Successful college writing, Eighth edition - Kathleen T. McWhorter 2020

Comparison and contrast
Patterns of development

Showing Similarities and Differences

"The photo at the top shows three young Indian women dressed in similar orange sarees dancing Odissi indoors. The photo at the bottom shows a young man and two young women dressed in light-colored western summer clothing dancing on a beach.  "

In this chapter you will learn to

✵ understand the purpose and function of comparison and contrast essays

✵ use graphic organizers to visualize comparison and contrast essays

✵ integrate comparison and contrast into an essay

✵ read and think critically about comparison and contrast

✵ plan, organize, draft, revise, and edit essays using comparison and contrast

Writing Quick Start

ANALYZE

Carefully examine the photographs on this page, noting any details that would help someone who cannot see the images understand the differences and similarities between the two types of dancing. Consider how to describe each style of dancing and how each is performed.

WRITE

Draft a paragraph describing how the two dances shown are the same and how they are different. Consider who the dancers are and where the dances seem to be taking place. How would you describe them? What type of dance does each illustrate? What mood or feeling does each dance convey?

CONNECT

The paragraph you drafted is an example of comparison and contrast. You probably organized your paragraph in one of two ways:

1. You might have written about one set of dancers and then the other.

2. You might have talked first about the dancers in both photographs, then the setting for each dance, and so forth.

In this chapter you will learn to write effective comparison and contrast paragraphs and essays and examine two methods of organizing your writing.

Using comparison and contrast involves looking at similarities (comparison), differences (contrast), or both. Regardless of how a comparison and contrast essay is organized, the essence of the analysis is to identify shared characteristics between the items being examined and to determine how these shared characteristics are the same or different.

USING COMPARISON AND CONTRAST

IN COLLEGE AND THE WORKPLACE

✵ For a course in criminal justice, your instructor asks you to participate in a panel discussion comparing organized crime in Italy, Japan, and Russia.

✵ For a journalism course, you are asked to interview two local television news reporters and write a paper contrasting their views on journalistic responsibility.

✵ As a computer technician for a pharmaceutical firm, you are asked to compare and contrast several models of tablet computers and recommend the one the company should purchase for its salespeople.

What Are the Characteristics of Comparison and Contrast Essays?

Whether used as the primary pattern of development or alongside other patterns, successful comparison and contrast writing generally meets several criteria.

Comparison and Contrast Has a Clear Purpose and Is Written for a Specific Audience

A comparison and contrast essay usually has one of three purposes:

✵ To express ideas: The purpose of an essay about dancing could be to express the writer’s love of both traditional and street dancing, comparing how each improves mood while also lowering stress and anxiety. The audience might be readers of a blog for dancers.

✵ To inform: The purpose of an essay about dancing could be to inform readers about types of dancing classes, comparing private and group lessons. The audience might be adults who are interested in learning new dance styles.

✵ To persuade: The purpose of an essay about dancing could be to persuade readers that dancing has more mental and physical benefits than gym workouts. The audience might be students who are looking for new forms of fitness.

Comparison and Contrast Considers Shared Characteristics

You cannot compare or contrast two things unless they have something in common. When making a comparison, a writer needs to choose a basis of comparison — a fairly broad common characteristic on which to base the essay. The paragraph you wrote comparing styles of dancing may have focused on the similarities and differences in settings, skills needed, and so forth. For another essay comparing baseball and football, for example, a basis of comparison might be the athletic skills required or the rules and logistics of each sport.

To develop a comparison and contrast essay, the writer examines two subjects using points of comparison — characteristics relating to the basis of comparison. In an essay using athletic skills as a basis of comparison, for example, points of comparison might be height and weight requirements, running skills, and hand-eye coordination. In an essay based on rules and logistics, points of comparison might include scoring, equipment, and playing fields.

EXERCISE 15.1

IDENTIFYING BASES OF COMPARISON

For three items in the following list, identify two possible bases of comparison:

1. Two means of travel or transportation

2. Two means of communication (emails, telephone calls, video chats, letters, texts)

3. Two pieces of equipment

4. Two magazines or books

5. Two types of television programming

Comparison and Contrast Is Organized Point by Point or Subject by Subject

You probably organized your paragraph comparing or contrasting two styles of dancing in one of two ways:

1. You wrote, first, about formal, traditional dancing and then about casual, contemporary dance styles (or vice versa)

2. You discussed each point of similarity or difference with examples from traditional and contemporary dance styles.

Most comparison and contrast essays use one of these two primary methods of organization:

✵ Subject-by-subject organization. The author describes the key points or characteristics of one subject before moving on to those aspects of a second subject.

✵ Point-by-point organization. The writer moves back and forth between two or more subjects, comparing them on the basis of several key points or characteristics.

Comparison and Contrast Fairly Examines Similarities, Differences, or Both

Depending on their purpose and audience, writers using comparison and contrast may focus on similarities, differences, or both. In an essay intended to persuade readers that performers Beyoncé Knowles and Taylor Swift have much in common in terms of talent and cultural influence, the writer would focus on similarities: hit records, millions of fans, and parts in movies. An essay intended to inform readers about the singers would probably cover both similarities and differences, discussing the singers’ different childhoods or singing styles.

An essay focusing on similarities often mentions a few differences, usually in the introduction, to let readers know the writer is aware of the differences. Conversely, an essay that focuses on differences might mention a few similarities.

Whether you cover similarities, differences, or both in an essay, you should strive to treat your subjects fairly. Relevant information should not be purposely omitted to show one subject in a more favorable light. In an essay about Knowles and Swift, for instance, you should not leave out information about Swift’s charitable contributions while mentioning Knowles’s charitable causes in an effort to make Knowles appear to be the more charitable person.

Comparison and Contrast Makes a Point

A successful comparison and contrast essay has a main point that sparks readers’ interest in the subjects rather than boring them with a mechanical listing of similarities or differences. This main point can serve as the thesis for the essay, or the thesis can be implied in the writer’s choice of details.

An explicit thesis has three functions:

1. To identify the subjects being compared or contrasted

2. To suggest whether the focus is on similarities, differences, or both

3. To state the main point of the comparison or contrast

The following two sample theses meet all three criteria. Note, too, that each thesis suggests why the comparison or contrast is meaningful and worth reading about.

"The text in example 1 reads, “Similar appeals in commercials for three popular breakfast cereals reveal America’s obsession with fitness and health.” In this sentence, the phrase ""Similar appeals in commercials"" represents similarities. The phrase ""three popular breakfast cereals reveal"" represents the subjects. ""America’s obsession with fitness and health"" is identified as the main point. The text in example 2 reads, “The two cities Niagara Falls, Ontario, and Niagara Falls, New York, demonstrate two different approaches to appreciating nature and preserving the environment.” In this sentence, “Niagara Falls, Ontario, and Niagara Falls, New York”are the subjects. The phrase “two different approaches"" identifies differences. The phrase “appreciating nature and preserving the environment” is the main point.  "

EXERCISE 15.2

WRITING AN EFFECTIVE THESIS STATEMENT

For one of the topic pairs you chose in Exercise 15.1, select the basis of comparison that seems most promising. Then write a thesis statement that identifies the subjects, the focus (similarities, differences, or both), and the main point.

Comparison and Contrast Considers Significant and Relevant Shared Characteristics

A comparison and contrast essay considers characteristics that readers will find significant as well as relevant to the essay’s purpose and thesis. In general, college writers should discuss at least three or four significant characteristics to support the thesis, describing or explaining each characteristic in detail so that readers can grasp the main point of the comparison or contrast. Writers often use sensory details, dialogue, examples, expert testimony, and other kinds of evidence to convince readers that the items being compared (or contrasted) are, in fact, similar (or dissimilar).

The following readings demonstrate the techniques discussed above for writing effective comparison and contrast essays. The first reading is annotated to show how Jan Diehm and Amber Thomas use these techniques to compare women’s pockets to men’s. As you read the second essay, try to identify how Jean Eshelman applies the techniques to compare a Hollywood and a Bollywood film.

READING: POINT-BY-POINT ORGANIZATION

Pockets

Jan Diehm and Amber Thomas

Jan Diehm is a journalist-engineer at The Pudding, an online publication that “explains ideas debated in culture with visual essays.” She has extensive experience in graphic design and has worked at a number of media outlets, including CNN, The Guardian, ABC News, and The Huffington Post. Amber Thomas, who describes herself as “a data-lover and professional question asker,” also works at The Pudding, where she is a senior journalist-engineer. In the selection below, they use visuals to compare women’s pockets to men’s.

Before Reading

1. Preview: Use the steps listed in Chapter 2.

2. Connect: Consider men’s and women’s fashions. Do most of them feature pockets? What should designers consider when they create clothing with pockets? Should pockets on women’s and men’s clothing have a similar design and function?

While Reading

Study the annotations that accompany the reading to discover how the essay illustrates the characteristics of comparison and contrast.

