How to compare

The comparison essay is the one that has proven to be the hardest for me because of the analysis that distinguishes it from a regular classification essay. The example provided was an essay written by Bruce Catton that compares to of the greatest American historic figures, Ulysses S. Grant and Robert E. Lee tittled "Grant and Lee: A study in Contrasts". In this essay, Catton compares the men by analyzing the the ideals they represent. Catton makes Grant and Lee the incarnation of the North and the South during the Civil War.

Catton describes each man's characteristics independently of each other but in a way that clearly shows how polar these two standpoints are though the men themselves exemplify similar characteristics such as their ability to fight, to think, and to virtue. Catton doesn't just categorize the two men as individuals and then analyze. When you look closer at the essay you see that there is analysis all through out the essay that may have been overlooked because of the subtlety of it.

In his introduction, Catton clearly states the subject of his comparison, though he doesn't really explain his purpose for comparison. The fourth paragraph, which reads "Back of Robert E. Lee was a notion that the old aristocratic concept might somehow survive and be dominant in American life" (213), summarizes Lee's identity in such a way that the ensuing paragraphs are meant to support it. Catton does this so that when he introduces Grant, he may describe him as "everything Lee was not" (213). Of course Catton is referring to Grant and Lee as symbols for the comparison and as people for the similarities.

This was something that I tried to imitate when began comparing George St-Pierre but failed in doing so because of the lack of analysis until the very end, by which point my comparison essay had become a classification essay.

Bruce Catton: Compare & Contrast

The writing in Bruce Catton's Grant & Lee: A Study In Contrast is a compare and contrast essay that explains the differences between the two civil war generals Ulysses S. Grant and Robert E. Lee. Because if Catton's extensive history of the civil war he has a very good overview of these two generals. He shows his knowledge over these two generals by comparing them with each other. Catton does more then just compare the two generals he also uses historical facts about the war to back up his knowledge, he also gets into the meanings behind the facts by comparing and contrasting. He analyzes the facts of the war to go into great depth behind the generals.
To really help you understand how compare/contrast work and how you can really get into the heart of the subject, this website will really help you: Compare/Contrast. Compare and contrast I feel is on of the types of writing that can really get deep into the analysis of your subject. One because iit gets you distinguishing between all  that you are comparing and it also makes you show the details in which  makes the things you are comparing different or the same. Compare and contrast essay's are hard to write because there is the chance you can go into repetition, but if you  know alot about what your writing like Bruce Catton then you can really do a good job at it. 

looking up to the father

The father figure is a very important quality that is in many cultures. Fathers are looked up by their sons. In Palace walk the father figure is greatly used through out the book as Ahmad's journey is told through this book. The one part of the book that really caught my attention to this father figure theme was when Yasin saw his father at the store and Ahmad was smiling and having fun. Yasin was shocked seeing his father who he knew as a very controlling man. Mafouz uses pathos to bring out that emotion a son has for father and how he looks up to him.

Pathetic Kamal

One of my favorite parts of the book is when Kamal walks to his father’s shop to demand that his father bring his mother, Amina, back. This scene is one of my favorites because it has so much emotion. You feel like a child again because you are placed in Kamal’s head as he approaches his father’s shop. This scene has so much pathos that it reminds me of when I was younger. I would get scared at night and want to walk to my parent’s room across the house. It would take me about 10 minutes lying there in bed staring and the dark ceiling to finally convince myself to sit up. It would be about 30 minutes when I finally reached half way down the hall that I started to rethink my decision. I would contemplate on everything that my parents would say. I would start to walk back when 5 seconds later I had run into the room and was tapping my mother’s shoulder telling her I was scared and if she could come sleep with me.

Kamal’s experience made me have a flashback and think of that one specific time. I could feel Kamal’s hands shake and sweat. I could feel his heart beat and possibly skip a beat. I could anticipate his fear to be rejected and turned down. I could feel the certain chill run through my back and up my neck and that jolt of strength that caused his reaction. This is an excellent scene full of pathos and such detail.

Mahfouz did a great job of interpreting a child’s mind and feelings. He even used simpler word choice to get you in the child mood. He also describes the feelings and emotions the child has very well. “The moment his father’s eyes turned away, the boy revived. Afraid the man would leave and the opportunity be lost, without pausing to consider what he was doing Kamal shouted. ‘Bring back Mama, God help you.’ Then he sped away as fast as the wind” (215).

Mahfouz exemplifies to his audience the way Amina feels towards her men in the family. The very structure of the way he states "This moment was one of the happiest of the mothers days", it shows that she has a good soul and that just to see her men walk out proud into the streets gives her the utmost joy. excellent example of ethos as well.

Ahmad and Children

Naguib Mahfouz shows the audience how much care Ahmad has for his children when on page 12 he writes " making no distinction between the eldest and the youngest". This small paragraph stood out to me because it gives the audience a perspective of how Ahmad views his children. This section prepares the audience for the one meal when the males all eat together: breakfast. The reading gives a warning to what is about to occur in the book. It gives us, the audience, a sense of what level of importance Ahmad gives to his children.

Susan, this is the blog that I previously had technical difficulties with it. I sent it to you through chinquapin mail on September 14.

The fall of a curtain...

Yasins' life was changed from this moment,

Sitting next to her was her father, not someone else. When he saw him, his heart pounded harder. His father had removed his cloak and rolled up his sleeves. He was shaking the tambourine and gazing at the performer with a face brimming joy with joy and happiness. The door was open only so long as Zanuba was in the room, one or two minutes, but during that time he witnessed an amazing sight: a secret life, a long story with many ramifications. He awoke like a person emerging a long dream, deep sleep to the convulsions of a violent earthquake. (P. 249)

This part of the paragraph is extremely powerful where Mahfouz conveys the importance of having Yasin see his fathers' other life. Yasin has never seen his father drinking, singing, playing instruments, or even being relaxed in anyway. Yasin's heart pounds hard when he sees that his father is sitting next to a woman and not only that he is the complete stranger to him. Mahfouz not only lets Yasin in on Ahmad secret it seems that he is letting the reader have a look over Yasin's shoulder. Mahfouz uses the methapor of the earthquake to show this revelation to Yasin,  "He awoke like a person from a long dream, deep sleep to the convulsions of a violent earthquake (249)" A dormant earthquake erupts without mercy when the time comes and nothing in the world can ever be hidden forever. Yasin was amazed at the sight he saw of the father he never really knew. So many things ran through Yasin's mind and he probably wanted to know about this made who smiled with such happiness.