Sample Topics for Comparison Contrast Essays

In high school and college literature classes, one common type of writing assignment is the comparison and contrast essay. Identifying points of similarity and difference in two or more literary works encourages close reading and stimulates careful thought. To be effective, a comparison-contrast essay needs to be focused on particular methods, characters, and themes. These ten sample topics demonstrate different ways of achieving that focus in a critical essay. Short Fiction: The Cask of Amontillado and The Fall of the House of UsherAlthough The Cask of Amontillado and The Fall of the House of Usher rely on two notably different types of narrator (the first a mad murderer with a long memory, the second an outside observer who serves as the readers surrogate), both of these stories by Edgar Allan Poe rely on similar devices to create their effects of suspense and horror. Compare and contrast the story-telling methods employed in the two tales, with particular attention to point of view, setting, and diction.Short Fiction: Everyday Use and A Worn PathDiscuss how details of character, language, setting, and symbolism in the stories Everyday Use by Alice Walker and A Worn Path by Eudora Welty serve to characterize the mother (Mrs. Johnson) and the grandmother (Phoenix Jackson), noting points of similarity and difference between the two women.Short Fiction: The Lottery and The Summer PeopleAlthough the same fundamental conflict of tradition vers us change underlies both The Lottery and The Summer People, these two stories by Shirley Jackson offer some notably different observations about human weaknesses and fears. Compare and contrast the two stories, with particular attention to the ways Jackson dramatizes different themes in each. Be sure to include some discussion of the importance of setting, point of view, and character in each story.Poetry: To the Virgins and To His Coy MistressThe Latin phrase carpe diem is popularly translated as seize the day. Compare and contrast these two well-known poems written in the carpe diem tradition: Robert Herricks To the Virgins and Andrew Marvells To His Coy Mistress. Focus on the argumentative strategies and specific figurative devices (for example, simile, metaphor, hyperbole, and personification) employed by each speaker.Poetry: Poem for My Fathers Ghost, Steady as Any Ship My Father, and Nikki RosaA daughter investigates her feelings for her father (and, in the process, reveals so mething about herself) in each of these poems: Mary Olivers Poem for My Fathers Ghost, Doretta Cornells Steady as Any Ship My Father, and Nikki Giovannis Nikki Rosa. Analyze, compare, and contrast these three poems, noting how certain poetic devices (such as diction, repetition, metaphor, and simile) serve in each case to characterize the relationship (however ambivalent) between a daughter and her father.Drama: King Oedipus and Willy LomanDifferent as the two plays are, both Oedipus Rex by Sophocles and Death of a Salesman by Arthur Miller concern a characters efforts to discover some kind of truth about himself by examining events from the past. Analyze, compare, and contrast the difficult investigative and psychological journeys taken by King Oedipus and Willy Loman. Consider the extent to which each character accepts difficult truths--and also resists accepting them. Which character, do you think, is ultimately more successful in his journey of discovery--and why?Drama: Queen Jo casta, Linda Loman, and Amanda WingfieldCarefully examine, compare, and contrast the characterizations of any two of the following women: Jocasta in Oedipus Rex, Linda Loman in Death of a Salesman, and Amanda Wingfield in The Glass Menagerie by Tennessee Williams. Consider each womans relationship with the leading male character(s), and explain why you think each character is primarily active or passive (or both), supportive or destructive (or both), perceptive or self-deceived (or both). Such qualities are not mutually exclusive, of course, and may overlap. Be careful not to reduce these characters to simple-minded stereotypes; explore their complex natures.Drama: Foils in Oedipus Rex, Death of a Salesman, and The Glass MenagerieA foil is a character whose main function is to illuminate the qualities of another character (often the protagonist) through comparison and contrast. First, identify at least one foil character in each of the following works: Oedipus Rex, Death of a Salesm an, and The Glass Menagerie. Next, explain why and how each of these characters may be viewed as a foil, and (most importantly) discuss how the foil character serves to illuminate certain qualities of another character.Drama: Conflicting Responsibilities in Oedipus Rex, Death of a Salesman, and The Glass MenagerieThe three plays Oedipus Rex, Death of a Salesman, and The Glass Menagerie all deal with the theme of conflicting responsibilities--toward self, family, society, and the gods. Like most of us, King Oedipus, Willy Loman, and Tom Wingfield at times try to avoid fulfilling certain responsibilities; at other times, they may appear confused as to what their most important responsibilities should be. By the end of each play, this confusion may or may not be resolved. Discuss how the theme of conflicting responsibilities is dramatized and resolved (if it is resolved) in any two of the three plays, pointing out similarities and differences along the way.Drama and Short Fiction: Trif les and The ChrysanthemumsIn Susan Glaspells play Trifles and John Steinbecks short story The Chrysanthemums, discuss how setting (i.e., the stage set of the play, the fictional setting of the story) and symbolism contribute to our understanding of the conflicts experienced by the character of the wife in each work (Minnie and Elisa, respectively). Unify your essay by identifying points of similarity and difference in these two characters.