Background: Introduces topic

Thesis: Thesis indicates subjects being contrasted (men’s and women’s pockets) and suggests purpose (to persuade)

1There are few things more frustrating than collecting your belongings only to realize that the pockets in your pants are too small to hold them. Or worse, the fabric designed to look like a pocket is merely for decoration and doesn’t open at all. For wearers of women’s clothes, this struggle is real. You don’t have to look far to find Twitter rants, articles, and videos in which people are either complaining about not having pockets or rejoicing over that rare gem that is the “dress with pockets.” And sure, we could all carry handbags, which is likely what the 8 billion dollar purse industry hopes we’ll do (O’Connell), but not everyone wants to carry a bag. After all, men’s pants pockets are basically the pockets of our dreams.

Purpose: Provide data to support claim of inferiority of women’s pockets

2[L]ike so many things on the internet, we could find complaints and anecdotes galore but little data illustrating just how inferior women’s pockets really are to men’s. So, we went there.

How Do Measurements Differ?

Point of comparison 1: Measurements

Evidence: Visual gives measurements of women’s and men’s pockets

3We measured the pockets in both men’s and women’s pants in 20 of the US’ most popular blue jeans brands. Take a look at what we found.

The illustration shows that the width of pockets in women’s pants is 6 inches compared to 6.4 inches for men’s, and the height of pockets in women’s pants is 5.6 inches compared to 9.1 inches for men’s. The accompanying text reads, “On average, the pockets in women’s jeans are 48 percent shorter and 6.5 percent narrower than men’s pockets.”

Fashion over Function: What Can Actually Fit?

Point of comparison 2: Functionality

Organization: Transition provides link between points of comparison 1 and 2

Evidence: Visuals show what will fit in women’s and men’s pockets

4Beyond the obvious measurement differences, we wanted to see just how functional all these pockets were. After all, a pocket is only as good as what you can fit in it. Here, we programmatically determined whether various everyday items could fit in an otherwise empty pocket in jeans that aren’t being worn. (If an object won’t fit in the pocket of a pair of jeans on the hanger, it certainly won’t fit when you’re wearing them.) Only 40 percent of women’s front pockets can completely fit one of the three leading smartphone brands. Less than half of women’s front pockets can fit a wallet specifically designed to fit in front pockets. And you can’t even cram an average woman’s hand beyond the knuckles into the majority of women’s front pockets.

The illustration shows an iPhone X fits horizontally inside the pocket of women’s pants whereas it fits vertically inside the pocket of men’s pants. The accompanying text reads, “40 percent of women’s pockets and 100 percent of men’s pockets can fit this item.” Below are silhouettes of an iPhone X, Samsung Galaxy, Google Pixel, front wallet, pen, woman’s hand, and man’s hand.

The illustration shows a front wallet fits horizontally inside the pocket of women’s pants whereas it fits vertically and comfortably inside the pocket of men’s pants. The accompanying text reads, “40 percent of women’s pockets and 100 percent of men’s pockets can fit this item.” Below are silhouettes of an iPhone X, Samsung Galaxy, Google Pixel, front wallet, pen, woman’s hand, and man’s hand.

The illustration shows a woman’s hand partially inside the pocket of women’s pants and completely inside the pocket of men’s pants. The accompanying text reads, “40 percent of women’s pockets and 100 percent of men’s pockets can fit this item.” Below are silhouettes of an iPhone X, Samsung Galaxy, Google Pixel, front wallet, pen, woman’s hand, and man’s hand.

5Here are a few other questions that you may be asking.

What about Different Styles?

Point of comparison 3: Style differences

Evidence: Provides exact measurements to support difference in size of front pockets, organizing data by alternating between women’s/men’s pockets

6Predictably, skinny jeans, which more closely hug the hips, have smaller front pockets for both men and women, but the gap between women’s and men’s jeans is still noticeable in both skinny and straight styles. On average, women’s skinny jean pockets were 3.5 inches (48%) shorter and 0.3 inches (6%) narrower than men’s skinny jeans. Women’s straight jean pockets were 3.4 inches (46%) shorter and 0.6 inches (10%) narrower.

The illustration shows that the top width of pockets in women’s skinny pants is 4.9 inches compared to 5.3 inches for men’s, the bottom width of pockets in women’s skinny pants is 5.3 inches compared to 6.3 inches for men’s, the left height of pockets in women’s skinny pants is 5.6 inches compared to 9.1 inches for men’s, and the right height of pockets in women’s skinny pants is 5.2 inches compared to 7 inches for men’s. The top width of pockets in women’s straight pants is 4.8 inches compared to 5.2 inches for men’s, the bottom width of pockets in women’s straight pants is 6 inches compared to 6.6 inches for men’s, the left height of pockets in women’s straight pants is 5.7 inches compared to 9.1 inches for men’s, and the right height of pockets in women’s straight pants is 5.2 inches compared to 7.2 inches for men’s.

What about Back Pockets?

Point of comparison 4: Back pockets

7The gap between women’s and men’s back pockets was less egregious. Women’s pockets were still smaller, but not by much: women’s skinny jean pockets were 0.3 inches (5%) shorter and 0.1 inches (2%) narrower, and women’s straight jean pockets were 0.4 inches (7%) shorter and 0.1 inches (2%) narrower. Ultimately, men’s back pockets were a bit deeper but just about the same width as women’s.

The illustration shows that the width of pockets in women’s skinny pants is 5.2 inches compared to 5.3 inches for men’s, the depth of pockets in women’s skinny pants is 5.9 inches compared to 6.2 inches for men’s, the length of pockets in women’s skinny pants is 4.9 inches compared to 5.2 inches for men’s. The width of pockets in women’s straight pants is 5.3 inches compared to 5.4 inches for men’s, the depth of pockets in women’s straight pants is 5.9 inches compared to 6.3 inches for men’s, the length of pockets in women’s straight pants is 5 inches compared to 5.4 inches for men’s.

Conclusion: Reinforces the thesis

8While the sheer inconvenience of not being able to keep your belongings in your pocket may seem like a small issue, it is one that women have faced for centuries. For women, it was (and still is) about equality. Pockets, unlike purses, are hidden, private spaces. By restricting the space in which women can keep things safe and retain mobility of both hands, we are also restricting their ability to “navigate public spaces, to carry seditious (or merely amorous) writing, or to travel unaccompanied” (chelseagsummers). If you think this idea is outdated, think about the last time a woman asked her boyfriend/male friend/anyone in men’s pants to carry her phone/wallet/keys on an outing.

Links

✵ chelseagsummers. “The Politics of Pockets.” Vox, 19 Sept. 2016, www.vox.com/2016/9/19/12865560/politics-of-pockets-suffragettes-women.

✵ O’Connell, Liam. “Retails Sales of Handbags in the United States from 2010 to 2018 (in Dollars).” Statista, 18 July 2019 (last updated), https://www.statista.com/statistics/316526/retail-sales-value-of-women-s-handbags-in-the-us/.

Visualize a Comparison and Contrast Essay: Create Graphic Organizers

As noted earlier, you can organize a comparison and contrast essay in one of two ways: point by point or subject by subject. (“Pockets” is organized point by point; “How to Be ’Somebody’: Hollywood’s On the Waterfront versus Bollywood’s Ghulam” is organized subject by subject.) Suppose you want to compare two houses (house A and house B) built by the same architect to evaluate how the architect’s style has changed over time. After brainstorming, you decide to base your essay on these points of comparison:

✵ layout

✵ size

✵ building materials

✵ landscaping

For more on creating a graphic organizer, see Chapter 2.

Point-by-Point Organization

Graphic Organizer 15.1 shows the basic structure of an essay using point-by-point organization, in which you go back and forth between the subjects (in this case, two houses), noting similarities and differences between them on each of the points of comparison.

GRAPHIC ORGANIZER 15.1 The Basic Structure of a Point-by-Point Comparison and Contrast Essay*

"The items in the left column of the chart are numbered here for clarity. Items bulleted here are attached to the associated numbered items by lines. Downward arrows connect the bulleted items. 1. Title 2. Introduction (Bullet) Background information, Subjects: A comparison or contrast of house A and B, Thesis statement, Spark readers’ interest. 2. Body: Points of comparison or contrast (Bullet) Layout: House A and House B (Bullet) Size:House A and House B (Bullet) Building materials:House A and House B (Bullet) Landscaping: House A and House B. 3. Conclusion (Bullet) Reinforces the thesis and summarizes main points."

Subject-by-Subject Organization

Graphic Organizer 15.2 shows the basic structure of an essay using subject-by-subject organization, in which you first discuss all the points of comparison — in this case, layout, size, building materials, and landscaping for the first subject (house A) before doing the same for the second subject (house B).

