7 . The Comparison and Contrast Paragraph
Sometimes you will need to write a paragraph that both compares and contrasts two things, people, or
ideas. The paragraph below compares and contrasts two film versions of Shakespeare's Macbeth. The
films are first compared and then they are contrasted. Sentence 1 is the topic sentence; sentences 2,
3, and 4 highlight the similarities between the two films; sentence 5 marks a transition between
comparison and contrast; sentences 6 and 7 discuss differences between the films; sentence 8 is a
concluding sentence. Notice that transitional expressions to emphasize similarities and then
differences are boldfaced throughout the paragraph.
(1) Although Billy Morrissette's 2002 Scotland, PA and Roman Polanski's 1971 Macbeth are both
adaptations of Shakespeare's The Tragedy of Macbeth and share several similarities, the films also
present several strikingly different interpretations of the story. (2) Both films change Shakespeare's
story and highlight certain points to attract the attention of moviegoers. (3) For instance, both films
show equally sexualized representations of Lady Macbeth. (4) Furthermore, Polanski's version of the
play takes advantage of the violent scenes for dramatic effect; in a similar way, Morrissette plays up
the violence of the play with scenes of gruesome bloodshed. (5) However, the two film versions
of Macbeth are also quite different. (6) The location (setting) of Polanski's Macbeth is a realistic
representation of the moors of Scotland, full of bleak landscapes and eerie fog, whereas Morrissette's
film changes the location from Scotland to a small Pennsylvania town in 1975. (7) Polanski's script
closely reflects the language of Shakespeare, although he shortens or changes several scenes; on the
other hand, Morrissette's script makes many changes to Shakespeare's language by modernizing and
changing lines to fit the times. (8) Overall, both films change Shakespeare's story to make it
appropriate for the big screen; however, Polanski's Macbeth is a realistic and tragic version of
Shakespeare's play, while Morrissette's movie emphasizes the story's ridiculous and dark-comic
possibiliti es.
Directions: Carefully read the comparison and contrast paragraph below. Then, answer the questions
that follow.
(1) Anyone who has read, or even heard of, Jane Austen's classic novel Pride and Prejudice knows that
it has little to do with bloodshed and supernatural creatures; however, a new book by Jane Austen and
Seth Grahame-Smith, entitled Pride and Prejudice and Zombies, melds Ms. Austen's proper world with
one of zombie mayhem. (2) Pride and Prejudice, published in 1813, and 2009's Pride and Prejudice
and Zombies share several essential features. (3) First of all, Grahame-Smith's new "mash-up" of the
classic is actually 85% Jane Austen's words; the two books share most of the text in
common. (4) Austen's original features the morally upright Miss Elizabeth Bennet and highlights her
adventures in figuring out the rights and wrongs of manners, morals, and marriage in the countryside
of nineteenth-century England. (5) Likewise, Elizabeth Bennet is the star of Grahame-Smith's version
of the story, and her story still revolves around her fictional mishaps of manners. (6) However, while
Jane Austen's original remains grounded in the problems of social gatherings and finding the right
husband, Pride and Prejudice and Zombies introduces a major new problem: the undead. (7) Whereas
Elizabeth Bennet's strong values and intelligence make her a hero in Austen's version, with Grahame-
Smith's additions, she takes on superhero status in her ability to slay three zombies at the same
time. (8) Some might call Pride and Prejudice a comedy of manners, while Pride and Prejudice and
Zombies takes comedy to a different level with the addition of snarling zombies and a truly ridiculous,
yet macabre cover. (9) Austen purists may take offense to the new version of Elizabeth Bennet's story,
but Grahame-Smith's Pride and Prejudice and Zombies has reignited interest in a classic story for a
new generation of readers.
Sources: Carone, Angela and Maureen Cavanaugh. "Jane Austen and Zombies, Sea Monsters and
Vampires." These Days. 8 April 2010. KPBS. Accessed 10 May 2010; Sikka, Madhulika. "The Mayhem of
Pride, Prejudice and Zombies." NPR. 30 March 2009. National Public Radio. Accessed 10 May 2010.
Sentence 1 is the topic sentence for the above paragraph. According to the topic sentence, what will
this paragraph be about?
The paragraph will compare Pride and Prejudice to a newer work, Pride and Prejudice and Zombies by
Seth Grahame-Smith.
