Below is a sample outline and a well-developed comparative rhetorical analysis essay in MLA that compares and contrasts two different literary texts: F. Scott Fitzgerald’s “The Great Gatsby” and Toni Morrison’s “Beloved.” In this analysis, we will focus on the use of narrative style and symbolism to convey themes of identity and the American Dream.
Comparative Rhetorical Analysis Essay: “The Great Gatsby” vs. “Beloved.”
Essay Outline
- Introduction
- Hook
- Brief overview of “The Great Gatsby” and “Beloved”
- Thesis statement: Both “The Great Gatsby” and “Beloved” employ distinct narrative styles and symbolism to explore the themes of identity and the American Dream, revealing the different ways these themes are treated in American literature.
- Narrative Style in “The Great Gatsby” and “Beloved”
- Explanation of narrative style as a literary device
- Analysis of the first-person narrative style in “The Great Gatsby” and its impact on the reader’s understanding of the characters and events
- Analysis of the nonlinear narrative style in “Beloved” and its effect on the reader’s engagement with the characters and plot
- Comparison of how narrative style shapes the reader’s perception of identity and the American Dream in both texts
- Symbolism in “The Great Gatsby” and “Beloved”
- Explanation of symbolism as a literary device
- Analysis of the symbolism of the green light in “The Great Gatsby” and its connection to Gatsby’s pursuit of the American Dream
- Analysis of the symbolism of the ghostly presence in “Beloved” and its relationship to the characters’ haunted pasts and sense of identity
- Comparison of how symbolism is used to convey the themes of identity and the American Dream in both texts
- Contrasts in Treatment of Themes
- Examination of how “The Great Gatsby” and “Beloved” differ in their portrayal of the American Dream and its attainability
- Discussion of how the characters in each text grapple with questions of identity and how their journeys differ
- Analysis of how the contrasting narrative styles and symbolism contribute to the overall message of each text
- Conclusion
- Restate the thesis statement
- Summarize the main points of comparison and contrast
- Offer insights into how the different treatments of identity and the American Dream in these texts reflect the broader cultural and historical contexts in which they were written.