GRAPHIC ORGANIZER 15.2 The Basic Structure of a Subject-by-Subject Comparison and Contrast Essay*

"The items in the left column of the chart are numbered here for clarity. Items bulleted here are attached to the associated numbered items by lines. Downward arrows connect the bulleted items. 1. Title 2. Introduction (Bullet) Background information, Thesis statement, Spark readers’ interest. The thesis statement sometimes appears in the body or the conclusion of the essay, or the thesis is implied rather than directly stated. 3. Body: Subjects A and B (Bullet) House A:Layout, Size, Building material, and Landscaping. (Bullet) House B: Layout, Size, Building material, and Landscaping. 4. Conclusion (Bullet) Reinforces thesis and summarizes main projects. "

READING: SUBJECT-BY-SUBJECT ORGANIZATION

How to Be “Somebody”: Hollywood’s On the Waterfront versus Bollywood’s Ghulam

Jean Eshelman

Jean Eshelman lives in New York City, where she works as a content analyst for Netflix, specializing in Indian film and television. She is a fan of films old and new from all over the world, but she has a particular fondness for Bollywood song and dance and for films from the “Golden Age” of Hindi cinema (1940s—1960s). Before reading, think about a time when you struggled with a decision that involved mixed loyalties. While reading, highlight the subjects that Eshelman addresses. Then compare your notes with Graphic Organizer 15.3.

1Many U.S. movie fans instantly know the line “I could have been a contender” from Elia Kazan’s 1954 On the Waterfront. However, they may not be aware that a 1998 Indian hit, Vikram Bhatt’s Ghulam (“Slave”), was inspired by Kazan’s film. The two movies share storylines and themes but approach the content quite differently. Analyzing these differences illustrates important differences between Hollywood films and India’s popular Hindi-language cinema, often called “Bollywood.” Some of the most revealing differences are apparent in the cinematic presentation, characterization of the protagonist, portrayal of the relationship between the brothers, and the climax of each film.

2Set in New Jersey in the 1950s, On the Waterfront follows the life of Terry Malloy (Marlon Brando), a young dock worker who once had a promising boxing career. The corrupt union boss, Johnny Friendly, controls the longshoremen’s union, and Johnny’s right-hand man is Terry’s older brother, Charley. The film was nominated for twelve Academy Awards and won eight, including the coveted Best Picture and Best Director awards.

3On the Waterfront’s cinematic presentation is serious and restrained. Kazan’s film is a classic, and classy, black-and-white Hollywood drama that was filmed on location near the docks of Hoboken, New Jersey. Although violence erupts now and then, the story is told largely through conversations that fill in the characters’ histories.

4The restraint carries over into On the Waterfront’s characterization of Terry, the protagonist. Terry bottles up his emotions — typical behavior for a U.S. tough guy in a 1950s film. He often appears to have little or no outward reaction to shocking events. The film begins with Terry lying to fellow longshoreman Joey Doyle to lure him to the roof of his apartment building, where gangsters are waiting. To Terry’s shock, the gangsters throw Joey to his death. Terry may be appalled at the murder and at his own role in it, but he merely says quietly, “He wasn’t a bad kid, that Joey” (see fig. 1). Terry represses his conscience out of loyalty to the waterfront code of pretending to be “deaf and dumb” rather than talking to authorities. For most of the film, he cannot decide whether or not he should testify against Johnny Friendly. Terry’s brother Charley finally pulls a gun on Terry and demands that he not testify. Shaking his head sadly, Terry gently pushes the gun aside, saying only “Charley, oh, Charley. Wow.” Sorrow, not anger or fear, is his reaction when he finally accepts that his loyalty to his brother and Johnny has been misplaced.

Fig. 1. Terry (right) reacts to Joey’s murder.

5The relationship between older brother Charley and younger brother Terry is realistically drawn. Charley cares about Terry, but he too keeps his feelings mostly hidden. He communicates brotherly love mainly through actions, helping his little brother get easy jobs and easy money and protecting him by keeping him in Johnny Friendly’s good graces. But the film suggests that Charley has always expected Terry to do occasional “favors” for Johnny, including throwing a boxing match that Terry could have won. Charley sees Terry’s sense of right and wrong as a liability, both to Terry’s safety and to Charley’s job. In the film’s most famous scene (see fig. 2), Terry finally speaks up to explain how much Charley’s interference has hurt: “You was my brother. You should have looked out for me just a little bit…. I could have been a contender. I could have been somebody, instead of a bum, which is what I am, let’s face it.” To his credit, Charley does not argue; instead, he seems to regret the way he has treated Terry.

Fig. 2. Charley and Terry reconcile.

6The climax of On the Waterfront is a “Hollywood ending” that shows a lone individual standing up for what is morally right, facing hostility from all sides but still emerging victorious. When Terry testifies against Johnny Friendly, the other longshoremen react with disgust that he has become “a stool pigeon.” Terry stands on the waterfront shouting that Johnny has betrayed the union workers and that he is “glad what I done.” Johnny’s men beat him nearly unconscious. Inspired by Terry’s courage, the longshoremen all refuse to work unless Terry leads them. He staggers to his feet, and the whole crowd follows him to the pier. In the end, he does become “somebody,” a leader rather than “a bum.”

7Despite the similarities to On the Waterfront, the cinematic presentation, characterization of the main character, the relationship between the brothers, and the climax are all very different in the Indian film Ghulam, which takes place in Mumbai in the 1990s. Bhatt’s film borrows heavily from the storyline of On the Waterfront, but he adapts it, doing what he needs to do to make a box-office hit in India. Like On the Waterfront, Ghulam focuses on a young boxer whose conscience awakens during the film, but in the Indian film, the main character is not a worker but a layabout and petty thief named Siddharth Marathe, called “Siddhu.” Strongman Ronnie Singh (the Johnny Friendly—like character) controls a neighborhood full of poor shopkeepers from whom Ronnie demands protection money. Siddhu’s brother Jai (like Charley) works for Ronnie, helping his boss’s extortion business seem legitimate.

8The cinematic presentation of Ghulam is full-color, elaborate, and unrestrained. The film is packed with not just drama and romance, but action, comedy, and hit musical numbers. Ghulam’s success shows that Indian audiences did not want subtlety and restraint in Bollywood films of the period. Events are not merely talked about, but shown in dramatic detail. Climactic moments, such as the murder of Hari (the Joey Doyle character), are shot from multiple angles, all edited together with emphatic music.

9Ghulam’s characterization of its hero, Siddhu, shows a preference for clear-cut black-and-white characters over shades of gray. At the beginning of the film, Siddhu is portrayed as a bad boy—he steals from his lawyer’s purse as she defends him in court—but it’s soon clear he is not a bad human being. He readily shows his deep-seated sense of right and wrong. When he realizes that he has been duped into luring Hari to his death, Siddhu reacts with outrage and horror (see fig. 3). Siddhu may at first seem extremely naive about Ronnie’s evil behavior, but when he finally recognizes it, he never questions the need to fight back bravely. Being realistic, ambivalent, and morally gray is not for a Bollywood hero; being larger than life and stronger than evil is essential.

10The brotherly relationship between Jai and Siddhu depicts more big emotional moments, and a greater expectation that the younger brother show respect to the older one, than Western audiences typically see. Jai behaves like an indulgent parent toward Siddhu, calling him a “kid,” and Siddhu displays an almost childlike trust of his brother. When Siddhu first learns how involved Jai is in Ronnie’s illegal activities, Siddhu hesitates to file a legal case out of the respect he owes to his older brother, but after Jai insists he throw a boxing match to win money for Ronnie, Siddhu’s mind is made up. “From now on, I’ll only do what’s right,” he tells Jai. “It’s your job to cover Ronnie’s evil deeds and mine to expose them.” When Jai pulls a gun, Siddhu reminds him of his duty as an older brother. “All your life you’ve walked an evil path. When I came after you, why didn’t you show me the right path? You were my older brother. Why didn’t you think of me?” Siddhu tries to convince Jai to join him in the fight against Ronnie, but Jai lacks his little brother’s courage.

Fig. 3. Siddhu reacts to Hari’s murder

11The climax of Ghulam provides an extended fight sequence between Siddhu and Ronnie, but it is not enough to satisfy a Bollywood audience’s wish for an over-the-top climax. Ronnie gets up and commands his men to kill Siddhu—but the locals roar back, “Kill them all!” The overwhelming crowd, made up of men, women, and children of all ages and religions, sends Ronnie and his thugs fleeing the area, never to return. Unlike Terry in Waterfront, who leads the crowd of longshoremen, Siddhu has already left, having fulfilled his new older-brother role of showing the crowd “the right path.”

12Ghulam’s use of On the Waterfront’s same-but-different storyline suggests that the Hollywood classic was repurposed to give local Indian audiences the Bollywood flair and emotional resonance they expected. The understated and realistic black-and-white American Oscar winner gives way to a full-color Bollywood film filled with song and dance, stunts, family drama, fistfights, and tears. Brando’s reserved Terry Malloy, slowly accepting his guilt and his brother’s complicity, becomes “somebody”; Aamir Khan’s open-hearted Siddharth Marathe, an outraged innocent finally ready to do the right thing, shows “the right path.” And local audiences in the United States and in India cheered a story that seemed tailor-made for them.

