In the previous essay assignment, you had the opportunity to respond to one article. For this second essay assignment, you are going to “enter into a conversation” by analyzing a relationship you see between two essays that address a single topic.
Read TWO essays. Choose one of the SETS of essays listed below. Summarize both of the arguments (“they say”), explain how the authors agree and disagree, and craft your own response to the issues the two essays raise (“I say”).
While some students may consider this essay a “compare/contrast” essay, that label can sometimes be misleading. Often, the term “compare/contrast” leads to an essay that ONLY describes the similarities and differences between two concepts. Instead, keep in mind that your thesis and your essay should be an argument. An argument is a position you take based on an analysis of the relationship between the two texts. It could help to think about this assignment as either arguing the fact that two texts which may appear similar are actually different, or arguing the fact that two texts which may appear different are actually similar. Or you may wish to analyze the relationship between the two texts in an entirely different way.
Write an essay with the following parameters:
- MLA formatting, double-spaced, 1-inch margins, Times New Roman font at size 12;
- a proper Works Cited page that lists the essays you are using. (A sample entry is below.)
- a well-written essay of at least four pages (not including the Works Cited page);