The Death Penalty Should Not Be Legal - 1261 Words

The Death Penalty Should Not Be Legal The death penalty should not be legal because of two major reasonings. These reasons are, the death penalty takes the lives of many innocent people, and it also costs too much. The death penalty should not be legal because innocent people are wrongly convicted and killed. According to the Death Penalty Information Center, it puts innocent lives at risk. At least 4.1% of all defendants sentenced to death in the United States in the modern era are innocent (Death Penalty. Death Penalty. N.p., 15 Mar. 2014. Web. 02 May 2016). Also according to recent studies, the first major attempt to calculate how often states are proven wrong in the pains of the ultimate punishment. Second reason, people are wrongly convicted is because there are people who get blamed for a crime they did not even commit. According to studies from May of 2012, researchers say there have been over 2,000 false convictions in the past twenty-three years (Aronson, Jay D., and Simon A. Cole. DNA, Innocence, and the Debate over Capital Punishment in the United States. Web.a.ebscohost.com. Wiley Blackwell, n.d. Web). Also, there are people who confess to the crimes that they don’t even comm it. People confess to crimes that they do not commit, because either they just do not want to live, because of the misery or depression they are in, or because they are obligated to do so. This is because the criminal himself might make him or her confess, because they do not want to getShow MoreRelatedThe Death Penalty Should Be Legal1457 Words   |  6 PagesThe death penalty can be traced all the way to biblical times when people were executed for many reasons such as: for not believing in their god(s), choosing to interact in sexual conduct while unmarried, stealing, murder, etc. The methods of execution back in those times were to either: stone, hang, slay, crucify, and burn not only the offender who committed the crime, but if he or she had a family, the entire family was executed with them as a warning to the people of their tribe or city to notRead MoreShould The Death Penalty Be Legal?985 Words   |  4 PagesBen Goble Mr. Newman English Comp. November 4, 2015 Should the Death Penalty be Legal? The death penalty, also called capital punishment, has been a topic of debate among the public for many years, gaining very little ground in changing the legality of it one way or the other. The topic is very controversial because many people feel that it is wrong to take the life of another person. On the other hand a very comparable number of people push for the legality of capital punishment for condemningRead MoreThe Death Penalty Should Not Be Legal1004 Words   |  5 Pagesabolish death penalty† (Bosman). In thirty-one states, federal government and military legal system, the death penalty is lawful. Even the Supreme Court has been changed direction of capital punishment. One day, it could be a legal and illegal by the Supreme Court. Most of European countries ban the death penalty except Belarus that if a criminal involve international terrorism, murdered, inhumane crime and the criminal receives death penalty. Nowadays, banned the death penalty becomeRead MoreDeath Penalty Should Be Legal943 Words   |  4 PagesDo you think that death penalty will give justice for the innocent lives? The death penalty continues to be an issue of controversy in the whole world because people have different beliefs for giving justice to the innocents. For some people, they want it legal because death penalty will give justice for the innocent victims and a form of vengeance to the criminals. On the flipside, other people don’t agree with it because a lot of innocents are putting into death. These people believe that it isRead MoreThe Death Penalty Should Not Be Legal1573 Words   |  7 PagesThere are many legal issues that come along with the death penalty. Ratified on December 15, 1791, The United States Bill of Rights states in its eight amendment, â€Å"Excessive bail shall not be required, nor excessive fines imposed, nor cruel and unusual punishments inflicted.† (8th Amendment to the Constitutio n). The Supreme Court stated during the 1958 case of Trop v. Dulles, that the 8th amendment must draw its meaning from the evolving standards of decency that mark the progress of a maturingRead MoreThe Death Penalty Should Be Legal1555 Words   |  7 Pageshave on a person? The death penalty, or capital punishment, is one of the most debated topics in America. It has been used for centuries, but many claim it to be barbaric, and want the practice to end all together. The death penalty should only be used in cases where there is absolute evidence that the criminal is guilty, because life in prison can be an alternative, there are many flaws in the justice system, and it can be a cruel and unusual punishment. The death penalty is legal in 32 states, theRead MoreThe Death Penalty Should Be Legal1554 Words   |  7 Pagesreceive the death penalty. Some say it is what they deserve, while others say that it is a â€Å"cruel and unusual†punishment. States, such as New Jersey, have already banned the penalty, but some states are still pending on whether to have the penalty or to follow New Jersey’s path . If you were to go and ask people why they are against the death penalty, they would say it is because it goes against morality, constitutionality, and the irrevocable mistakes of putting the wrong person to death. WhenRead MoreThe Death Penalty Should Not Be Legal1553 Words   |  7 Pagescalled problems with our system of justice is the death penalty. Capital punishment in this country seems to have its pros and cons. There are more issues and complications with being sentenced to death, while the positives are minuscule. The death penalty should not be allowed in the United States, and there are many reasons for this argument. The death penalty has caused controversy in the country since it became popular. 31 states use the death penalty and is also used by the military. Its use isRead MoreThe Death Penalty Should Be Legal Essay2884 Words   |  12 Pagesis the death penalty - should it be legalized across the 50 states or be declared unconstitutional? Some believe the death penalty is a better option for those who deserve the highest form of punishment available. However, others argue capital punishment is a waste of resources and should be brought to an end. Therefore, while many believe the death penalty should be legalized throughout the United States because it offers a higher form of punishment, others believe the death penalty should be repealedRead MoreShould The Death Penalty Be Legal?1638 Words   |  7 PagesShould the death penalty be legal or be abolished? Laws and regulations vary from nation to nation. Attitudes towards the capitalism, as well, vary from person to person. The death penalty, it seems, has become more debatable topic than ever. Although some people think capital punishment, just like death penalty, is a inhuman act which against human s rights for life and it is too cruel to give the criminals another chance to live a new life. I suppose capital punishment is still an effective