Works Cited

✵ Ghulam. Directed by Vikram Bhatt, performances by Aamir Khan, Rajit Kapur, and Sharat Saxena, NH Studioz, 1998.

✵ On the Waterfront. Directed by Elia Kazan, performances by Marlon Brando, Rod Steiger, and Lee J. Cobb, Horizon Pictures, 1954.

EXERCISE 15.3

DRAWING A GRAPHIC ORGANIZER

Using Graphic Organizer 15.1 as a basis, draw a graphic organizer for “Pockets.”

GRAPHIC ORGANIZER 15.3 The Structure of “How to Be ’Somebody’: Hollywood’s On the Waterfront versus Bollywood’s Ghulam”

"The items in the left column of the chart are numbered here for clarity. Items bulleted here are attached to the associated numbered items by lines. Downward arrows connect the bulleted items. 1. Title (Bullet) “How to be ’somebody’: Hollywood’s On the Waterfront and Bollywood’s Ghulam.” 2. Introduction (Bullet) Two films, On the Waterfront and Ghulam, illustrate differences between Hollywood and Bollywood films. Thesis: Some of the most revealing differences are apparent in the cinematic presentation, characterization of the protagonist, portrayal of the relationship between the brothers, and climax of each film. 3. Body: Points of comparison or contrast (Bullet) “On the Waterfront” Cinematic presentation: Serious and restrained. Protagonist: Former boxer now a discontented dockworker, conflicted, loves yet is disappointed in older brother, emotionally restrained. Brothers’ relationship: Terry is loyal yet resentful toward Charley, who involves Terry in corruption. Climax: Terry, alone, stands up for what is right, is beaten up, but grains approval of dockworkers and become a “somebody.” (Bullet) Glulam Cinematic presentation: Emotional and dramatic. Protagonist: Amateur boxer, lazy, petty thief, emotional, strong sense of right/ wrong. Brothers’ relationship: Siddhu trusts/ respects older brother Jai, who treats him like a child but leads him down the wrong path. Climax: Siddhu testifies against Ronnie; thugs kill Jai and threaten Siddhu, but locals protect Siddhu and run Ronnie/ gang members out of town. 4. Conclusion (Bullet) Films are similar in the content/ theme but differ to appeal to cultural/ audience expectations; both are hugely popular in their own countries.  Pa "

HOW WRITERS READ

COMPARISON AND CONTRAST

EXERCISE 15.4

READING CRITICALLY

Apply the questions in the “How Writers Read” box above to the selection “How to Be ’Somebody’: Hollywood’s On the Waterfront versus Bollywood’s Ghulam.”

Integrate Comparison and Contrast into an Essay

Although you will write some essays using comparison and contrast as the primary pattern of development, in most cases you will integrate comparisons or contrasts into essays that rely on other patterns, such as description, process analysis, or argument. Comparisons or contrasts can be particularly effective in persuasive essays, as “Pockets” shows.

Use the following tips to incorporate comparison or contrast into essays based on other patterns of development:

1. Determine the purpose of the comparison or contrast. What will it contribute to your essay?

2. Introduce the comparison or contrast clearly. Use transitional words and expressions to guide readers into the comparison or contrast and then back to the essay’s primary pattern of development, and tell readers how the comparison or contrast supports your main point. Do not leave it to your audience to figure out why you have included the comparison.

3. Keep the comparison or contrast short and to the point. Avoid distracting readers from your main message.

4. Organize the points of the comparison or contrast appropriately. Use point-by-point or subject-by-subject organization, even though the comparison or contrast is part of a larger essay.

PREWRITING DRAFTING REVISING EDITING & PROOFREADING

A Guided Writing Assignment^*

COMPARISON AND CONTRAST

Your Essay Assignment

Write an essay comparing or contrasting a pair of subjects. Choose subjects to compare or contrast that your readers might find surprising or enlightening. The following are some options to help you get started:

✵ two or more forms of entertainment (movies, concerts, radio, music videos)

✵ two or more styles of communication, dress, or teaching

✵ two or more public figures

✵ the right and wrong ways of doing something

✵ two or more different cultures’ views on the roles that men and women should play

^* The writing process is recursive; that is, you may find yourself revising as you draft or prewriting as you revise. This is especially true when writing on a computer. Your writing process may also differ from project to project or from that of your classmates.

PREWRITING

1 Select an essay topic from the list above, or create one of your own.

Consider your interests and experiences: Choose subjects that you already know about, want to learn more about, want to write about, or have experience with.

Brainstorm, alone or in groups, a list of subjects you would like to write about. Since comparison and contrast can work with any two comparable subjects, you should be able to find a subject you and your reader will find engaging.

2 Consider your purpose and audience, and choose a basis for comparison.

Ask yourself these questions:

✵ Will my essay’s purpose be to express myself, inform, or persuade? What basis of comparison will work best, given my purpose? To inform readers about two football positions, you could compare the height, weight, skills, and training of players at each position. To persuade readers that one quarterback was better than another, you could compare the number of interceptions, completions, and passing yards of each.

✵ Who is my audience? How much do my readers already know about the topic? What kind of supporting details will they find convincing and engaging? Readers who are football fans will need different information from those who do not watch the sport.

3 Explore your subjects and develop points of comparison.

Keeping your learning style in mind, explore how your two subjects are similar, how they are different, or both.

✵ Create a two-column list of similarities and differences. Jot down ideas in the appropriate column.

✵ Ask a classmate to help you brainstorm by mentioning only similarities. For each similarity, generate a difference.

✵ Use visualization. Draw a sketch of your subjects.

✵ Create a scenario in which your subjects interact. For example, if your topic is the cars of today and the cars of 1950, imagine asking your great-grandfather to drive a 2018 luxury car. How would he react? What would he say?

DRAFTING

4 Draft your thesis statement.

Your thesis statement should

✵ identify the subjects

✵ suggest whether you will focus on similarities, differences, or both

✵ state your main point

An effective thesis will also engage your readers, telling them why your comparison or contrast is important, surprising, or useful.

The text reads, “The mystery novels of both Robert B. Parker and Sue Grafton are popular because readers are fascinated by the intrigues of witty, independent private detectives.” In this sentence, “The mystery novels of both Robert B. Parker and Sue Grafton” is the subject, within which the word “both” is underlined. “Popular because readers are fascinated by the intrigues of witty, independent private detectives” is identified as the main point: emphasis on similarities.

Team up with a classmate to review each other’s thesis statement. Try to identify the subjects for comparison, the focus (similarities, differences, or both), and the main point. If these are unclear or ineffective, offer suggestions for improvement.

5 Choose a method of organization.

Decide whether you will use point-by-point (Graphic Organizer 15.1) or subject-by-subject (Graphic Organizer 15.2) organization.

✵ Point-by-point often works better for lengthy essays (because it keeps both subjects current in the reader’s mind) and for complicated or technical subjects.

✵ Subject-by-subject organization tends to emphasize the larger picture.

If you are not sure which will be most effective, create an outline or graphic organizer for both patterns to see which works better.

6 Write a first draft of your comparison or contrast essay.

✵ The introduction should spark your readers’ interest, introduce your subjects, provide any necessary background information, and include your thesis.

✵ The body paragraphs should include topic sentences that focus on a point of comparison.

✵ — For point-by-point organization, discuss the subjects in the same order for each point, and arrange your points of comparison logically, from simplest to most complex, for example.

✵ — For subject-by-subject organization, cover the same points for both subjects in the same order in both halves of your essay, and use transitions such as similarly, in contrast, on the one hand, on the other hand, and not only … but also to alert readers as you switch from one subject to the other.

✵ The conclusion should remind readers of your thesis and offer a final comment on your comparison or contrast. If your essay is lengthy or complex, consider summarizing your main points in the conclusion.

REVISING

7 Evaluate your draft, and revise as necessary.

Use Figure 15.1, “Flowchart for Revising a Comparison or Contrast Essay,” to evaluate and revise your draft.

FIGURE 15.1 Flowchart for Revising a Comparison or Contrast Essay

"The revision process includes several questions with respective revision strategies as follows. Question 1 reads,“Highlight your thesis statement. Does it identify the subjects being compared; indicate whether you will compare, contrast, or both; and state your main point? Does it suggest why your comparison or contrast is meaningful?” If “no,” proceed to revision strategies that read, “Consider your audience: What would make the comparison or contrast meaningful to your readers?” “Brainstorm reasons for making the comparison, or work backward from your reasons to revise your thesis.” If question 1 answers “yes,” proceed to question 2."

