Write an essay that compares and contrasts a Whitman poem with a Dickinson poem. You’ll decide how the poets’ attitudes or perspectives are alike and different, based on how they use poetic devices such as rhyme and figurative language.
Think about how you might sum up your whole analysis in a single claim. Then think about how you might support your claim with evidence — particularly quotes from the two poems. Finally, consider what commentary you can give that will help readers understand how your evidence supports your claim.
Your essay should include the following elements:
A claim that compares poetic devices in the two poems and explains how they show each poet’s outlook;
An introduction with a claim, a summary of the poems, and a prediction of the topics you’ll cover;
Body paragraphs with topic sentences, evidence from the poems, and commentary about your evidence;
A conclusion that reviews your main points and makes a final statement for readers to carry away;
Transitions that ease readers from one topic to the next and show connections between ideas.
