BOOK REPORT 3: CHARACTER COMPARISON/CONTRAST

 

I. Select a book or books from the Book Report List.

 

 II. Read book.

 

   III. Write a 500-600-word essay which compares and contrasts the characteristics of two characters.

 

You may write on two characters from the same book or on two characters from different books or on a character from a book and a character from one of the short stories we have read.  Only one character need come from a book you are reading for the first time.

 

The two characters you compare and contrast must be a good deal similar for your essay to have any point.  There's little reason to compare and contrast Sherlock Holmes and P.S. Wilkinson or Walter Mitty and Tobermory.  Look for two characters that are related in some way--two detectives, two soldiers, two men shipwrecked together, two people who lack confidence, two murderers, a husband and a wife, two sisters, etc.--or two characters who have had to respond to similar situations--loss of job, divorce, war, starting a new job, changing schools.

 

Think of each character's traits as you have done in earlier character analyses.  Also look for similar situations which demonstrate similar or different traits in the two characters.

 

Do NOT organize your essay around the two characters.  Doing so will almost assure that you never compare or contrast them but merely analyze the character of each.  Instead, organize around traits which they share or traits in which they differ.

 

Be sure not to deemphasize one character unintentionally by placing him in a dependent clause while focusing more strongly on the other in an independent clause.

 

 

 

SAMPLE OUTLINE:

 

THESIS:  These two women are both well-educated and bright but differ considerably in motivation and courage.

 

TS 1:                Both Smith and Jones are highly intelligent scientists.

 

TS 2:                When the scientists are in danger, the essence of each woman appears:  Smith is courageous, but Jones is cowardly.

 

TS 3:                Smith's motivation is selfishness and greed, but Jones works for the good of humanity.

 

 

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