Poetry, compare and contrast

Choose two literary texts discussed in this unit and write a 3-4 page compare-

contrast essay that demonstrates your analytical reading & critical thinking skills. 

 You may choose to compare or contrast any part/element/aspect of the texts you choose, but you 

MUST have an analytical focus for your analysis.

  For example, you might write an essay on the two poets’ use of shifting tone contributes to the 

poets’ purpose about identity being fluid and changing, or how diction in both poems creates a 

fragmented view of the speaker, or how imagery contributes to our understanding of theme, etc. 

Essay Requirements:

 4 to 5 pages in length (not including the MLA Works Cited page). 

 Must use two texts from the assigned course readings (all on Canvas):o Joy Harjo-  “American Sunrise”

o Marilyn Chin- “How I Got That Name”

o Mohja Kahf- “My Grandmother Washes”

o Richard Blano- “Como Tu” 

 MLA format (12 point Times New Roman with page numbers in header, in-text citations)

 Must include at least ONE scholarly source about either the literary texts or identity 

construction (i.e. race, gender, stereotypes, cultural oppression, etc). 

o I would recommend the Gale, JSTOR, and EBSCO databases for researching literature. 

o Do not include a blog as a source as it is not credible or academic.

Things to Avoid:

 Please be sure that your essay does not merely point out the similarities and differences in the 

texts; instead, explain what those similarities and differences reveal in accordance with your 

analytical position. Your thesis will mention the story and poem titles you will compare, but 

more than that, it should present your reader with your UNIQUE, INTELLIGENT, and 

CRITICAL perspective or position on those literary texts.

 Do not organize your essay by focusing on one literary text per paragraph. Instead, each 

paragraph should have a main point of comparison or contrast that is demonstrated through a 

conversation/dialogue between your chosen texts. Otherwise, you will likely lean towards 

summary than comparative analysis. 

Thesis: “Como Tú” by Richard Blanco and “How I got that name” Marilyn Chin both speak about living in a country as a foreigner and use imagery to highlight their experiences. While Marilyn Chin’s tone discusses having to choose a singular identity, Richard Blanco’s hopeful tone chooses to the bridge the gap and embrace both identities.