Standardized Testing A Positive Policy For Today s...

Diane Ravitch, former Assistant Secretary of Education, said â€Å"We must take care to make our public schools once again the pride of our nation† (Ravitch 260). At this point in time, the testing process that most, if not, all schools have adopted is proving to be an impediment to our education system that many are not proud of. Students today are more focused on getting the grade rather than the knowledge and experience that is needed for their future. Standardized testing, in a nutshell, could be a positive policy for today’s students. The execution of these baseline tests are not conducive to learning or measuring a student’s true ability or intelligence due to the emphasis on passing tests instead of actual learning and critical thinking skills, as well as having the same parameters for every student regardless of their situation. The current state of our standardized education system is leaving our students with a massive educational impairment. Standardized tests, as they are now, are not improving the education of today’s students. [source]. This relentless testing and other teaching practices are proving detrimental to the learning and thinking of our future’s innovators. Instead of learning critical thinking and ways to analyze on a deeper level, these practices are yielding to test preparation, test-taking strategies, and memorization. Diane Ravitch commented on this crisis and acknowledged No Child Left Behind (NCLB), a program to increase the academic achievement ofShow MoreRelated_x000C_Introduction to Statistics and Data Analysis355457 Words   |  1422 PagesWindows is a registered trademark of the Microsoft Corporation used herein under license. Macintosh and Power Macintosh are registered trademarks of Apple Computer, Inc. Used herein under license. Library of Congress Control Number: 2006933904 Student Edition: ISBN-13: 978-0-495-11873-2 ISBN-10: 0-495-11873-7 ââ€"   To my nephews, Jesse and Luke Smidt, who bet I wouldn’t put their names in this book. R. P. ââ€"   To my wife, Sally, and my daughter, Anna C. O. ââ€"   To Carol, Allie, and TeriRead MoreNokias Human Resources System144007 Words   |  577 Pagesacceptable terms of certain technologies in our products and services; our ability to protect numerous Nokia, NAVTEQ and Nokia Siemens Networks patented, standardized or proprietary technologies from third ­party infringement or actions to invalidate the intellectual property rights of these technologies; the impact of changes in government policies, trade policies, laws or regulations and economic or political turmoil in countries where our assets are located and we do business; any disruption to informationRead MoreFundamentals of Hrm263904 Words   |  1056 PagesThis online teaching and learning environment integrates the entire digital textbook with the most effective instructor and student resources With WileyPLUS: Students achieve concept mastery in a rich, structured environment that’s available 24/7 Instructors personalize and manage their course more effectively with assessment, assignments, grade tracking, and more manage time better study smarter save money From multiple study paths, to self-assessment, to a wealth of interactive visualRead MoreStephen P. Robbins Timothy A. Judge (2011) Organizational Behaviour 15th Edition New Jersey: Prentice Hall393164 Words   |  1573 Pagesand permission should be obtained from the publisher prior to any prohibited reproduction, storage in a retrieval system, or transmission in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or likewise. To obtain permission(s) to use material from this work, please submit a written request to Pearson Education, Inc., Permissions Department, One Lake Street, Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458, or you may fax your request to 201-236-3290. Many of the designations by manufacturersRead MoreStrategic Human Resource Management View.Pdf Uploaded Successfully133347 Words   |  534 PagesPrentice-Hall, Inc. A Pearson Education Company Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458 Compilation Copyright  © 2003 by Pearson Custom Publishing All rights reserved. This copyright covers material written expressly for this volume by the editor/s as well as the compilation itself. It does not cover the individual selections herein that first appeared elsewhere. ii Permission to reprint these has been obtained by Pearson Custom Publishing for this edition only. Further reproduction by any

