acquainted with 2.6.4. Organisation of details The next aspect to discuss is the organization of the supporting details. There are to ways in which you may arrange them. If you write a rather short essay with two or three points of difference or similarity between your subjects, you may follow a BLOCK organiz3- tion (subject by subject). However, if you expect a long and complex essay, choose 3° ALTERNATING organization (point by point). For essays that treat both similarities and dif ferences, first you discuss all the similarities between your subjects, and then you discuss all the differences. Within this third pattern, you may employ either a block or an alternating 7° 108Eons A att se anit x ist two the yp \ HL expect more th tye WEAN LATELY HMtGE A Well developed way. Neverthe . 1 keep ; levertheless, dane 7 nat the pointe as Tonge as everything is Hilly developed there te sir c Fe IS no need to ensure dha evensabngy ws abovetoyper eaaly Mock! | Introduction | Thesis: statement | Subject A: all the pomts Subject B 1 the points Conclusion Vheais statement: After a month in my own apartinent, | realized Uhat living on my own wae not what [imagined It to be: Subject Az all the points Vespected: 1. nat to worry about: coming back home on time Penot to worry avout: conetank cleaning to wateh TV any time | felt like it Subject Be all the potnts siting for me or worried about me. The reality: 1. Melt quite ead knowing nobody wan We me y would not walk out all by 2. Thad to clean oo that my dirty clothes and dlehiee Uiemnelven A. Where wae nothing Intereoting to wateh enpecially when | had time and nothing ¢loe to do 109