Model
Structure – Section B Comparative Essay
Introduction: Briefly outline the different moods and
themes created in the two poems of your choice
Main Point
1: The mood of vibrancy and vitality
created in
SP1: Vibrancy and vitality in
SP2: The sense that
SP3: The boy’s life before the
war, which was similarly exciting and vibrant, like Alvi’s
experience of
SP4: However, now the boy’s life
is flat, dull and empty
Main Point 2: The sense of
warmth and welcome in ‘An Unknown Girl’ in contrast to that of isolated
abandonment in ‘Disabled’
SP1: The sense of comforting,
belonging – as if the persona has come home
SP2: In contrast the young soldier
is obviously a lonely outcast
SP3: Admittedly, before the boy
went to war he was loved but there is a sense that this inclusion and
enthusiasm was superficial
Main Point 3: The pathos
created for both the woodcutter in ‘Out Out’ and the soldier in ‘Disabled’
SP1: Frost suggests …
SP2: Similarly Owen …
SP3: However, Frost …
SP4: Whereas …
Main Point 4: The sense that a
life which had beautiful potential has been cut short
SP1: Frost shows …
SP2: Whereas Owen shows …
SP3: In addition, Frost shows …
SP4: Once again, in contrast
Owen shows …
Conclusion: Which poem was the most effective /
powerful and why
Your Task:
·
The above plan is a list of some of
the Points you might like to make in your essay.
·
Firstly you will need to complete the
missing subpoints / main points. Feel free to replace
any of the above points with ideas of your own as this plan is just a guide
rather than a strict set of rules you have to stick to.
·
Now you have to find Evidence
to support each of these subpoints and Explain the effect that each of those quotations /
pieces of evidence has on the audience.
·
Remember to look for more than one
piece of evidence to support each point and to demonstrate how each of those
different pieces of evidence is working together to create the same effect.
·
Remember too that some quotations
are ambiguous: they can be interpreted in more than one way. If you find some
quotations like that take the time to investigate each separate interpretation
and explain how each one contributes to the overall feeling of the poem.
·
You should also try to include as
many different kinds of evidence as possible. Don’t just focus on the
connotations of words but additionally look at the poet’s use of sound effects,
rhyme, rhythm, line length, stanza length, punctuation, pronouns, tone of
voice, pathetic fallacy, enjambment, end-stopping, foregrounding, etc. Remember
to use the technical terms for each of these different features correctly.