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COMPARISON/CONTRAST ESSAYS
As well as being one of the most common essay assignments, the comparison/contrast essay is
also one of the most commonly misunderstood assignments. Your teachers want you to make
connections between texts, ideas or subjects and by reflecting on the similarities and the
differences, you should be able to get a deeper understanding of the items, how they are related
to each other and what is the most important about them. However, many students simply give
a description of the differences and similarities, rather than an analysis, and falling into this trap
is why writing this type of essay can be difficult.
What does it mean to compare and contrast?
A comparison shows how two subjects are similar. A contrast shows how two subjects are
different.
Sometimes it’s easy to understand what your teacher wants you to do in your essay, like in
these essay questions:
Compare and contrast William Blake’s two poems, “The Little Boy Lost” and “The Little
Boy Found.”
Compare WWI to WWII, identifying similarities in the causes and outcomes of the two
wars.
Contrast Shakespeare’s and John Donne’s sonnets; what are the major differences in
their poetry?
Other times, the assignment will not be so specific, and comparing/contrasting will only be one
aspect of the essay, leading you to develop your own argument.
Choose a theme (such as love, death or childhood) you feel is predominant in two
modern poems and consider how the poems treat them.
How do the different authors we have studied define and describe racism?
How to find the similarities and differences
Who/What/When/Where/How
Begin by asking yourself these questions about the types of things you are about to compare.
Historical Periods/Events
When did they happen? What happened in each? What changed because of each? Who was
involved? Why are these two events significant? What caused these events?
Ideas/Theories
What are they about? When did they each originate? Who created them? Who used them? Who
uses them now? What does each one claim? Which is more believable to you? What kind of
evidence do they use to prove they are right?
Literature
What are they titled? What do they describe or talk about? What is the tone? What is the form?
Who wrote them? When were they written? What themes are in them?
