Literary analysis: Comparison and Contrast

Purpose

To gain insight into the development of literary works

To analyze authors’ uses of literary methods to establish meaning

To see how literary works compare thematically

To realize the perspectives that authors take to establish a theme

To appreciate the complex nature of literature

Focus on theme comparison

The most common and often most meaningful analysis.

Read the two pieces of literature and brainstorm a number of ideas about themes for each

Compare your list of theme ideas and find one that is similar and works for both.

Articulate that theme in a way that it goes with each work to be compared.

Example comparison of Kate Chopin’s “Story of an Hour” and Gilman’s “The Yellow Wallpaper”

Make a list of possible themes for both

The Story of an Hour

Oppression of a wife

Mortality as no one knows when a loved one will die

Relationship issues between husband and wife

Gender comparison as the wife is known only by her husband’s name and lives only in light of him

The Yellow Wallpaper

Subordination of the woman in her marriage

Importance of freedom to express yourself

Madness as a response to oppression

Choose some commonality from the list

From our list, we have several possibilities, so we can choose one of them and shape it into a statement about the common theme for both stories.

Kate Chopin in her “The Story of an Hour” and Charlotte Perkins Gilman in her “The Yellow Wallpaper” explore the problems that married women have in asserting their independence.

OR Kate Chopin in her “The Story of an Hour” and Charlotte Perkins Gilman in her “The Yellow Wallpaper” show how the oppression of women in marriage can lead to disastrous consequences

OR some other phrasing that would work for discussion.

Choose a comparative element for the essay.

Brainstorm some approaches that the authors take in their stories to give their message.

Both of them use symbol to show the problem that the women encounter.

The symbols are different and used in different ways to establish the theme.

Chopin’s story uses the heart trouble and the mallard duck as symbols. The duck is a symbol of male oppression as the woman is only known in her husband’s identity.

The physical heart trouble symbolizes the emotional heart trouble for an unfulfilling and oppressed life.

Gilman uses the yellow wallpaper to symbolize a number of things but it shows the confinement the woman has at the hands of her husband.

Expand the thesis to include the comparative element

Kate Chopin in her “The Story of an Hour” and Charlotte Perkins Gilman in her “The Yellow Wallpaper” use symbols in different ways to show how the oppression of women in marriage can lead to disastrous consequences.

Write an outline for the essay

I. Introduction:

A. Hook: Provide an interesting sentence to draw us into the analysis. Perhaps a general statement about the fate of women dominated by their husbands or the injustice of men oppressing women in marriage.

B. Thesis

II. Chopin’s theme and use of symbol

A. Use the story and quotes from it to show the theme.

B. Explain her use of symbol and how that connects to showing the theme

C. Provide a transition to connect this story and its comparison of theme and

symbol to the Gilman story.

Discuss comparison

III. Gilman’s theme and use of symbol connected to Chopin’s

A Use quotes from the story to establish Gilman’s theme

B. Compare her theme with Chopin’s with discussion and explanation.

C. Provide a transition to explore Gilman’s use of symbol

D. Use quotes from the story to show and explain Gilman’s use of symbol

E. Compare Gilman’s use of symbol to Chopin’s as you link both to the common theme.

.

Comments on contrast

IV. Conclusion

A. Provide a transition that links to the contrasting elements of the use of symbol

B. Provide discussion about the different uses of symbol and perhaps some on the slight variation of theme

Wrap up the essay restating the main emphasis on theme and the use of symbol.

Variations in approach

The previous slides showed one approach to the essay.

There can be some variety of approach.

One could discuss both stories themes one after the other, then both stories use of symbols one after the other, then provide a bridge to compare the themes and symbols connecting them to one another.

The important thing is to provide a meaningful and focused point for the essay.

Develop a comparative element or two to discuss in the authors’ meaningful presentation.

Organize in a logical way providing transitions to help the reader follow the argument.