Essay

ESSAY 2: COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS [20%] [4-6 pages]


The goal of the second essay is to introduce you to the practice of comparative analysis as a means of generating an original, argumentative thesis about the meaning of two texts that share a common thematic preoccupation.

Goal & Description:

One of your texts must come from the second half of the semester: • Paul Celan: “Death Fugue”

· Etgar Keret: “Shoes” 


· Alain Resnais: Night and Fog 


· Ingmar Bergman: The Seventh Seal 


· Naguib Mahfouz: “The Mummy Awakens” 


· Clarice Lispector: “The Smallest Woman in the World” 


· Ariel Dorfman: Death and the Maiden 


· Protest poems by Oodgeroo Noonuccal, Pablo Neruda, or Wole Soyinka 


· Protest songs by Bob Marley, Kino, Fela Kuti, or Yothu Yindi 


· The Beatles: selected song or cover art from Sgt. Pepper 


· Poems by Denise Duhamel or Lucille Clifton 


· Excerpts from Superman or Batman 


· Marjane Satrapi: Chicken with Plums 


· Madonna: selected performance from The Girlie Show 


· “Elegance with Eggs” episode of The French Chef 


· “Death” episode of Absolutely Fabulous! 


Your second text may be any other text we discussed and studied in class this semester [including one of the texts listed above]. Your second text may be a work of literature, a film or media clip, a performance, or even a visual text [like a photograph, painting, or exhibit].

Please note: you are NOT allowed to write about the same text you wrote about for Essay 1.

Consider writing about one of the following topics:
1. The figure of Death: Death often appears as a character that haunts several of our

texts. How would you evaluate his personification in two texts? What is his function in those texts? Is he as infallible and victorious as he would seem, or does he show glimmers of human error or compassion?

2. The languages of trauma: Sometimes, writers appeal to the use of metaphors to express their sense of trauma or victimization, simply because ordinary language is not capable of capturing such atrocity. What are the key metaphors used in two examples of “trauma” literature, and which aspects of trauma do they convey?

3. Modern marriage and family: Our texts this semester reveal different portraits of modern marriage and parent-child relationships that manage to survive despite enormous and unthinkable strains. What is the “key” to the survival of the marital

unions we see in two of our course texts [or, alternatively, what contributes to the

demise of those family bonds]?
4. The tyranny of beauty: How is beauty defined, and according to whose

perspective? What types of values—cultural, social, political, medical, etc.—about male or female beauty do our texts uphold? In what way might clothing generally, or articles of clothing in particular, contribute to ideas and modern understandings of beauty?

5. The rhetoric of change: Many of our texts this semester are founded on the idea that one individual can make a difference in the political realm. What kind of change is the individual capable of producing in our course texts? Which problems does he or she have to overcome? Are those challenges different across gender or racial lines?

If you have another idea for a paper that is not suggested here, please discuss your topic with me BEFORE you start writing your paper.

Remember, a theme refers to an idea, preoccupation, or concern that is repeated throughout a text. There may be other themes you discern in your readings; that’s fine. When you link your literary analysis to a particular theme, be explicit in your description of that theme.

After you have selected your texts, develop a reasoned and well-supported comparative thesis [presented at the end of your opening paragraph]. Your comparative thesis may be one or two sentences, but it should clearly articulate your position about what you will go on to argue in the rest of the paper. Imagine that we have no way of evaluating your argument except by this one sentence; make that sentence succinct, meaningful, and clear.

Your Comparative Argument:

Avoid stating that there are differences and similarities between your two chosen texts; we already know this to be the case, and such a formulation is boring, cliché, and too vague to actually matter.

Instead, explain which angle you plan to take—an exploration of the similarities or differences—and explain why that matters. You may not fully understand your own thesis until after you have written your paper; this is to be expected. However, make sure to take those few moments, go back to your opening paragraph, and write your specific, comparative thesis statement, after you have developed your full argument.

Your argument is an extension of the thesis. Essentially, it is the rest of the paper, which fleshes out supporting ideas and examples from the text. Try not to think in terms of “true” or “false” arguments. Aim, instead, for a “strong” argument [as opposed to a “weak” one.] A strong argument offers evidence from the text and your interpretation of that evidence’s meaning. How does your evidence support the overall claim that you are making? How does the evidence demonstrate [or perhaps complicate, or even contradict] a particular theme of the overall work?

In addition, your comparative essay should address both texts equally. Do not short- change yourself by devoting the majority of your essay to one text and a mere paragraph to the second text; your argument will suffer from such choices. Aim for even coverage.

Your paper must be between 4-6 full pages – no less, and no more. No outside sources are encouraged or allowed. We will be vigilant in enforcing this rule and we will check each paper carefully to make sure that everyone plays fair. Use the text itself [and any lecture notes] as your guide and inspiration.

Consider using the following guidelines to help you secure a better grade for your paper. Failure to comply to one or more of these guidelines will most likely weaken your paper and lower your grade:

Tips and Guidelines:

1. Your comparative thesis should be articulated as a definitive statement, usually found at the end of your introductory paragraph. Your thesis should identify the two texts you are planning to evaluate.

2. Your paper should be well-supported with evidence. Think about the thematic importance of any symbols, metaphors, key words or phrases, melodies, rhythms, singing styles, or stagecraft used in the excerpted passages.

3. Don’t over-quote or under-quote. Quoting excessively will not give you enough room to adequately discuss each piece of evidence; not quoting at all will make your paper look like a series of speculations and generalizations. Try to strike a balance between these extremes.

4. Your paper should not rehash the plot. You may refer to plot elements as needed, but your overall “point” should be an idea that you develop through a close examination of the various elements of your passage. Remember, your reader and grader have already read the texts; we do not need a summary.

5. Your paper should be concise, accurate, and fair in its assertions and points. Be specific when you can, and avoid any cultural or historic generalizations and other logical fallacies. Please cite your original material correctly:

Example: According to Week Y Lecture about Z, “X” (pg#).
Example: According to Kafka’s hunger artist, “X” (pg #). – prose or prose poems Example: Baudelaire’s “Her Hair” reveals “X” (line number). – poetry

6. Your paper should be well-organized, and your various ideas should be part of an overall, coherent argument. Try to remain consistent in your argument and do not offer evidence that contradicts or drifts from your main thesis.

7. Select your evidence judiciously. There is such a wealth of information in each passage that it will be almost impossible to treat it exhaustively in a paper of 4-6 pages. With that in mind, use only the evidence that best serves your argument [and does not make any unfair claims about the text overall.]

8. Your paper should be written in an academic tone, using clear language and defining any key terms you use.

9. Your paper should be proofread for spelling and grammatical errors, and formatted correctly. This means stapling your papers, using Times New Roman 12-point font, and one-inch margins. This also means writing at least 4 FULL pages [with each page containing at least 300—350 words]. Any deviations from this format will look unprofessional and may result in point deductions.

10. Give your paper a title. Often, this will help you narrow your thesis and alert your reader/grader to your intended overall “point.”

11. No outside research will be required or recommended. Your paper should be the result of your own effort and analysis. Use this paper as an opportunity to demonstrate your ability to “read closely” and compare two potentially different texts on some common thematic ground. [You will have an opportunity to conduct outside research for your final project, if you choose that option.]