Comparison & Contrast

1. Comparison & Contrast Bethlehem Michael, Diego Cuevas, Dylan Jose, Erica Medina, Karmen Sam

2. Take Out Your Précis! Questions: • What aspects of this article make it Comparison and Contrast? • Is it prevalent throughout the entire piece? Does it have to be? • Who is the targeted audience? Be sure to consider the source of the article. • What is the tone of the article?

3. Our Précis 1. In the article “Struggle for Smarts? How Eastern and Western Cultures Tackle Learning” (2012), Alix Spiegel suggests that the educational culture in America should adopt certain aspects of the Asian educational system that produces perseverance and diligent students in comparison to the American educational system which views struggle as a lack of intelligence. 2. Spiegel supports her message by juxtaposing the American educational system and its Asian counterpart (“‘. . . people who are smart don’t struggle, they just naturally get it, that’s our folk theory. Whereas in Asian cultures they tend to see struggle more as an opportunity,’”), providing clarification by the use of statistics, and referencing credible sources (such as psychologists Jim Stigler and Jin Li). 3. The author outlines and accentuates these cultural differences in order to broaden the perspectives of Americans so that they can embrace the persistent and tenacious mindsets of Eastern cultures. 4. Spiegel addresses the general American public in the article because she recognizes the effect of the education system has on the society and culture. She uses a formal and informative tone to properly address her educated audience.

4. So What is Comparison and Contrast? • Juxtaposing 2 concepts to highlight their similarities and differences • Used to analyze information carefully • often reveals insights into the nature of information being analyzed

5. Two Ways to Organize Comparison/Contrast • subject-by-subject • Writer discusses all elements of one subject then turns to another • A full discussion of first topic followed by full discussion of second topic • point-by-point • Organized around specific points of a discussion • An analysis of two topics by discussing the elements of both topics

6. The Two Types Strict comparison- A comparison between two concepts of the same class. For example: Our article “Struggle For Smarts? How Eastern And Western culture tackle Learning?” • ex. Education system to Education system (Our article) Fanciful comparison- A comparison between two seemingly unrelated concepts. For example: Comparison between tangible objects to intangible concepts.

7. “Struggle For Smarts? How Eastern And Western Cultures Tackle Learning”by Alix Spiegel “Granting that there is a lot of cultural diversity within East and West and it's possible to point to counterexamples in each, Stigler still sums up the difference this way: For the most part in American culture, intellectual struggle in school children is seen as an indicator of weakness, while in Eastern cultures it is not only tolerated but is often used to measure emotional strength.”

8. “The Box Man” by Barbara Lazear Ascher “He is not to be confused with the lonely ones. You’ll find them everywhere. The lady who comes into our local coffee shop each evening at five-thirty, orders a bowl of soup and extra Saltines. She drags it out as long as possible…. By 6 pm, it’s all over. What will she do with the rest of the night? [...] There’s a lady across the way whose lights and television stay on all night…. She has six cats.... She pets them and waters her plethora of plants.... Not necessarily a lonely life except that 3 am lights and television seem to proclaim it so. The Box Man welcomes the night, opens to it like a lover. He moves in darkness and prefers it that way. He’s not waiting for the phone to ring or an engraved invitation to arrive in the mail. Not for him P.O. number. Not for him the overcrowded jollity of office parties, the hot anticipation of a singles’ bar. Not even for him a holiday handout. People have tried and he shuffled away. The Box Man knows that loneliness chosen loses its sting and claims no victims.”

9. “The Ugly Truth About Beauty” by Dave Barry - “Most men, I believe, think of themselves as average-looking. Men will think this even if their faces cause heart failure in cattle at a range of 300 yards. Being average does not bother them; average is fine for men. [...] Women do not look at themselves this way. If I had to express, in three words, what most women think about their appearance, those words would be: "not good enough." No matter how attractive a woman may appear to others, when she looks at herself in the mirror, she thinks, ‘woof.’”

10. How is Comparison & Contrast Different... • From Classification & Division? • A single subject is identified and broken down • C/C can be used to describe how the said subject is similar or different • C/C occurs with more than one subject; C/D with one only • From Definition? • Definition necessary to define unfamiliar subjects • Defining aids C/C in allowing audience to become familiar with both topics • Uses definition for purpose of comparing and contrasting

11. Tips on Writing Your Own Comparison/Contrast Essay • Determine what your call to action is • Determine which form of organization (subject-by-subject or point-by-point) best showcases your thesis • the organization you choose should be the one that helps your readers most easily understand your comparisons/contrasts • Consider your audience • Use arrangement to your advantage • Balance subjects