[ Name ]

[ Teacher ]
English 11B
[ Date ]

Unit 2: Portfolio Rough Draft: Compare and Contrast

Assignment Directions: Your assignment is to examine two texts and authors from this semester.
You will create an essay comparing and contrasting the similarities and differences between the
two.

*******FOLLOW THE STEPS BELOW TO COMPLETE THE ASSIGNMENT*******

➔ STEP 1: Pick ONE topic to focus on. Below is a list of topics seen in Units 1 and 2.
You may choose one from the list below. Please highlight your choice

● Community and Responsibility

○ Looking at social norms that build a shared community.
● Disillusionment of Man
○ Disappointment in discovering that self/world is not as good as once
thought.
● The Journey to Identity
○ Discovery of self-identity: who I am as a whole and unique person
● The Meaning of Freedom
○ What does it mean to be “free”?
● The American Dream
○ The belief that anyone can achieve success with hard work.
● Religion and Faith
● Other: ___________ (if you select this option, please write your chosen
topic).

➔ STEP 2: Pick ONE literary movement to focus on from the list below. Remember, both
of the authors you compare and contrast MUST be from the same time period. Please
highlight your choice

● Modernism (Unit 1)
● Postmodernism/Post War (Unit 2)
➔ STEP 3: Depending on the literary movement you chose, pick TWO authors from your
time period to compare and contrast. You may select any TWO texts from the appropriate
column that look at your selected topic. Please highlight your choices.
◆ EXAMPLE: If you select The Journey to Identity, you could look at “Babylon
Revisited” and “The Chrysanthemums”.

Modernism (1920s-1940s) Postmodernism/Post War (1950s-60s)

Unit 1 Unit 2

● Ernest Hemingway, “In Another ● Kurt Vonnegut, “Harrison

Country” Bergeron”

● John Steinbeck, “The Chrysanthemums” ● John Updike, “A&P

● Ralph Ellison, “The Black Ball” ● Ray Bradbury, “The Veldt”

● Langston Hughes, “Why, You Reckon?”
● Robert Frost, “Mending Wall”
● F. Scott Fitzgerald, “Babylon Revisited”
● Katherine Ann Porter, “He”
● Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., “I Have
a Dream” speech
● Gary Snyder, “Hay for the Horses”
● Lawrence Ferlinghetti, “The
Changing Light”

● Truman Capote, “Miriam” ● Gregory Corso, “Writ on the Eve of

My 32nd Birthday”
● Paul Laurence Dunbar, “When de Co'n
Pone's Hot” ● Allen Ginsburg, “A Supermarket in
California”

➔ STEP 4: After you have selected your two authors and their corresponding work,
complete the following chart. Include information about the time period
(occasion/historical context), and their basic plots, and themes.

Literary Work Time Period little “a” Big “A”

(Occasion; historical ( plot summary/topic) (theme/message)
context)
Consider: what is the Consider: what is the
Consider: what was text about? Write a 2-3 message the author is
going on during this sentence summary of sharing in the text?
movement? Write 2-3 the text. Write 1-2 complete
sentences describing the Write 2-3 topics seen in sentences stating the
historical events. the text (this can be in theme.
bullet points).
[Title and Author]

[Title and Author]

➔ STEP 5: Use the table below to record ideas about the similarities and differences
between the two literary works you have studied. Think about how each author represents
your chosen topic. Make sure you identify at least TWO differences and similarities
between the authors. You may add a third if you would like.

Differences Similarities

➔ STEP 6: Consider your Compare and Contrast Thesis: Review the two suggested
sentence outlines below.
OPTION 1: Many compare and contrast thesis statements begin with words like
although, whereas, even though, or while. These words suggest that a contrast is to
follow.

Example: Although Kurt Vonnegut and Dr. King both write about the injustices citizens
face at the hands of the government, Vonnegut’s Harrison Bergeron’s actions differ from
those valued by Dr. King.

Although _______________ (insert first author’s name) and _________________ (insert

second author’s name) write about __________________________ (insert common
topic), they differ in their ________________(insert what they do differently).

OPTION 2: Another way to write a compare/contrast thesis statement is to focus on

differences and similarities.

Example: A similarity between Kurt Vonnegut and Dr. King’s writing is that they both
critique the injustices citizens face at the hands of the government. A difference between
them is that one uses fiction to highlight injustices, while the other uses personal
experiences to fuel his work.
 A similarity between _______________ and ________________’s (insert authors’
names) writing is that they both discuss ________________ (insert similarity). A
difference between them is that one ____________________(insert difference), while the
other _____________ (insert difference).

➔ STEP 7: Write your thesis statement in the box below.

As you choose how to write a compare and contrast essay, focus on major ideas that you
want to compare and contrast, the purpose of the essay, and the audience.

Original Thesis Statement:

Great job! Now that you’ve completed these steps, you are ready to submit this document
to the rough draft dropbox in Unit 2 Lesson 6.

Final Draft Requirements: Due 4/4/2022

❏ Format your essay using the Final Draft template
❏ You are NOT required to complete an MLA Format final draft. You are
encouraged to use the outline linked above as your final draft. You will show your
understanding of MLA text integration, citations, and essay structure using this
outline as your MLA Formatting.
❏ IF YOU CHOOSE TO COMPLETE A FULL ESSAY: You are required to use
MLA Format.
❏ Expand on your supporting details. Include AT LEAST two quotes (one from each text)
in your compare and in your contrast body paragraphs.
❏ Review the teacher feedback in the gradebook
❏ Include a Check My Work Link
❏ Here is the final draft rubric for your reference