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comparative analysis Essay Examples

181 total results

A Comparative Analysis of the Characters of Huckleberry Finn and Tom Sawyer in The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain (848 words, 3 pages)

Huckleberry Finn Vs. Tom SawyerIn the novel, Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain, Twain uses a contrast ofcharacters to bring out the Society vs. Freedom aspect of the novel through thetwo characters of Huckleberry Finn and Tom Sawyer. Tom Sawyer, throughout thenovel, uses rules and what is "always done in the ... Read More

A Comparative Analysis of the Text’s Effectiveness and the Creation of Tension in Frankenstein by Mary Shelley and Woman in Black by Susan Hills (459 words, 1 pages)

Frankenstein - a ComparrisonA Comparison of extracts from Mary Shellys Frankenstein and Susan Hills Woman in Black of their Effectiveness and Creation of TensionI am intending to review an extract from two pieces of pre and post 19th Century text, in the hope of pinpointing the effectiveness and ways of ... Read More

A Comparative Analysis of the Theme of Forbidden Knowledge in Genesis and Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein (1123 words, 2 pages)

Fall of Man Through Knowledge (comparison of Frankenstien and Genesis)Throughout history, man has been fascinated with the origins of life. Questions like, where did we come from? and how were we created? have been asked for ages. We have even fantasized about creating life ourselves and the never-ending quest for ... Read More

A Comparative Analysis of the Social-Historical Aspects of Five Fairy Tales (882 words, 2 pages)

For my Independent Study Project (ISP) I chose five short stories by five different authors, all of which were of the fairy tale genre. This assignment requires me to reveal insight into the works and show my appreciation through a written commentary that focuses on the social-historical aspects of the ... Read More

A Comparative Analysis of The Last Suppers by Da Vinci and Tintoretto (893 words, 2 pages)

The Last Supper was a very powerful Biblical event, in which Jesus and his disciples gathered for one final dinner together. According to the Bible, important events took place during the Last Supper, including an announcement by Jesus that one of his disciples would betray him and the first communion. ... Read More

A Comparative Analysis of the Works of Donald Judd and Richard Serra (688 words, 2 pages)

I have compared Donald Judds works with Richard Serras works. They are both Minimalist artists and they mostly use similar matrerial. Both of the artists think of the context before making the installation. They then tell a workshop or a factory about this installation. For example what it will look ... Read More

A Comparative Analysis of the Chidrens’ Use of Motor Skills in Gymnastics (786 words, 2 pages)

The use of Motor Skills in GymnasticsGymnastics involves many movements of the human body. There are varies exercises and performances completed in gymnastics which are performed at different levels of motor skills. This is what allows us to see how children advance in motor skills. As a young child many ... Read More

A Comparative Analysis of Porphyria’s Lover and My Last Duchess by Robert Browning (1686 words, 3 pages)

The creation of a plausible character within literature is one of the most difficult challenges to a writer, and development to a level at which the reader identifies with them can take a long time. However, through the masterful use of poetic devices and language Browning is able to create ... Read More

A Comparative Analysis of Japanese Animation and Western Animation (1275 words, 5 pages)

The term anime refers to a distinctive tradition in Japanese animation that isalmost immediately recognized by its superior artistic quality. Animation fromJapan, also known as anime or japanimation is quite different from any other kindof animation including Americas. Animation in Japan is like that of the movieindustry in America. There ... Read More

A Comparative Analysis of the View on the Assassination of John F. Kennedy in Don DeLillo’s Book “Libra” and in Oliver Stone’s Film “JFK” (308 words, 1 pages)

Delillo and Stone certainly view history in separate entities. Delillo believes we have lost our since of history and Stone questions the manipulation in our society in relation to the assasination of JFK. Dellilos work of fiction concerning the JFK uses dialogue both external and internal to "show" us what ... Read More

A Comparative Analysis of Lifeboat Ethics: The Case Against Aid That Harms by Garret Hardin, and Rich and Poor by Peter Singer (1442 words, 2 pages)

