COMPARE AND

CONTRAST ESSAY
The Pedestrian and Primal Screen
McDougal and Littell

Assignment
You will be comparing and contrasting
The Pedestrian and Primal Screen.
Both are examples of social criticism.

Strategies
Summarize each writers message.
Identify the methods each writer uses to
convey his or her message.
Determine the similarities and
differences between the messages and
methods.
Evaluate which message is more powerful
or persuasive and explain why.

Plan
Create this chart in your writing section:
Points of
Comparison

In the Essay

In the Short Story

What is the writers

focus?

what television
watching is doing to
family life

what television is
doing to American
society in general

What problems are

identified or
portrayed?
What solutions are
recommended or
suggested?
What methods are
used to convey the
message?

Plan
Using the chart, find examples for the
points you wish to develop in your essay.
If necessary, review the story and essay
for more examples.
Create an outline to organize your ideas.

Rough Draft
Introduction: Introduce the topic literature is a tool of social
criticism and then explain that you will be comparing an
essay and a short story, both on the subject of television
viewing. Be sure to include the title and author of each work.
Body: Use your outline to develop the key points of your essay.
In one paragraph, or example, you might compare and
contrast the solution each writer offers. Within each paragraph
you write, give specific details to back up your points.
Conclusion: Wrap up your essay with a restatement of your
main idea and a brief summary of your main points.
Revision: Check your use of signal words such as similarly,
also, like, but, and while to make sure that your comparisons
and contrasts are clear.

Writing Assignment
Writers sometimes use literature to target
faults or alarming trends in society.
Consider Goodmans Primal Screen and
Bradburys The Pedestrian. In a four or
five paragraph essay, compare and
contrast these works as examples of
social criticism, identifying each writers
message and the techniques used to
convey it. In your opinion, which work
makes a stronger case? Support your