Twentieth Century Fox Essay Example For Students

Twentieth Century Fox Essay Film trailers play an important role in selling a film to its audience, they help them choose a film that they think they will like but also the film featured in the trailer. Film companies can use other methods to sell a film, such a having a new or controversial subject, but by far the most common and effective way of getting a film noticed is its trailer. I am going to analyse three film trailers, Mission Impossible 2, Chicken Run and X-men. Each uses different selling points, but some similarities run through all of them. Mission Impossible 2, or MI:2. It is an action adventure film, generally this genre mainly appeals to a male audience due to its speedy car chases and violent fighting scenes. However, MI:2 appeals to a female audience as well, as it stars Tom Cruise, a very good-looking actor. He is the first character to be reviled to us in the trailer and his name appears following an explosion in flame emblazoned writing that takes up the main part of the screen, the name of the film appears soon after in a similar fashion. The fiery colours represent a hot, dangerous, action packed film, as red means danger, in both nature and the modern world. X-men is also an action film, but has a sci-fi twist to it. This is the first point an audience would get from this trailer as the first clip of the film is of two women dressed in what we would consider to be futuristic clothes, silver in colour to represent something, new, cold and mechanical. They appear to be startled by something, even fearful, we do not know what they are afraid of; this adds a sense of suspense and interest as the audience would want to find out what that something is, this is a good way to entice a potential viewer to see the film. It differs from MI:2 as it does not show who stars in the film using text, however the actors featured would be well known to the genre of people the film is aimed at. Such as Patrick Stewart who is recognized by sci-fi buffs as Jean-Luc Picard captain of star trek. The film Chicken Run is different to both other films as it is not an action film, but is a childrens animated comedy that has some aspects that appeal to an older audience, it has, in every sense of the phrase, something for everyone. Similarly to MI:2 the names of the actors doing the voices of the characters appear written on screen in big bold text, but they are also spoken by a voice over. They are actors whom the adults watching would immediately recognise, Mel Gibson, Julia Swahla, Jane Horraks and Miranda Richardson. Similarly to MI:2, the stars are named before the name of the film is given, The name Chicken Run is at shown at the end of the trailer whereas The name Mission Impossible is given halfway through, but still after the actors were named. A similarity in all three film trailers, perhaps in all film trailers is that the name of the company that produced the film is revealed first. A difference in three film trailers I chose is that they all have different companies, and the logos are shown in different manners, MI:2 was produced Paramount, X-men was produced by Twentieth Century Fox and Chicken Run was produced by Pathà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½. The logo for paramount is usually a two dimensional globe with the name Paramount surrounding it, but in the trailer for MI:2 it is three dimensional and the camera zooms in and pans around the logo accompanied to a pulsating drum rhythm. All this combined gives the logo a modern, hi-tech almost alive ambience. This reflects the fact that the film is edgy and there are a lot of gadgets and the like featured. .u9562af9210229c2430576c13d64f0b4a , .u9562af9210229c2430576c13d64f0b4a .postImageUrl , .u9562af9210229c2430576c13d64f0b4a .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u9562af9210229c2430576c13d64f0b4a , .u9562af9210229c2430576c13d64f0b4a:hover , .u9562af9210229c2430576c13d64f0b4a:visited , .u9562af9210229c2430576c13d64f0b4a:active { border:0!important; } .u9562af9210229c2430576c13d64f0b4a .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u9562af9210229c2430576c13d64f0b4a { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u9562af9210229c2430576c13d64f0b4a:active , .u9562af9210229c2430576c13d64f0b4a:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u9562af9210229c2430576c13d64f0b4a .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u9562af9210229c2430576c13d64f0b4a .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u9562af9210229c2430576c13d64f0b4a .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u9562af9210229c2430576c13d64f0b4a .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u9562af9210229c2430576c13d64f0b4a:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u9562af9210229c2430576c13d64f0b4a .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u9562af9210229c2430576c13d64f0b4a .u9562af9210229c2430576c13d64f0b4a-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u9562af9210229c2430576c13d64f0b4a:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: All the President's Men EssaySimilarly to MI:2, the logo for X-men has been slightly modified to reflect the film, as the usual logo is like a cinema building, it has been emphasised with the searchlights you sometimes see outside cinemas when blockbusters are showing in some American cities. This makes an audience imagine viewing the film in this setting, and so encourages them to go and see the film. The logo for Pathà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ in Chicken Run has also been modified to reflect the film; this is similar to both of the other films. The name Pathà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ is shown against a plain background hanging as if from a childs mobile, then the shadow of a rooster appears. Pathà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ is the oldest film company out of the three and originally produced newsreels before television became a commodity, this helps people of an older generation relate to the film.