Sample Topics for Comparison Contrast Essays

Sample Topics for Comparison Contrast Essays In high school and college literature classes, one common type of writing assignment is the comparison and contrast essay. Identifying points of similarity and difference in two or more literary works encourages close reading and stimulates careful thought. To be effective, a comparison-contrast essay needs to be focused on particular methods, characters, and themes. These ten sample topics demonstrate different ways of achieving that focus in a critical essay. Short Fiction: The Cask of Amontillado and The Fall of the House of UsherAlthough The Cask of Amontillado and The Fall of the House of Usher rely on two notably different types of narrator (the first a mad murderer with a long memory, the second an outside observer who serves as the readers surrogate), both of these stories by Edgar Allan Poe rely on similar devices to create their effects of suspense and horror. Compare and contrast the story-telling methods employed in the two tales, with particular attention to point of view, setting, and diction.Short Fiction: Everyday Use and A Worn PathDiscuss how details of character, language, setting, and symbolism in the stories Everyday Use by Alice Walker and A Worn Path by Eudora Welty serve to characterize the mother (Mrs. Johnson) and the grandmother (Phoenix Jackson), noting points of similarity and difference between the two women.Short Fiction: The Lottery and The Summer PeopleAlthough the same fundamental conflict of tradition vers us change underlies both The Lottery and The Summer People, these two stories by Shirley Jackson offer some notably different observations about human weaknesses and fears. Compare and contrast the two stories, with particular attention to the ways Jackson dramatizes different themes in each. Be sure to include some discussion of the importance of setting, point of view, and character in each story. Poetry: To the Virgins and To His Coy MistressThe Latin phrase carpe diem is popularly translated as seize the day. Compare and contrast these two well-known poems written in the carpe diem tradition: Robert Herricks To the Virgins and Andrew Marvells To His Coy Mistress. Focus on the argumentative strategies and specific figurative devices (for example, simile, metaphor, hyperbole, and personification) employed by each speaker.Poetry: Poem for My Fathers Ghost, Steady as Any Ship My Father, and Nikki RosaA daughter investigates her feelings for her father (and, in the process, reveals something about herself) in each of these poems: Mary Olivers Poem for My Fathers Ghost, Doretta Cornells Steady as Any Ship My Father, and Nikki Giovannis Nikki Rosa. Analyze, compare, and contrast these three poems, noting how certain poetic devices (such as diction, repetition, metaphor, and simile) serve in each case to characterize the relationship (however ambivalent) between a daughter and her f ather. Drama: King Oedipus and Willy LomanDifferent as the two plays are, both Oedipus Rex by Sophocles and Death of a Salesman by Arthur Miller concern a characters efforts to discover some kind of truth about himself by examining events from the past. Analyze, compare, and contrast the difficult investigative and psychological journeys taken by King Oedipus and Willy Loman. Consider the extent to which each character accepts difficult truthsand also resists accepting them. Which character, do you think, is ultimately more successful in his journey of discoveryand why?Drama: Queen Jocasta, Linda Loman, and Amanda WingfieldCarefully examine, compare, and contrast the characterizations of any two of the following women: Jocasta in Oedipus Rex, Linda Loman in Death of a Salesman, and Amanda Wingfield in The Glass Menagerie by Tennessee Williams. Consider each womans relationship with the leading male character(s), and explain why you think each character is primarily active or passive (or bot h), supportive or destructive (or both), perceptive or self-deceived (or both). Such qualities are not mutually exclusive, of course, and may overlap. Be careful not to reduce these characters to simple-minded stereotypes; explore their complex natures. Drama: Foils in Oedipus Rex, Death of a Salesman, and The Glass MenagerieA foil is a character whose main function is to illuminate the qualities of another character (often the protagonist) through comparison and contrast. First, identify at least one foil character in each of the following works: Oedipus Rex, Death of a Salesman, and The Glass Menagerie. Next, explain why and how each of these characters may be viewed as a foil, and (most importantly) discuss how the foil character serves to illuminate certain qualities of another character.Drama: Conflicting Responsibilities in Oedipus Rex, Death of a Salesman, and The Glass MenagerieThe three plays Oedipus Rex, Death of a Salesman, and The Glass Menagerie all deal with the theme of conflicting responsibilitiestoward self, family, society, and the gods. Like most of us, King Oedipus, Willy Loman, and Tom Wingfield at times try to avoid fulfilling certain responsibilities; at other times, they may appear confused as to what their m ost important responsibilities should be. By the end of each play, this confusion may or may not be resolved. Discuss how the theme of conflicting responsibilities is dramatized and resolved (if it is resolved) in any two of the three plays, pointing out similarities and differences along the way. Drama and Short Fiction: Trifles and The ChrysanthemumsIn Susan Glaspells play Trifles and John Steinbecks short story The Chrysanthemums, discuss how setting (i.e., the stage set of the play, the fictional setting of the story) and symbolism contribute to our understanding of the conflicts experienced by the character of the wife in each work (Minnie and Elisa, respectively). Unify your essay by identifying points of similarity and difference in these two characters.