"The questions and respective revision strategies of the continued process are as follows. Question 2 reads, “Write the basis of comparison at the top of the page. Is your basis of comparison clear? Does it clearly relate to your thesis?” If “no,” proceed to the revision strategies that read, “Talk with a friend or classmate: about your basis of comparison while he or she helps you think of a better basis for comparison.” “Review your points of similarity or difference and work backward to derive your basis of comparison.” If question 2 answers “yes,” proceed to Question 3 that reads, “Place a checkmark next to the sentences that focus on similarities or mark a cross next to sentences that focus on differences. Have you included all significant points of comparison? Do you fairly examine similarities and differences? Is each similarity or difference significant, and does each support your thesis?” If question 3 answers “no,” proceed to the revision strategies that read, “Delete insignificant or irrelevant similarities or differences.” “Review your prewriting to identify any significant points of comparison you overlooked.” “Conduct research or ask a classmate to suggest ideas.” If question 3 answers “yes,” proceed to Question 4 that reads, “Reread your supporting paragraphs. Does each one have a clear topic sentence that relates to your point of comparison or contrast?” If question 4 answers “no,” proceed tothe revision strategies that read, “Add or revise the topic sentence to focus on the point of comparison.” “Consider splitting paragraphs that focus on more than one point or characteristic and combining paragraphs that focus on the same one.” If question 4 answers “yes,” proceed to Question 5 that reads, “Draw a wavy underline under the concrete details in each paragraph. Do you include enough details to make your comparisons vivid and interesting? Have you provided roughly the same amount of detail for both subjects?” If question 5 answers “no,” proceed to the revision strategies that read, “Add or delete details as necessary.” “Review your prewriting to see if you overlooked any significant details.” “Brainstorm or research your subjects to come up with additional details.” If question 5 answers “yes,” proceed to question 6.  Page No.: 3"

"The questions and respective revision strategies of the continued process are as follows. Question 6 reads, “Draw a graphic organizer. Did you use either point-by-point or subject-by-subject organization consistently? Will your organization be clear to your reader?” If “no,” proceed to the revision strategies that read, “Study your graphic organizer to find inconsistencies or gaps.”“Reorganize your essay using one method of organization consistently.” “Add transitions to make the shift to a new subject or point of comparison clearer.” If question 6 answers “yes,” proceed to question 7 that reads, “Reread your introduction and conclusion. Does the introduction convey why your comparison is meaningful? Is your conclusion relevant and satisfying?” If question 7 answers “no,” proceed to the revision strategies that read, “Revise your introduction to engage readers and emphasize the importance of your comparison.” “Consider concluding with an action or way of thinking that is appropriate given your comparison.” "

EDITING & PROOFREADING

8 Edit and proofread your essay.

Refer to Chapter 9 for help with

✵ editing sentences to avoid wordiness, use strong and active verbs, and make your sentences clear, varied, and parallel

✵ editing words for tone and diction, connotation, and concrete and specific language

When proofreading, make sure

✵ you use the correct form of adjectives and adverbs when comparing two items (comparative) or three or more items (superlative)

"The text in example 1 reads, “Both No Country for Old Men and True Grit were suspenseful, but I liked True Grit best.” In this sentence, the superlative adjective ""best” is crossed out and replaced with comparative adjective “better.” The text in example 2 reads, “George, Casey, and Bob are all bad at basketball, but Bob’s game is worse.” In this sentence, the comparative adjective ""worse"" is crossed out and replaced with superlative adjective “worst.” "

✵ items linked by correlative conjunctions (either … or, neither … nor, not only … but also) are in the same grammatical form

"The text reads, “The Grand Canyon is not only a spectacular tourist attraction but also scientists consider it a useful geological record.” In this sentence, the phrase “scientists consider it” is crossed out and the phrase “for scientists” is added after the word “record.” "

Readings: Comparison and Contrast in Action

STUDENTS WRITE

Border Bites

Heather Gianakos

Heather Gianakos was a first-year student when she wrote the following comparison and contrast essay for her composition course. Although she has always enjoyed both styles of cooking that she discusses, she needed to do some research to learn more about their history. As you read the essay, consider the writer’s thesis and points of comparison.

The paragraphs in this essay are numbered 1 through 7.

Paragraph 1: Chili peppers, tortillas, tacos: All these foods belong to the styles of cooking known as Mexican, Tex-Mex, and southwestern. These internationally popular styles often overlap; sometimes it can be hard to tell which style a particular dish belongs to. Two particular traditions of cooking, however, play an especially important role in the kitchens of Mexico and the American Southwest — native-derived Mexican cooking (“Mexican”), and Anglo-influenced southwestern cooking, particularly from Texas (“southwestern”). The different traditions and geographic locations of the inhabitants of Mexico and of the Anglo American settlers in the Southwest have resulted in subtle, flavorful differences between the foods featured in Mexican and southwestern cuisine.

The above paragraph 1 shows the introduction and indicates that Gianakos will examine both similarities and differences but will focus on differences. The statement, “The different traditions and geographic locations of the inhabitants of Mexico and of the Anglo American settlers in the Southwest have resulted in subtle, flavorful differences between the foods featured in Mexican and southwestern cuisine,” is the thesis statement that gives a basis of comparison of her two subjects, Mexican, implied by “native-derived Mexican cooking,” and southwestern cooking implied by “Anglo-influenced southwestern cooking” along with the traditions and geographic locations of the people who developed them. It also makes a point: that these differences have led to the differences in the food.

Paragraph 2: Many of the traditions of southwestern cooking grew out of difficult situations—cowboys and ranchers cooking over open fires, for example. Chili, which can contain beans, beef, tomatoes, corn, and many other ingredients, was a good dish to cook over a campfire because everything could be combined in one pot. Dry foods, such as beef jerky, were a convenient way to solve food storage problems and could be easily tucked into saddlebags. In Mexico, by contrast, fresh fruits and vegetables such as avocados and tomatoes were widely available and did not need to be dried or stored. They could be made into spicy salsa and guacamole. Mexicans living in coastal areas could also enjoy fish and lobster dishes (Jamison and Jamison 5).

In the above paragraph 2, “southwestern” is the subject A, and “Mexican” is the subject B. The paragraph also shows the first point of comparison, which is the physical conditions in which the two styles developed. Notice that Gianakos uses point-by-point comparison, discussing both subjects in each paragraph and often using transitions such as “by contrast” between them. She also cites sources such as “(Jamison and Jamison 5)” for her information.

The essay continues on the next page.

The essay continues from the previous page as follows.

Paragraph 3: Corn has been a staple in the American Southwest and Mexico since the time of the Aztecs, who made tortillas (flat, unleavened bread, originally made from stone-ground corn and water) similar to the ones served in Mexico today (Jamison and Jamison 5). Southwesterners, often of European descent, adopted the tortilla but often prepared it with wheat flour, which was easily available to them. Wheat-flour tortillas can now be found in both Mexican and southwestern cooking, but corn is usually the primary grain in dishes with precolonial origins. Tamales (whose name derives from a word in Nahuatl, the Aztec group of languages) are a delicious example: A hunk of cornmeal dough, sometimes combined with ground meat, is wrapped in corn husks and steamed. In southwestern cooking, corn is often used for leavened corn bread, which is made with corn flour rather than cornmeal and can be flavored with jalapeños or back bacon.

In the above paragraph 3, the second point of comparison is illustrated with the use of corn and wheat. Subject A includes “the American Southwest,” “Southwesterners,” and “southwestern.” “Subject B includes “Mexico” and “Mexican.”

Paragraph 4: Meat of various kinds is often the centerpiece of both Mexican and southwestern tables. However, although chicken, beef, and pork are staples in both traditions, they are often prepared quite differently. Fried chicken rolled in flour and dunked into sizzling oil or fat is a popular dish throughout the American southwest. In traditional Mexican cooking, however, chicken is often cooked more slowly, in stews or baked dishes, with a variety of seasonings, including ancho chiles, garlic, and onions.

In the above paragraph 4, the third point of comparison is illustrated with the use of chicken. Again, “southwest” is the subject A, and “Mexican” is the subject B. The word “however” shows transition.

Paragraph 5: Ever since cattle farming began in Texas with the early Spanish missions, beef has been eaten both north and south of the border. In southwestern cooking, steak—flank, rib eye, or sirloin—grilled quickly and served rare is often a chef’s crowning glory. In Mexican cooking, beef may be combined with vegetables and spices and rolled into a fajita or served ground in a taco. For a Mexican food purist, in fact, the only true fajita is made from skirt steak, although Mexican food as it is served in the United States often features chicken fajitas.

In the above paragraph 5, the fourth point of comparison is illustrated with the use of beef. Again, “southwestern” is the subject A, and “Mexican” is the subject B.

Paragraph 6: In Texas and the Southwest United States, barbecued pork ribs are often prepared in barbecue cook-offs, similar to chili-cooking competitions. Such competitions have strict rules for the preparation and presentation of the food and for sanitation (Central Texas). However, while the B B Q is seen as a southwestern specialty, barbecue ribs as they are served in southwestern-themed restaurants today

(The sentence continues on the next page.)

