ENGL 1101 Compare and Contrast Essay Assignment

The Short Story

The assignment:

For this writing assignment, you will compare and contrast the two short stories "The Story of an Hour," by Kate Chopin, and "Hills Like White Elephants," by Ernest Hemingway. The purpose of this assignment is for the student to demonstrate an understanding and mastery of the compare and contrast essay style.

The Approach:

Before you begin writing, slowly read through the stories; take careful notes and pay particular attention to words or references that are unfamiliar or interesting.  If there are words that you do not understand, look them up in a dictionary.  For instance, one may want to begin by looking up the words compare and contrast in order to make sure that one understands the assignment.  For each literary element, ask yourself, "What purpose does this serve?" and "How does this affect the rest of the story?" as well as "How are these elements the same or different in the two stories?"

Your essay should:

Have an introduction that:

• Hooks the reader
• Establishes the context for your discussion (including titles and authors of texts)
• Leads up to and includes your thesis

Your essay should have paragraphs that each include:

• A clear topic sentence that tells what you are comparing or contrasting regarding the two stories
• Multiple pieces of direct evidence, in the form of quotations and paraphrases, taken from the stories
• Analysis and interpretation of evidence to develop your argument
• Transitions between points
• A concluding sentence

Your essay should have a conclusion that:

•  Revisits the main points of your essay
• Connects those points and draws out their implication
• Answers the question, so what? Or, what now?

Your paper should be 600-800 words, in MLA format.