Comparison/Contrast
In a college composition course, or a course in any academic discipline for that matter, one of the most common assignments you’ll receive is the comparison/contrast essay. It may be common because comparing and contrasting is something we do so naturally in life. Whenever you have had to make a choice between two or more options you have used comparison and contrast. For example, when choosing a movie to watch you might say to/ask yourself: Do I feel like a comedy or a drama? I like Kevin Spacey, but George Clooney is pretty good too. It annoys me that Angelina Jolie is always showcasing her chest, but the story seems pretty good. You get the idea.
At the outset, comparison and contrast may seem easy because we use it so often. But, writing this kind of essay is not always as easy as deciding which movie you want to see.
Following are a few important things to keep in mind as you write a comparison/contrast essay:
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You must have a reason for comparing/contrasting two things. You should look at the essay prompt and figure out which of the following approaches your teacher is asking for. Figuring out your purpose for writing will suggest ways to focus and structure your essay. |
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Valuation – This is probably the most common approach to comparison/contrast. In this approach, two or more options are compared/contrasted for the purpose of determining the more valuable of the two. |
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Interpretation – this approach, one item is used to explain another by comparing the similarities or contrasting the differences between the two. One item is the known, which the writer can reasonably assume the reader is familiar with, while the other item is unknown, which the writer is attempting to interpret/explain. For example, a writer might attempt to explain tennis by comparing it to ping pong. |
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Analysis – In analysis, two or more items are broken down into their parts in order to understand each in relation to the other. Analysis tends to be very detailed. The focus in such an essay is to understand each item being compared/contrast and on understanding their relationship to each other. |
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Synthesis – In this kind of essay, two items are compared/contrasted and then related to something larger than the items. For example, one might compare/contrast the original Star Trek with its later counterpart, Star Trek: The Next Generation. In particular, it might focus on how the captain relates to the female and male officers in each show. This comparison could be used to highlight a larger social issue - male/female professional relationships in the 1960s and the 1990s. |
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It is not always necessary to discuss EVERY difference and EVERY similarity between two things. After figuring out the purpose for writing your essay, you must distinguish those aspects that must be compared/contrasted in order to accomplish your goal. So, if you’re trying to make a decision between two presidential candidates, it is probably helpful to compare/contrast their stance on important issues, or their political background. It is probably not helpful to compare who is taller, or who has a bigger nose. |
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If you are comparing/contrasting for the purpose of valuation, you must choose which item you feel is more valuable, and that preference should be clear to the reader throughout the essay. For example, look at the following passage from Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance by Robert Persig: |
Which Do You Prefer?
You see things vacationing on a
motorcycle in a way that is completely different from any other.
In a car you’re always in a compartment, and because you’re used to it,
you don’t realize that through that car window everything you see is just more
TV. You’re a passive observer, and
it is all moving by you boringly in a frame.
On a cycle the frame is gone.
You’re completely in contact with it all.
You’re in the scene, not just watching it anymore, and the sense of
presence is overwhelming. That
concrete whizzing by five inches below your foot is the real thing, the same
stuff you walk on. It’s right there, so
blurred you can’t focus on it, yet you can put your foot down and touch it
anytime, and the whole thing, the whole experience, is never removed from
immediate consciousness.
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There are two common ways to structure/organize a comparison/contrast essay. One structure may work better than the other for the purpose of your essay (or, you may elect to use a combination of the two). Regardless of which you choose, it is important to know the shape your essay will take. This will help keep your paper focused and well-organized. |
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Block by Block - With this organizational structure, the first thing you are comparing/contrasting is discussed in its entirety. Then, the second thing is discussed in its entirety. So, if you were comparing two presidential candidates, a block by block essay would first discuss all major aspects of the first candidate, then all major aspects of the second candidate. |
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Point by Point – With this organizational structure, each point of comparison/contrast is discussed first with one item, then with the other. So, when comparing two presidential candidates, you would discuss the platform of Candidate A, then the platform of Candidate B. Then, you would discuss the political background of Candidate A, then the political background of Candidate B, etc. |
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Like any other essay, a comparison/contrast paper must have a thesis. In an essay of valuation, your thesis will probably be related to your final decision about which thing is more valuable. A thesis statement in this kind of essay could be explicitly stated at either the beginning or the end of the essay. Regardless of where you place your thesis statement, your purpose for writing should be clear from the outset, and your thesis or decision must be clear to the reader throughout. Even if your thesis isn’t explicitly stated until the end of the essay, you should always have it in mind, and you should know where your essay is leading your reader. |
Information adapted from the following websites:
http://www.eslbee.com/compcont.htm
http://webster.commnet.edu/grammar/composition/comparison.htm