Reference no: EM132563623

Topic: The Drown by Junot Diaz and Punishment by TAGORE

LONG COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS PAPER:
1. TOPIC: Select two or more literary works we have read this semester. Select a theme, concept, character trait, literary device, hero, culture, the treatment of women, existential philosophy, etc. and prove how this theme, concept, character trait, literary device, hero, culture, the treatment of women, philosophy etc. is similar and/or different in the literary works you selected.

2. PURPOSE: The purpose and significance of the comparison should be clear: Why are you comparing these two characters, events, concepts, literary devices, etc. What significant point (s) does your comparison demonstrate?

3. THESIS STATEMENT: The paper will have a clear succinct thesis statement, and it will prove the thesis with quotations from the literary texts and explanations of how each quotation supports the thesis.

4. QUOTATIONS: When quoting from the text to prove your point, you must use the textbook for our class-The Norton Anthology of World Literature, 4th edition-and indicate the page number of the quotation in parentheses. You must use a minimum of 12 quotations from the literature to support your thesis. In addition, there should be about 3 quotations from your outside scholarly sources.

5. RESEARCH: You must use a minimum of 2 to 3 outside scholarly sources using proper MLA documentation. You may use ONLY scholarly sources available through the Montgomery College Library data base--https://cms.montgomerycollege.edu/libraries/
However, do NOT rely on the outside sources for your thinking; the paper should
reflect primarily your thinking.

6. PLAGIARISM: Do not plagiarize. Do your own reading and thinking. If you plagiarize the paper in part or full, you will fail the paper and possibly the course. It is easy for a professor to insert a paper into Google and find sources. Don't take the chance.
Remember that if you use the idea or the words of someone else, you must provide
an in-text citation; otherwise, it is plagiarism

7. NAME: Be sure to put your name-LAST NAME FIRST-- on the paper AND on the file name.

8. PAGE NUMBERS: Inserting page numbers into your document is a requirement.

9. LENGTH OF PAPER: The Comparative Analysis Paper should be about 8 double-spaced pages long and have a minimum of 12 quotations from the literary text to prove your thesis points. In addition, there should be about 3 quotations from your outside scholarly sources.

10. WORKS CITED: There should be about 4 -5 entries in your Works Cited page-Use the proper MLA citation for a work in an anthology for your literature and proper MLA citations for your other sources.

SUBSECTIONS
A. INTRODUCTION:
The introduction should be lively-grab the reader's attention! Use some of the techniques you learned opposing viewpoint, vivid example, startling fact or statistic, anecdote, analogy, lyric from a song, line from a poem, etc.

B. THESIS STATEMENT:
1. Thesis should be written as the last sentence in your introduction.
2. Thesis should argue something. The thesis should have three parts: a topic, a viewpoint, and a plan (often the subtopics or reasons)
3. Sample Thesis Statement #1 for Comparative Analysis Paper: Oedipus and Hamlet are both tragic heroes: Oedipus is heroic because he solves the riddle of the sphinx and ends the plague; Hamlet is heroic because he uncovers Claudius' treacherous killing of his father King Hamlet and avenges his father's death. Oedipus and Hamlet's lives both end tragically: Hamlet's in death and Oedipus' in exile. However, their harmatias or tragic flaws are quite different: Oedipus's harmatia is arrogance, Hamlet's harmatia is his inability to act decisively.
Dissecting the above thesis:
A. Topic: Oedipus and Hamlet are tragic heroes
B. Viewpoint: they are both heroic and tragic
C. Plan (subtopics/reasons) and Topic Sentences:
Do not begin your topic sentences with quotations from the text or by telling about an event in the literature. Do begin with a sentence like the ones below, which all refer to the thesis statement.
D. Possible Topic Sentences-these indicate the plan of your paper:
1) Oedipus is a hero because he solves the riddle of the sphinx and ends the plague.
2) Hamlet is a hero because he uncovers Claudius' treacherous killing of his father King Hamlet and avenges his death.
3) Oedipus' life ends tragically: he is blind and is forced to live a life in exile.
4) Hamlet's life ends tragically: he is killed in the duel with Laertes, and his kingdom of Denmark is claimed by Fortinbras, Prince of Norway.
5) Oedipus' tragic flaw or harmatia, leading to the tragic outcome, is his arrogance.
6) Hamlet's tragic flaw or harmatia, leading to his tragic end, is his inability to act decisively.

4. Sample Thesis Statement #2 for Comparative Analysis Paper: Achilles and Rama are both epic heroes: they overcome seemingly insurmountable obstacles, possess godlike powers, and are brave and courageous. However, their personal characteristics are remarkably different: Achilles is arrogant, egotistical, and vengeful; Rama is humble, altruistic, and dedicated to dharma (duty). These differences in personal characteristics can be partly attributed to the differences in the cultural values and historical milieu in which they lived- Dissecting the above thesis:
A. Topic: Achilles and Rama are epic heroes
B. Viewpoint: They are courageous, godlike, and overcome obstacles, but have very different personal characteristics.
C. Plan (subtopics/reasons) and Topic Sentences:
Do not begin your topic sentences with quotations from the text or by telling about an event in the literature. Do begin with a sentence like the ones below, which all refer to the thesis statement.
D. Possible Topic Sentences-these indicate the plan of your paper:

1. Achilles is an epic hero because he travels to the distant shore of Troy and confronts and overcomes obstacles.

2. Similarly, Rama is an epic hero because he journeys to live in the forest for 12 years and confronts and overcomes obstacles.

3. Achilles and Rama both possess godlike powers and are courageous.

4. In his personal characteristics, Achilles is arrogant, egotistical, and vengeful.

5. In his personal characteristics, Rama is humble, altruistic, and dedicated to dharma (duty).

6. These differences in personal characteristics can be partly attributable to the differences in the cultural values and historical milieu in which they lived-Greece and India.

C BODY OF THE PAPER
1. Using the plan specified in your thesis, prove your thesis by using ample evidence from the text. You should have a minimum of 12 quotations from the literature to prove your thesis points. In addition, there should be about 3 quotations from your outside scholarly sources.

2. Be sure to introduce and explain each quotation; otherwise, the paper will be just a string of quotations. Explain how the quotation proves your point; do not assume that the reader will understand how the quotation proves your point. It is your job as the writer to explain how the quotation proves your point.

3. After each quotation, place in parentheses the author's last name and the page number from The Norton Anthology of World Literature, 4th ed., from which you took the quotation. For example, (Swift 334). Note: there is NO comma between the author's name and the page #.

4. You must use the text we are using for the course: The Norton Anthology of World Literature, 4th edition, Volumes D, E, and F.

5. The conclusion should be thoughtful, thought-provoking, and summarize your major points.

E. REFLECTIVE COMPONENT

After your conclusion at the end of the paper, write a two-paragraph reflection.

In the first paragraph, write an analysis of how your chosen topic is relevant to your life or your major and/or how the content explored deepened your understanding of or connection to concepts that you need in your life or career and/or how writing this paper helped you to acknowledge perspectives that are different from your own.

In the second paragraph, reflect on the skills or concepts you have learned through writing this paper. You may want to include a discussion of which parts of your paper are particularly successful and which parts you may want to change if you were given the opportunity to revise.