Every day hundreds of thousands of people are starving. The issue of who should assist them is brought up time and time again. Should we give of our own? If so, how much should we give? Since only one third of the nations in the world are rich and the ... Read More

A Comparative Analysis of The Yellow Wallpaper by Charlotte Gilman and The Cask of Amontillado by Edgar Allan Poe (763 words, 2 pages)

The Yellow Wall Paper The Cast of the AmontilladoThe short story, The Yellow Wallpaper, written by Charlotte Gilman, and The Cast of Amontillado written by Edgar Allan Poe, are stories in which the plots are very different, but share similar qualities with the elements in the story. The Cast of ... Read More

A Comparative Analysis of Three Sportbike Advertisements (1056 words, 2 pages)

"Which bike is best for me?" That is the question most motorcycle buyers would ask themselves. I have chosen three separate sportbike advertisements and analyzed their differences. Most motorcycle advertisements show and tell why the product should be bought. The advertisers portray the sportbikes in a unique style and the ... Read More

A Comparative Analysis of the Main Characters of Neuromancer by William Gibson and The Time Machine by H. G. Wells (1996 words, 3 pages)

A common tool of science fiction writers is the use of a character, to whom the reader can relate, placed in an alien setting. This character will represent the reader in this new alien world or society, allowing the reader to form a link between his or her own world ... Read More

A Comparative Analysis of the Movie and Book Versions of the Rainmaker (521 words, 1 pages)

John Grishams The Rainmaker, a novel and now a movie by Francis Ford Copolla. It is the sixth novel to film adaptation of Grishams novels and is by far one of the more accomplished. The courtroom drama reveals the ordeals of a young lawyer and associate entering the world of ... Read More

A Comparative Analysis of Existentialist Themes in Waiting for Godot by Samuel Beckett and the Works of T. S. Eliot (652 words, 1 pages)

Life is occupied by waiting. In Waiting for Godot, Samuel Becket presents the suffering of the human condition. Godot is about two beings who talk about nothing, experience the drudgery of life, complain that they do not do anything, meet a few people, think about hanging themselves, and then do ... Read More

A Comparative Analysis of The Interlopers by Saki and The Third Day of the Wolf by Edwin Morgan (388 words, 2 pages)

Comparison on The Interlopers and The Third Day of The Wolf The story The Interlopers, is about two men fighting over a strip of land. Ulrich von Gradwitz was the owner of the land. Georg Znaeym was the intruder. For many years these two families have never gotten along. By ... Read More

A Comparative Analysis of Deep Play: Notes on a Balinese Cockfights by Clifford Geertz and The Loss of the Creature by Walker Percy (1955 words, 3 pages)

THEYRE OUT Have you ever experienced a moment when destiny seemed to be shining up on you? You might have been having an ordinary night out with friends where everything just seemed to click. The food was great. The company was incredible. You had this feeling in the pit of ... Read More

A Comparative Analysis of the Characters of Daedalus and Orpheus of the Ancient Greek Myths (1615 words, 2 pages)

According to Joseph Campbell, the artist-scientist is "curiously disinterested, almost diabolic human phenomenon, beyond the normal bounds of social judgment, dedicated to the morals not of his time but of his art. He is the hero of the way of thought-singlehearted, courageous, and full of faith that the truth, as ... Read More

A Comparative Analysis o the American and the Swedish Education System (920 words, 2 pages)

A comparative analysis of the American- and the Swedish education system 1. Introduction I have heard some Swedes say that the Swedish education system is the best in the whole world. However I also heard some American say that The United States has the best education system in the whole ... Read More

A Comparative Analysis of Fried Green Tomatoes the Novel and the Movie (1628 words, 2 pages)

In the novel Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe, Fannie Flagg upsets the dominant social norms of human interactions by comparing the heterosexual relationship of Evelyn and Ed alongside the homosexual partnership of Idgie and Ruth. In the film, "Fried Green Tomatoes," the director Jon Avnet re-interprets the ... Read More

