Essay

Suffolk University WRI 101 First Year Writing I Dr. Vancza ESSAY #2: Comparison & Contrast ~ Family Life & Gender Roles Overview: ​Comparing and contrasting ideas in essay form is something you will do throughout your academic career. Many of you will have had practice with this mode of writing at some point and examined similar or different points of view in order to argue a position. Please select ​two readings ​from our five selections on the theme of “Family Life and Gender Roles.” Then, develop a clear thesis that compares and contrasts how each selection defines, illustrates, supports and/or denies several points of discussion. So see this paper as a classic standard in academic writing and civic discourse as you argue an opinion in a logical way that considers the views of others. Composing Advice: ​In a ​third person perspective​, you will write a critical, well- developed comparison and contrast​ ​paper based on ​two ​of the following selections: Diaz: “The Money,” Vargas: “My Life as an Undocumented Immigrant,” Kincaid: “Girl,” Rodriguez: “Family Values,” and Cofer: “The Myth of the Latin Woman.” Consider several ​topics or themes ​when building your thesis: ​gender roles ​(stereotypes, definitions); ​masculinity vs. femininity​; ​physical or emotional characteristics of women and/or men or​ ​societal expectations ​(i.e. intellect, character, relationships, marriage); rules of behavior​ ​and attitudes ​(i.e. appearance expectations, domestic rituals, public or private actions); ​family values ​(i.e. verbal or nonverbal traits, traditions). Please consult “Writing Guidelines for Comparison and Contrast Synthesis” handout for additional help. Essay Guidelines: 1. Have a catchy ​introduction ​to start followed by a clear ​thesis statement ​(s). Remember to first include a brief ​summary ​of each work before sharing your points. 2. Generate ​two or three main points ​to compare and contrast within the body. When you are developing points, consider authors’ ideas, logic, analyses; personal support: illustrations, anecdotes, characters; others’ evidence: historical allusions, facts, terms. 3. Incorporate ​textual evidence ​regularly and effectively to support your thesis, reviewing “The Art of Quoting” as discussed. Also, add in any relevant personal experiences or understandings to enhance a given point. 4. After you compare and contrast the authors’ ideas and examples, remember to evaluate​! How well are they employed by the author? Who appeals to the audience best? 5. This essay is ​4 to 4 ½ pages ​in length. It must be typed, double-spaced and follow MLA format for heading, title, pagination, one-inch margins, and in-text documentation. Be sure to include a ​Works Cited Page! ​☺