The essay continues from the previous page as follows.

Paragraph 6: actually come from a Hispanic and Southwest Mexican tradition dating from the days before refrigeration: Since pork fat, unlike beef fat, has a tendency to become rancid, pork ribs were often marinated in vinegar and spices and then hung to dry. Later the ribs were basted with the same sauce and grilled (Campa 278). The resulting dish has become a favorite both north and south of the border, although in Mexican cooking, where beef is somewhat less important than in southwestern cooking, pork is equally popular in many other forms, such as chorizo sausage.

In the above paragraph 6, the fifth point of comparison is illustrated with the use of pork. The sources for information are “(Central Texas)” and “(Campa 278).” The word “However” shows transition. Again, “southwestern” is the subject A, and “Mexican” is the subject B.

Paragraph 7: Cooks in San Antonio or Albuquerque would probably tell you that the food they cook is as much Mexican as it is southwestern. Regional cuisines in such areas of the Southwest as New Mexico, Southern California, and Arizona feature elements of both traditions; chimichangas—deep-fried burritos—actually originated in Arizona (Jamison and Jamison 11). Food lovers who sample regional specialties, however, will note—and savor—the contrast between the spicy, fried or grilled, beef-heavy style of southwestern food and the richly seasoned, corn- and tomato-heavy style of Mexican food.

The above paragraph 7 is the conclusion. Gianakos returns to the idea of overlap mentioned in the introduction and makes clear her purpose—to inform readers about the differences between the two cuisines.

Works Cited

Campa, Arthur L. Hispanic Culture in the Southwest. U of Oklahoma P, 1979.

Central Texas Barbecue Association. 16 Aug. 2004, w w w dot c t b a b b q dot com slash rules slash.

Jamison, Cheryl Alters, and Bill Jamison. The Border Cookbook. Harvard Common, 1995.

The accompanying annotation reads, “Gianakos lists her sources at the end of her paper, following M L A style.”

Analyzing the Writer’s Technique

1. Background Evaluate Gianakos’s title and introduction. Do they provide the reader with enough background on her topic?

2. Organization Using a point-by-point organization, Gianakos presents her two subjects in the same order — first southwestern cuisine, then Mexican cuisine — for each point of comparison except in paragraph 3. Why do you think she discusses the two cuisines together in this paragraph?

3. Sources How does Gianakos’s use of sources contribute to her essay?

Thinking Critically about Comparison and Contrast

1. Response Reread the first sentence of the essay. What type of cooking is mentioned here and never discussed again in the essay? How does this decision by Gianakos affect your response to the first paragraph and to the essay as a whole?

2. Tone Describe Gianakos’s tone. Is it effective in this essay?

3. Language What do phrases such as “subtle, flavorful differences” (para. 1), “Food lovers” (7), and “richly seasoned” (7) contribute to the essay? If Gianakos had included more phrases like these, how would the essay be changed?

4. Omissions What comparisons did Gianakos not make that she could have made?

Responding to the Essay

1. Discussion In groups of two or three, discuss other regional cuisines that might make effective topics for a comparison and contrast essay. What traits do they share? What distinguishes them?

2. Journal Gianakos compares the cuisines of the American Southwest and Mexico using the traditions and geographic locations of the people who lived there as the basis of comparison. In your journal, explore several other possible bases of comparison that could be used to compare these cuisines.

3. Essay Write an essay comparing foods of two other regional cuisines.

READING

His Marriage and Hers: Childhood Roots

Daniel Goleman

Daniel Goleman holds a Ph.D. in behavioral and brain sciences and has published a number of books on psychology, including The Brain and Emotional Intelligence: New Insights (2011) and Leadership: The Power of Emotional Intelligence (2011). Goleman reported on the brain and behavioral sciences for The New York Times for many years and was elected a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science for his efforts to bring psychology to the public. In his book Emotional Intelligence (1995), from which the following selection was taken, Goleman describes the emotional skills required for daily living and explains how to develop those skills. Before reading, preview the selection and make connections by thinking about the ways communication between men and women differs. While reading, notice how Goleman uses comparison and contrast to explore differences between the sexes and highlight his key points of comparison.

JUST-IN-TIME TIP

Reading Comparison and Contrast

“His Marriage and Hers: Childhood Roots” offers a lot of information about differences in men’s and women’s communication styles. To retain more of what you read, create a two-column chart with differences in conversational style on the left and reasons for these differences on the right. (The list of differences and the first reason have been done for you.)

1As I was entering a restaurant on a recent evening, a young man stalked out the door, his face set in an expression both stony and sullen. Close on his heels a young woman came running, her fists desperately pummeling his back while she yelled, “Goddamn you! Come back here and be nice to me!” That poignant, impossibly self-contradictory plea aimed at a retreating back epitomizes the pattern most commonly seen in couples whose relationship is distressed: She seeks to engage, he withdraws. Marital therapists have long noted that by the time a couple finds their way to the therapy office, they are in this pattern of engage-withdraw, with his complaint about her “unreasonable” demands and outbursts, and her lamenting his indifference to what she is saying.

2This marital endgame reflects the fact that there are, in effect, two emotional realities in a couple, his and hers. The roots of these emotional differences, while they may be partly biological, also can be traced back to childhood and to the separate emotional worlds boys and girls inhabit while growing up. There is a vast amount of research on these separate worlds, their barriers reinforced not just by the different games boys and girls prefer but by young children’s fear of being teased for having a “girlfriend” or “boyfriend” (Maccoby and Jacklin). One study of children’s friendships found that three-year-olds say about half their friends are of the opposite sex; for five-year-olds it’s about 20 percent, and by age seven almost no boys or girls say they have a best friend of the opposite sex (Gottman). These separate social universes intersect little until teenagers start dating.

3Meanwhile, boys and girls are taught very different lessons about handling emotions. Parents, in general, discuss emotions — with the exception of anger — more with their daughters than their sons (Brody and Hall). Girls are exposed to more information about emotions than are boys: when parents make up stories to tell their preschool children, they use more emotion words when talking to daughters than to sons; when mothers play with their infants, they display a wider range of emotions to daughters than to sons; when mothers talk to daughters about feelings, they discuss in more detail the emotional state itself than they do with their sons — though with the sons they go into more detail about the causes and consequences of emotions like anger (probably as a cautionary tale).

4Leslie Brody and Judith Hall, who have summarized the research on differences in emotions between the sexes, propose that because girls develop facility with language more quickly than do boys, this leads them to be more experienced at articulating their feelings and more skilled than boys at using words to explore and substitute for emotional reactions such as physical fights; in contrast, they note, “boys, for whom the verbalization of affects is de-emphasized, may become largely unconscious of their emotional states, both in themselves and others” (p. 454).

5At age ten, roughly the same percent of girls as boys are overtly aggressive, given to open confrontation when angered. But by age thirteen, a telling difference between the sexes emerges: Girls become more adept than boys at artful aggressive tactics like ostracism, vicious gossip, and indirect vendettas. Boys, by and large, simply continue being confrontational when angered, oblivious to these more covert strategies (Cairns and Cairns). This is just one of many ways that boys — and later, men — are less sophisticated than the opposite sex in the byways of emotional life.

6When girls play together, they do so in small, intimate groups, with an emphasis on minimizing hostility and maximizing cooperation, while boys’ games are in larger groups, with an emphasis on competition. One key difference can be seen in what happens when games boys or girls are playing get disrupted by someone getting hurt. If a boy who has gotten hurt gets upset, he is expected to get out of the way and stop crying so the game can go on. If the same happens among a group of girls who are playing, the game stops while everyone gathers around to help the girl who is crying. This difference between boys and girls at play epitomizes what Harvard’s Carol Gilligan points to as a key disparity between the sexes: boys take pride in a lone, tough-minded independence and autonomy, while girls see themselves as part of a web of connectedness. Thus boys are threatened by anything that might challenge their independence, while girls are more threatened by a rupture in their relationships. And, as Deborah Tannen has pointed out in her book You Just Don’t Understand, these differing perspectives mean that men and women want and expect very different things out of a conversation, with men content to talk about “things,” while women seek emotional connection.

7In short, these contrasts in schooling in the emotions foster very different skills, with girls becoming “adept at reading both verbal and nonverbal emotional signals, at expressing and communicating their feelings,” and boys becoming adept at “minimizing emotions having to do with vulnerability, guilt, fear, and hurt” (Brody and Hall 454). Evidence for these different stances is very strong in the scientific literature. Hundreds of studies have found, for example, that on average women are more empathic than men, at least as measured by the ability to read someone else’s unstated feelings from facial expression, tone of voice, and other nonverbal cues. Likewise, it is generally easier to read feelings from a woman’s face than a man’s; while there is no difference in facial expressiveness among very young boys and girls, as they go through the elementary-school grades boys become less expressive, girls more so. This may partly reflect another key difference: women, on average, experience the entire range of emotions with greater intensity and more volatility than men — in this sense, women are more “emotional” than men (Brody and Hall).

