Schadt College Literature
Short Story Unit
Choose one of the following story pairings to write a fabulous Comparison Literary Analysis essay.
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“The Lottery” and “The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas”
“The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas” and “An Old Man with Enormous Wings”
“Desiree’s Baby” and “The Story of an Hour”
“The Black Cat” and “The Tell-Tale Heart”
Requirements: Substantive, insightful analysis of the two stories; at LEAST 2 quotes from each story per paragraph; literary
analysis structure, MLA formatting. First draft due 3/23; Final Draft due on Turnitin by 3/25.
As always, your essay must focus on the stories’ THEMES and how the writers create them using any combination
of the following techniques:
Characterization
Setting
Figurative Language, especially IRONY
Plot
Symbols
Point of View
Part I. Similarity Statements Write 6 similarity statements. Be specific.
Examples from a “Story of an Hour”/“Desiree’s Baby” essay:
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Chopin uses symbols in both stories to represent problems the women encounter.
In each story, Chopin explores the theme of oppression of women in marriage and shows its disastrous
consequences.
Both stories explore the fate of women dominated by their husbands.
Part II. Differences Statements. Write 4 difference statements
Same idea as the Similarity statements. . .
Part III. Write Your Own Prompt
Examples from a “Lottery/Omelas” essay:
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Compare and contrast the idea of the scapegoat in “The Lottery” by Shirley Jackson and “The Ones Who Walk
Away from Omelas” by Ursula Le Guin.
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Write an essay comparing the settings, symbolism, and themes in Shirley Jackson’s “The Lottery” and Ursula
LeGuin’s “The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas.”
Part IV. Write a Thesis Statement That Addresses Your Prompt.
Write your excellent thesis statement that addresses your prompt on a dry erase board with your ID#
Thesis Examples from a “Lottery/Omelas” essay:
 Although Le Guin and Jackson use scapegoats differently, they both show human nature as blind to evils
committed to guarantee happiness.
 Both stories question the extent to which the happiness of a group be valued over that of an individual by
exploring the moral obligations citizens have to their communities.
 Both writers use an idyllic settings and dramatic irony to increase the horror of the communities using
scapegoats to maintain the status quo.
 Jackson and Le Guin both use idyllic settings and symbolic scapegoats to show the dark side of humanity.
Part V.
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HW: Write your essay first draft – Print out 2 copies with your ID # Due: 3/ 23.
Requirements: Literary analysis structure; 2+ quotes/per story in each paragraph; MLA formatting.