A Comparative Analysis of The Catcher in the Rye by J. D. Salinger and Lord of the Flies by William Golding (1007 words, 2 pages)

Comparison Essay The two books that I am comparing are The Catcher in the Rye, and Lord of the Flies. The two books are very interesting and are very opposite yet the same in many ways. In The Catcher in the Rye, Holden is an idealistic character who becomes more ... Read More

A Comparative Analysis of the Political Theories of Plato and Aristotle (1182 words, 2 pages)

To compare the political theories of two great philosophers of politics is to first examine each theory in depth. Plato is regarded by many experts as the first writer of political philosophy, and Aristotle is recognized as the first political scientist. These two men were great thinkers. They each had ... Read More

A Comparative Analysis of The Diary of Anne Frank and Night by Elie Wiesel (1047 words, 2 pages)

Comparison Essay The Diary of Anne Frank is about a teenager growing up and sorting out her feelings under very difficult conditions. In 1942, when the Nazis began to invade their country, the Frank family tried to escape by going into hiding in an attic of a warehouse. Otto and ... Read More

A Comparative Analysis of the Main Female Characters of the Crucible and Death of a Salesman (937 words, 1 pages)

Both Elizabeth Proctor and Linda Loman share a devotion to their husbands that leaves them unfulfilled. Each of them surrenders their own happiness for the well-being of their husbands. Likewise, the two women blame themselves for all the hurtful things their husbands do to them. Elizabeth and Linda have become ... Read More

A Comparative Analysis of the Use of Literary Techniques in Hills Like White Elephants by Ernest Hemingway and Black Man and White Woman in a Dark Green Rowboat by Russel Banks (1852 words, 3 pages)

Markham 1 In order for a writer to make his readers understand the hidden meanings of events, literary techniques such as characterization, point of view, symbolism, setting and them must be present. "The serious writer's goal is not to tell us a story, to entertain or to move us, but ... Read More

A Comparative Analysis of the Flowers for Algernon as a Short Story and a Movie (608 words, 1 pages)

The differences between "Flowers for Algernon" as a short story and as a movie represent the differences between the two media. In my essay I am going to show, from the differences between the short story and the movie, the differences between the two media, coming up with the conclusion ... Read More

A Comparative Analysis of the Openings of Enduring Love by Ian McEwan and Knowledge of Angels by Jill Patton Walsh (2051 words, 3 pages)

Compare and contrast the openings of the novels 'Enduring Love' and 'Knowledge of Angels'. Examine in detail both form and content, and assess the effectiveness of each as a beginning of a novel. 'Enduring Love' by Ian McEwan and 'Knowledge of Angels' by Jill Patton Walsh are two very different ... Read More

A Comparative Analysis of the Literary Techniques Used in First Lesson by Phillip Booth and Charles by Shirley Jackson (769 words, 2 pages)

English III The literary techniques used in the short poem First Lesson and the short story Charles are very different. Some of the literary techniques that were used were irony, characterization. Although the literary techniques are different the themes are strikingly similar. The theme of the story and the poem ... Read More

A Review and Comparative Analysis of Professional Ethics Codes (4478 words, 7 pages)

A Review of Professional Ethics Codes How the AFP (Association of Fundraising Professionals) Code of Ethical Principles and Standards of Professional Practice Compares Introduction In this paper, the ethical code of the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP) is compared with the ethical codes of five other professional organizations in order ... Read More