8All of this means that, in general, women come into a marriage groomed for the role of emotional manager, while men arrive with much less appreciation of the importance of this task for helping a relationship survive. Indeed, the most important element for women — but not for men — in satisfaction with their relationship reported in a study of 264 couples was the sense that the couple has “good communication” (Davis and Oathout). Ted Huston, a psychologist at the University of Texas who has studied couples in depth, observes, “For the wives, intimacy means talking things over, especially talking about the relationship itself. The men, by and large, don’t understand what the wives want from them. They say, ’I want to do things with her, and all she wants to do is talk.’” During courtship, Huston found, men were much more willing to spend time talking in ways that suited the wish for intimacy of their wives-to-be. But once married, as time went on the men — especially in more traditional couples — spent less and less time talking in this way with their wives, finding a sense of closeness simply in doing things like gardening together rather than talking things over.

9This growing silence on the part of husbands may be partly due to the fact that, if anything, men are a bit Pollyannaish about the state of their marriage, while their wives are attuned to the trouble spots: in one study of marriages, men had a rosier view than their wives of just about everything in their relationship — lovemaking, finances, ties with in-laws, how well they listened to each other, how much their flaws mattered (Sternberg). Wives, in general, are more vocal about their complaints than are their husbands, particularly among unhappy couples. Combine men’s rosy view of marriage with their aversion to emotional confrontations, and it is clear why wives so often complain that their husbands try to wiggle out of discussing the troubling things about their relationship. (Of course this gender difference is a generalization and is not true in every case; a psychiatrist friend complained that in his marriage his wife is reluctant to discuss emotional matters between them and he is the one who is left to bring them up.)

10The slowness of men to bring up problems in a relationship is no doubt compounded by their relative lack of skill when it comes to reading facial expressions of emotions. Women, for example, are more sensitive to a sad expression on a man’s face than are men in detecting sadness from a woman’s expression.¹ Thus a woman has to be all the sadder for a man to notice her feelings in the first place, let alone for him to raise the question of what is making her so sad.

11Consider the implications of this emotional gender gap for how couples handle the grievances and disagreements that any intimate relationship inevitably spawns. In fact, specific issues such as how often a couple has sex, how to discipline the children, or how much debt and savings a couple feels comfortable with are not what make or break a marriage. Rather, it is how a couple discusses such sore points that matters more for the fate of their marriage. Simply having reached an agreement about how to disagree is key to marital survival; men and women have to overcome the innate gender differences in approaching rocky emotions. Failing this, couples are vulnerable to emotional rifts that eventually can tear their relationship apart…. [T]hese rifts are far more likely to develop if one or both partners have certain deficits in emotional intelligence.

Note

✵ 1. The research is by Dr. Ruben C. Gur at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine.

Works Cited

✵ Brody, Leslie R., and Judith A. Hall. “Gender and Emotion.” Handbook of Emotions, edited by Michael Lewis and Jeannette Haviland, Guilford Press, 1993.

✵ Cairns, Robert B., and Beverley D. Cairns. Lifelines and Risks. Cambridge UP, 1994.

✵ Davis, Mark H., and H. Alan Oathout. “Maintenance of Satisfaction in Romantic Relationships: Empathy and Relational Competence.” Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, vol. 53, no. 2 (1987), pp. 397—410.

✵ Gottman, John. “Same- and Cross-Sex Friendship in Young Children.” Conversation of Friends, edited by J. Gottman and J. Parker, Cambridge UP, 1986.

✵ Maccoby, Eleanor, and C. N. Jacklin. “Gender Segregation in Childhood.” Advances in Child Development and Behavior, edited by H. Reese, Academic Press, 1987.

✵ Sternberg, Robert J. “Triangulating Love.” The Psychology of Love, edited by Robert Sternberg and Michael Barnes, Yale UP, 1988.

Understanding the Reading

1. Summarizing In one or two sentences, explain the differences that Goleman claims exist between men’s and women’s ways of expressing emotion.

2. Causes According to Goleman, what are the root causes of the differences between how men and women express emotion?

3. Details How can the emotional differences between spouses cause marital difficulties, according to the writer?

4. Differences Explain how boys and girls play differently, according to Goleman.

5. Vocabulary Explain the meaning of each of the following words as it is used in the reading: epitomizes (para. 1), articulating (4), ostracism (5), vendettas (5), disparity (6), and empathic (7).

Analyzing the Writer’s Technique

1. Thesis What is Goleman’s thesis?

2. Audience and Purpose Identify the purpose of and intended audience for the essay.

3. Objectivity Do you think Goleman maintains an objective stance on the issue, despite his gender? Explain your answer.

Thinking Critically about Text and Visuals

1. Organization Discuss the type of organization the author used (point by point, subject by subject, or mixed). Does the organization seem to affect the author’s fairness? Do you detect any bias? If so, explain.

2. Language How does the use of quotation marks around the word unreasonable (para. 1) affect its connotation?

3. Tone How does the real-life example in paragraph 1 affect the essay, especially its tone?

4. Fact/Opinion Do you consider the essay to be primarily fact, opinion, or informed opinion? Justify your answer.

5. Visual What key ideas from the essay do the photographs on page 406 illustrate?

Responding to the Reading

1. Discussion In groups of two or three, discuss Goleman’s generalizations about men and women. Do any seem inaccurate and, if so, which one(s)? Discuss the evidence, if any, that would prove Goleman wrong.

2. Journal In your journal, describe a situation from your experience that either confirms or contradicts one of Goleman’s generalizations.

3. Essay Make a list of the emotional differences and resulting behavioral conflicts between men and women that you have observed. Decide which differences Goleman explains. Write an essay reporting your findings.

Working Together

In small groups of three or four students, brainstorm a list of emotional differences between the sexes. Using that list as a springboard, work independently to compose a one-paragraph letter to an advice columnist describing a conflict that has arisen between a man and a woman. Trade letters with a member of your group. Then, taking on the role of the columnist, respond to your group member’s letter, explaining the root of the problem — emotional differences — and offering a solution. Be creative with the name of the letter writer and the advice columnist. If your class has a blog or a discussion board, you may post these letters so that all members of the class can read them.

EXPLORE, RESEARCH, WRITE

In “His Marriage and Hers,” Daniel Goleman uses research to explain how “the marital endgame” reflects the emotional differences between men and women. Many researchers have also studied how and why men and women experience emotional life differently. Reports about this research include the following:

✵ “Are Women More Emotional Than Men?” by David Schmitt, PhD, Brunel University, London (Psychology Today, 10 April 2015)

✵ “Are Women More Emotionally Expressive Than Men?” by Cynthia May, PhD, College of Charleston (Scientific American, 30 August 2017)

✵ “Gender Differences in Intimacy, Emotional Expressivity, and Relationship Satisfaction” by Melissa Ubando, a student at Pepperdine University (Pepperdine Journal of Communication Research, vol. 1, article 13, 2016)

Using your own ideas and one or more of the selections listed here, write a thoughtful comparison and contrast essay that goes beyond “His Marriage and Hers: Childhood Roots.” Be sure to include at least two quotes from the readings and cite them correctly at the end of the essay.

The Guided Writing Assignment in this chapter can walk you through the process of writing an illustration essay; for help with evaluating sources, see Chapter 21; for help choosing and synthesizing ideas from sources, see Chapter 22; for help with documenting sources, see Chapter 23.

READING

On a Plate

Toby Morris

Toby Morris is an illustrator and a comic artist from Auckland, New Zealand, who created the popular comic series The Pencilsword. In addition, he has published a graphic memoir entitled Don’t Puke on Your Dad: A Year in the Life of a New Father (2013). The comic strip below appeared in The Pencilsword. Before reading, preview the selection and make connections by thinking of the different ways one might define success. While reading, notice how the author uses both words and visuals to explore differences in the life experiences of the two characters.

JUST-IN-TIME TIP

Reading Graphic Essays

Although “On a Plate” appears in a nontraditional, graphic (or comic-like) format, it addresses a serious issue and has a thesis. It uses graphics to illustrate the points of comparison and to provide supporting details. Here are a few hints for reading this kind of selection:

1. Study the organization. Because it is not written in traditional paragraph form, you may need to read it differently. Begin by determining how this graphic is organized. What do the double columns stand for? Whose words are conveyed in the three kinds of speech text—the text in the orange boxes, the white speech bubbles, and the white cloud (or thought) bubbles?

2. Pay attention to dialogue. The dialogue is important to understanding this graphic. Ask yourself, “What do the comments reveal about Richard and Paula, their families, and their contacts?” You may have to infer (reason out) this; the revelations are not directly stated.

3. Analyze and interpret the author’s commentary. Here you will find the author’s message. Determine what the author wants you to know about the situations depicted in the graphic.