Free Essays on Debunking The Myth Of Global Warming

Debunking the Myth of Global Warming At various times since WW II warnings were sounded about the Earth entering another ice age. As a matter of fact, until the mid-seventies, average Northern Hemisphere temperatures actually went down, but by less than one degree Celsius ("Global Warming Treaty" 1-2). In the seventies, a number of scientists took this bit of data and predicted dire consequences for the Earth. The popular press picked up on this, and even Science magazine stated in 1975 "the approach of a full-blown 100,000-year ice age [was] a real possibility" (Shackleton 28). Although most Americans believe that humans cause global warming, there are many scientists who believe global warming is only a natural cycle. Since the 1970's, temperatures have gone up again, and the tiny decrease in temperatures since WW II has now been replaced with an equally tiny increase in nighttime global temperatures. Nighttime global temperatures have risen about 0.065 degrees Celsius, according to measurements by Tiros II, a temperature measuring satellite ("Instant" 5). So what happens? The doom and gloom about another ice age is replaced with the doom and gloom about global warming. What people are seeing now and what people were seeing then are merely natural variations in temperatures around the globe. They are due to natural variations in all kinds of variables, including solar flares. Greenhouse gases allow incoming solar radiation to pass through the Earth's atmosphere, but prevent most of the outgoing infrared radiation from the surface and lower atmosphere from escaping into outer space. Many gases exhibit such â€Å"greenhouse† properties, including those that occur naturally in the atmos phere, such as water vapor, carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide. This process occurs naturally and has kept the Earth's temperature about 60 degrees Fahrenheit warmer than it would otherwise be. Current life on Earth could not be sust... Free Essays on Debunking The Myth Of Global Warming Free Essays on Debunking The Myth Of Global Warming Debunking the Myth of Global Warming At various times since WW II warnings were sounded about the Earth entering another ice age. As a matter of fact, until the mid-seventies, average Northern Hemisphere temperatures actually went down, but by less than one degree Celsius ("Global Warming Treaty" 1-2). In the seventies, a number of scientists took this bit of data and predicted dire consequences for the Earth. The popular press picked up on this, and even Science magazine stated in 1975 "the approach of a full-blown 100,000-year ice age [was] a real possibility" (Shackleton 28). Although most Americans believe that humans cause global warming, there are many scientists who believe global warming is only a natural cycle. Since the 1970's, temperatures have gone up again, and the tiny decrease in temperatures since WW II has now been replaced with an equally tiny increase in nighttime global temperatures. Nighttime global temperatures have risen about 0.065 degrees Celsius, according to measurements by Tiros II, a temperature measuring satellite ("Instant" 5). So what happens? The doom and gloom about another ice age is replaced with the doom and gloom about global warming. What people are seeing now and what people were seeing then are merely natural variations in temperatures around the globe. They are due to natural variations in all kinds of variables, including solar flares. Greenhouse gases allow incoming solar radiation to pass through the Earth's atmosphere, but prevent most of the outgoing infrared radiation from the surface and lower atmosphere from escaping into outer space. Many gases exhibit such â€Å"greenhouse† properties, including those that occur naturally in the atmos phere, such as water vapor, carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide. This process occurs naturally and has kept the Earth's temperature about 60 degrees Fahrenheit warmer than it would otherwise be. Current life on Earth could not be sust...

English Language Larners Case Study Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

English Language Larners Case Study - Essay Example For example, we are told that Elsa does not have enough people around her with whom she would practice the speaking of English language when she goes home. Worse of all, there are not as many English language learning materials around her at home as there are Spanish learning materials. Meanwhile, learning through literacy development brings out the idea that practice is one of the best ways to master the learning of English language (Smiley and Salsberry, 2007). This is because as people practice what they have learnt, they get the opportunity to make mistakes and also correct these mistakes. Constant practice also speeds up the process of gaining proficiency as it makes the learner have the luxury of devising personal methodologies of learning the language. Again for Elsa, what is happening is that she is suffering interference in her attempt to learn English as a second language as in school, she gets the opportunity of speaking Spanish with other colleagues who are Hispanic. Inde ed, if English had been the only language she spoke in school, the need for her to take her English lessons seriously would have gone up because that would have been the only way by which she would have had people to communicate with. As far as those happenings that we are not particularly certain about are concerned, mention can be made of the fact that Elsa is not receiving much parental support as far as the learning of English as a second language is concerned. This assumption is made against the background that in the case of Elsa, we read of no drastic attempts being made by the parents or other relations at home to get the little English learner motivated to learn English at the fastest rate possible. It is said that motivation are different and comes in different forms. The two generalized types of motivation that can be applied to a young English language learner like Elsa are intrinsic motivation and extrinsic motivation. Presently, any of these forms of motivation seem to be absent at home for Elsa. If intrinsic motivation was available for Elsa, we would have read of her parents trying to motivate her by trying to speak English with her, getting her as extra class teacher, praising her on her attempts and efforts in learning the English language, and planning special holidays for her for efforts she puts up at school. If extrinsic motivation were also available, we would have read of parents of Elsa buying English language learning materials like wall charts, books and films for Elsa. Indeed, motivation is an important element and reinforcement that speeds up the rate of learning for any new English language learner like Elsa. Four different relevant issues Judging from the readings, there are number of important issues that come up to describe the type of English language learner that Elsa is. Most of these issues also help us in knowing precisely what is wrong with the progress rate of Elsa and how this problem can be corrected or minimized. The first issue that is directly related to the type of English language learner Elsa is has to do with the issue of a learner who lags behind when it comes to English language learning experience. This was made manifest when she was presented with the chapter to read. It is a good sign that Ms Smith also identified this and started thinking of ways of helping Elsa to get more out of the reading experience. The second issue