Published: Friday 25th of January 2013

How to Write a Comparative Analysis Essay

At various points of your education, you will be required to compose essays comparing or contrasting two different items: philosophical ideas, theories, events, literary characters, or persons either contemporary or significant historical figures. A comparative analysis essay concentrates on similarities and dissimilarities between the items compared. However, you can perform the comparison can in a classical way in which both items get equal attention, their characteristics get analyzed in terms of what they have in common and on what points they critically differ. The paper can also contrast two seemingly completely different items, which turn out to share a significant feature or exert a similar influence on people or events. Another way to compare two items is to look at an item from the perspective of another item. An example of this type of comparison would be to examine a specific historical event in light of events that followed, or vice versa (the “lens” comparison). Like all academic essays, a comparative analysis essay relies upon the well-established introduction-body-conclusion structure. The introduction gives your reader a notion of what you will discuss in the paper, and it is intended to grab the readers` attention. It provides a context in which two items will get compared followed by an explanation of the grounds for comparison. It should clarify the importance of the items involved, and provide logical reasoning why you chose to contrast specifically those two items instead of any others. The introduction ends with a thesis statement derived from the context you chose to write within, and it should express the essence of your argument depending on whether the two items compared are contradictory to each other, mutually exclusive or if they actually substantiate one another. Here is an example of an introduction, followed by how a thesis statement might look like:

College gymnastics is starting to be an increasingly competitive sport, growing in popularity and with ever higher stakes involved. Although not competing in professional leagues, the coaches in charge of college gymnastics teams push their protégées to the limit and place extremely high demands on them. The best coaching tactics are a matter of debate, and various coaches adapt and apply different coaching styles. Mr. Danby and Mrs. Stones are representatives of two contrasting styles in coaching. Whereas Mr. Danby appears very supportive of his gymnasts, encourages them by using praise and being understanding of their shortcomings, Mrs. Stones is rather strict, demanding, uses more critique than praise and tolerates no absenteeism or lack of effort.

The body of the essay elaborates the differences in more detail, and it can be organized either through the block method, which gives a complete argumentation of one item, before moving on to the other; or through the alternating method in which you discuss the items in alternation on specific points of interest. When opting to use the alternating method, you should try to group several similar points together and discuss them as a whole, to avoid the excessively frequent switching from one item to another which can confuse the reader and make your essay seem chaotic and hard to follow. There are some transitional words you can use when comparing two items within the body of your essay: similarly, likewise, correspondingly, equally – to denote similarities, or on the contrary, conversely, contrariwise, in contrast – to denote differences between items.

You do not have to spend equal amounts of time discussing similarities and differences; you can emphasize either of them, depending on your thesis. When writing a comparative analysis essay using the "lens" comparison technique, you will spend far less time on describing the item you use as a lens, then on portraying the other item which is actually in your focus. In this case, you would pick the block method of organizing the body of the essay, since you would not really compare the two items on different points of interest but use the lens item as a key to understanding the true nature of the focus item. Nonetheless, you would need to link each point of discussion back to the thesis and secure a natural flow of ideas in your essay. Here is a segment of a body of an essay that you might use as a reference point:

In comparison to Mr. Danby’s mild, caring and almost fatherly approach, Mrs. Stones is usually somewhat authoritarian and tough on gymnasts. At first glance, it may seem like she could not care less about their personal problems or agendas. Instead, she expects them to give their absolute best in practice while on the other hand, Mr. Danby spends a few minutes at the beginning of each training session listening to the gymnasts' complaints about excessive school workload or discussing interpersonal problems they might have.

The conclusion section summarizes the critical issues that were discussed in the essay and provides the closing argument, deducing from the evidence presented, and comparisons made throughout the paper. It should not repeat what has already been said or state the obvious but go beyond that to expand the fundamental issues discussed and to invite the reader to think more profoundly about the subject. Then, you should restate the thesis of the essay in the closing section and possibly put into a broader context. Here you can find an example of how a conclusion might look like:

Mr. Danby and Mrs. Stones have distinctly different approaches to coaching high school gymnastics. However, they seem to complement each other and bring out the best in their students. Their approaches are actually the most efficient when combined since their students get provided with care and attention as well as rules and discipline which are all indispensable elements of success. The students look up to both of them, identifying with them and internalizing their best features in an attempt to become as successful as they both used to be in their youth.

To summarize, this is the structure of a comparative analysis essay:

Introduction: present the context, grounds for comparison and introduce the two items; formulate the thesis statement
Body of the essay: discuss the points of similarities and differences between items, use factual evidence to support your claims
Conclusion: sum up your main points, reiterate the thesis and put it in perspective; provide the closing line of reasoning for your topic.