"The title reads, “On a Plate, A short story about privilege” at the top. The cartoon provides information about the characters Richard and Paula, respectively. Panel 1 reads, “This is Richard. His parents are doing ok.” Panel 2 reads, “And this is Paula. Her parents? Not so much.” Panel 3 reads, “Richard’s house is warm and dry. His shelves are full of books and his fridge is full of food.” Panel 4 reads, “Paula’s house is full of people and not much else. It’s damp and noisy and she keeps getting sick.”"

"All the panels provide information about the characters Richard and Paula, respectively. Panel 5 reads, “Richard’s parents will do anything for their baby (ellipsis).” The panel also shows Richard writing on a paper while his father says “Good boy!” and his mother says “Clever!” Panel 6 reads, “(ellipsis) And so will Paula’s. That’s why they’re working two jobs.” Panel 7 reads, “Richard goes to a great school.Well resourced, good kids. His teachers love their job.” Panel 8 reads, “At Paula’s school, the class sizes are large, the school is underfunded, and looks it. Her teachers are tired, stretched thin from the stress.” The panel also shows a teacher thinking, “Oh man, I need a new job (ellipsis).” Panel 9 reads, “So maybe we can see why the expectations set for Richard (ellipsis).” The panel also shows Richard’s mother saying, “B+? Oh dear, we need to get you a tutor (ellipsis).” Panel 10 reads, “(ellipsis) might be slightly different to those set for Paula (ellipsis).” The panel also shows Paula’s mother saying, “B? Hey, not bad!”"

"All six panels provide information about the characters Richard and Paula, respectively.A label common to Panels 11 and 12 reads, “(ellipsis) And over the years all these little differences (ellipsis).” Panel 11 shows Richard reading a book as his parents are paying for uni. Panel 12 shows Paula reading a book while washing the dishes as she is juggling work and Polytech, still getting in debt. A label common to Panels 13 and 14 reads, “(ellipsis) they start to add up to build into something bigger.” Panel 13 shows Richard’s dad saying, “I have friends working there- I’ll have a word, and get you an internship.” Richard replies, “Thanks Dad.” Panel 14 shows Paula’s dad saying, “You should be finishing your studies, not looking after me (pause).” Paula replies, “Dad, you’re sick.” A label common to Panels 15 and 16 reads, “And because each little difference sneaks by unnoticed (ellipsis).” Panel 15 shows a man saying to Richard,“Yep, the loan is approved. Congratulations!” Panel 16 shows a man saying to Paula,“Look, we just can’t help you. Maybe try Eazee Finance?”"

"All six panels provide information about the characters Richard and Paula, respectively. Panel 17 reads, “Then maybe Richard starts to believe that he deserves to be on top. That he did it all himself.” The panel also shows a man sayingto Richard, “Oh you’re Roger’s boy right? I’ve heard good things, keeping my eye on you (ellipsis)” Panel 18 reads, “And maybe Paula starts to settle. Learns to ’know her place’.” The panel also shows a man sayingto Paula, “Ok, you’ve got the job, but I’m watching you sweetie (ellipsis).” Panel 19 shows a successful Richard at an event with a man asking, “What is the secret to your success?” Panel 20 reads, “But I hope not.” The panel also shows Paula holding a tray of food at the same event and asking, “Um (pause) excuse me (pause).” Panel 21 shows Richard saying “Less whining, morehard work I say. I’m sick of people asking for handouts. No one ever handed me anything on plate.” as he takes food from Paula’s tray. Panel 22 reads, “I really hope not.”"

Understanding the Reading

1. Topic What groups in society do Richard and Paula represent?

2. Thesis What is the thesis of “On a Plate”? Is the thesis stated or implied?

3. Details Contrast Paula’s living conditions with Richard’s (frames 3—4).

4. Differences Compare Richard and Paula’s approach to homework (frames 5—6, 11—12).

Analyzing the Writer’s Technique

1. Points of Comparison Identify the points of comparison on which the visual story is based.

2. Title What is the meaning of the title?

3. Organization Evaluate the effectiveness of the point-by-point organization in the essay. How would the essay differ if it had been written using a subject-by-subject organization?

4. Conclusion Evaluate the story’s conclusion. How does it reflect the thesis and organization of the visual story?

Thinking Critically about Text and Visuals

1. Assumptions What assumptions does the author make?

2. Visual Details What differences do you notice in the way that the author depicts the two fathers? What details in frame 11 of Richard’s dorm room catch your eye?

3. Graphics What information and feelings are presented visually that would be difficult to express if only words were used?

4. Bias Do you think Toby Morris appears to favor one side of the comparison? What details make you think so?

Responding to the Reading

1. Discussion In small groups, discuss which values each member of the group holds dear. Be prepared to share your lists with the class and to defend your positions.

2. Journal Translate one pair of frames from “On a Plate” into writing. Try to convey all the details included in the frames, as well as the implied meaning of the frames. Then compare your “translation” with the frames themselves. What advantages and disadvantages does each method of communication have?

3. Essay Choose one life stage (infancy, childhood, teen years, young adulthood, old age) and write an essay exploring fully the advantages and disadvantages of the privileged and underprivileged in that life stage.

Working Together

In small groups, brainstorm an alternate ending to the story. Then add a final frame for both Richard and Paula. Sketch out the frames and include a caption for each. Be prepared to share your sketches and captions with the class.

EXPLORE, RESEARCH, WRITE

In “On a Plate,” Toby Morris examines the topic of income inequality. Other researchers have also studied income inequality, and some research reports are listed below. The first two articles favor reducing or overcoming income inequality, and the third supports an opposing view.

✵ “What America Can Do to Stop Income Inequality” by Robert Reich, PhD and former labor secretary under President Bill Clinton (The Christian Science Monitor, 13 May 2014)

✵ “How to Solve Income Inequity” by John Divine, senior investing reporter for US News and World Report (US News and World Report, 14 February 2017, https://money.usnews.com/investing/articles/2017-02-14/how-to-solve-income-inequality)

✵ “Stop Caring about Income Inequity” by Louis Sarkozy, student of religion and philosophy at New York University, contributor to the “Beltway Confidential” blog, and son of former French President Nikolas Sarkozy (Washington Examiner, 6 June 2018)

Using your own ideas and one or more of the selections listed here, write an essay in which you compare two viewpoints on overcoming income inequality. Be sure to include at least one quote per viewpoint from the readings and cite them correctly at the end of the essay.

The Guided Writing Assignment in this chapter can walk you through the process of writing an illustration essay; for help with evaluating sources, see Chapter 21; for help choosing and synthesizing ideas from sources, see Chapter 22; for help with documenting sources, see Chapter 23.

Apply Your Skills: Additional Essay Assignments

Using what you have learned in this chapter, write a comparison or contrast essay on one of the topics below. Depending on the topic you choose, you may need to conduct research.

For more on locating and documenting sources, see Part 5.

To Express Your Ideas

1. Compare two families that you know or are part of. Include points of comparison that reveal what is valuable and important in family life.

2. Compare your lifestyle today with the lifestyle you intend to follow after you graduate from college.

To Inform Your Reader

3. Write an essay comparing your life or life in your community before and after a major event. The event may be positive (such as a graduation or a new software company moving to town) or negative (such as an act of terrorism or a pandemic). Be sure to identify a basis of comparison and specific, consistent points of comparison (interpersonal relationships or access to medical care, for example). You may use current online sources to document the changes you observed.

4. Compare two types of social media, such as Snapchat and Instagram or Pinterest.

To Persuade Your Reader

5. Choose a technological change that has occurred in recent years, and argue either that it is beneficial or that its drawbacks outweigh its usefulness.

6. Compare two views on a controversial issue, arguing in favor of one of them.

Cases Using Comparison and Contrast

7. Imagine that you are taking a course in photography. Write a paper comparing and contrasting the advantages of black-and-white versus color images. Your instructor is your audience.

8. Imagine that you are working in the advertising department of a company that manufactures skateboards. Write a memo evaluating two periodicals and recommending which one the company should use to run its advertisements. Your manager is your audience.

Working Together

Form a small group of three or four students. Choose two restaurants that are familiar to all of you, and brainstorm a list of similarities and differences in the two restaurants. Then decide which restaurant you will recommend. Using this information, write a creative and entertaining thirty-second radio advertisement that will persuade listeners to choose Restaurant A over Restaurant B. Choose a member of your group to present the ad to the class.

SYNTHESIZING IDEAS

ATTITUDES TOWARD CLASS

Both “Underground Lair: Inside a Chicken Processing Plant” and “On a Plate” explore attitudes toward class.

Analyzing the Readings

1. What attitudes toward class do the readings present?

2. Watch a television program, and then write a journal entry analyzing the attitudes toward class that the characters exhibit. How closely do the characters’ attitudes match the attitudes presented in either reading?

Essay Idea

Write an essay explaining your attitude toward class and comparing or contrasting it to the attitude presented in either of the readings.