The paragraph will contrast Seth Grahame-Smith's depiction of Elizabeth Bennet with Jane Austen's
original character.
The paragraph will compare and contrast Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice and Seth Grahame-
Smith's Pride and Prejudice and Zombies.
Points:
1 / 1
Close Explanation
Explanation:
The paragraph will compare and contrast Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice and Seth Grahame-
Smith's Pride and Prejudice and Zombies. The topic sentence indicates that even though you may not
think that Jane Austen has anything to do with supernatural creatures, there are some connections in
Grahame-Smith's new adaptation of the classic text. With the phrase "melds Ms. Austen's proper world
with one of zombie mayhem," the topic sentence indicates that the new version shares certain
elements with the original, yet has made some substantial changes as well.
Which of the statements below describes the organization of the paragraph above?
After a clear topic sentence, the paragraph first discusses Pride and Prejudice and then discusses Pride
and Prejudice and Zombies in relation to Austen's classic novel.
After a clear topic sentence, the paragraph first contrasts and then compares Pride and
Prejudice and Pride and Prejudice and Zombies.
After a clear topic sentence, the paragraph first draws comparisons between Pride and
Prejudice and Pride and Prejudice and Zombies and then contrasts them.
Points:
1 / 1
Close Explanation
Explanation:
After a clear topic sentence, the paragraph first draws comparisons between Pride and
Prejudice and Pride and Prejudice and Zombies and then contrasts them. Sentence 1 is the topic
sentence. Sentences 2, 3, 4, and 5 describe similarities, or comparisons, between the two texts,
including most of the text of each book and the main character. Sentence 6 provides a transition
between the similarities and the differences. Sentences 7 and 8 discuss differences between the two
texts, including Elizabeth Bennet's heroic deeds, the introduction of zombies as a problem, and the
differences in comedic elements. Sentence 9 concludes the paragraph.
In the chart below, click the appropriate role that each sentence plays in the paragraph above.
(Note: The last sentence in the paragraph is a concluding sentence and is not included in the chart
below.)
Sentence
Number
Sentence
1
Sentence
2
Sentence
3
Sentence
4
Sentence
Topic
Sentence
Points of
Comparison
Points of
Contrast
Transition
Sentence
Sentence
Number
Sentence
6
Sentence
7
Sentence
8
Topic
Sentence
Points of
Comparison
Points of
Contrast
Transition
Sentence
Points:
0.75 / 1
Close Explanation
Explanation:
After a clear topic sentence, the paragraph first draws comparisons between Pride and
Prejudice and Pride and Prejudice and Zombies and then contrasts them. Sentence 1 is the topic
sentence. Sentences 2, 3, 4, and 5 describe similarities, or comparisons, between the two texts,
including most of the text of each book and the main character. Sentence 6 provides a transition
between the similarities and the differences. Sentences 7 and 8 discuss differences between the two
texts, including Elizabeth Bennet's heroic deeds, the introduction of zombies as a problem, and the
differences in comedic elements.
Which of the following statements are true about the paragraph above? Check all that apply.
A point of comparison between Pride and Prejudice and Pride and Prejudice and Zombies is that 85%
of the text of the latter is originally by Jane Austen.
The author of the paragraph accuses Seth Grahame-Smith of mocking a true literary classic.
One of the contrasts between Pride and Prejudice and Pride and Prejudice and Zombies is Elizabeth
Bennet's heroic qualities.
One of the comparisons between Pride and Prejudice and Pride and Prejudice and Zombies is that
they both have quite a bit of bloodshed.
The names of major characters are used in the paragraph as a point of contrast between Pride and
Prejudice and Pride and Prejudice and Zombies.
Points:
1 / 1
Close Explanation
Explanation:
Sentence 7 in the paragraph above contrasts Elizabeth Bennet's heroic qualities in Pride and
Prejudice and Pride and Prejudice and Zombies. Sentence 3 shows that, in a comparison between the
two texts, 85% of Pride and Prejudice and Zombies is as it was written by Jane Austen and appears
in Pride and Prejudice. Excessive bloodshed is not a point of comparison because only Pride and
Prejudice and Zombies includes violence (see sentence 7). The author of the paragraph does not
accuse Seth Grahame-Smith of mocking Austen's original, but rather suggests that the book has
"reignited interest in a classic story for a new generation of readers." The names of the major
characters are a point of comparison, rather than a point of contrast, between the two texts.
