Paper 1 (HL): The Comparative Commentary

Whats in a question? Task & Question Analysis

Always begin by determining what you are expected to do. reak the task or question down to its
key terms and components.
I. Step One: Preparation
1. Discuss the similarities and differences between the texts and their
theme(s). Include comments on the ways the authors use elements such as
structure, tone, images and other stylistic devices to communicate their
purposes.
2. !ample Task Analysis" #$% Theme(s)" identi&y the key theme#s% in the
texts and analytically discuss them. 'reate an argument that used the
theme#s% and it will pro(ide the &ramework &or the entire essay. #)%
Author(s)" re&er to them using their last names* i& known* but more
importantly* work into the discussion the kind o& authors they are + poet*
no(elist* playwright* screenwriter* ,ournalist* etc. Awareness o& genre is
important. #-% Authors purpose." discuss the purpose o& the author and
how they accomplishing the intended e&&ect. #/% Structure, Tone,
Imaery, Other Sty!istic "evices" deal substanti(ely with each o& the big
three* and where rele(ant* 0 would bring in discussion o& 1other de(ices.2
0n most cases you will want to relate how these elements work in relation
with the theme#s% you ha(e identi&ied and &ramed the essay with. #3%
Purposes" 0mplicit in this word is the mandate &or you to identi&y the
audience &or this text and the 1to what e&&ect2 aspect o& a good argument.
0t is simply not enough to play 10 spy2 #1!ee* here is where !hakespeare
uses an image o& the theater* and o(er here.2% + you must look at how the
author uses a particular de(ice and &or what purpose #1When !hakespeare
uses the word 4mask* he echoes not only the theme o& appearance (ersus
reality* but sets up a theatrical moti& that.2%.
II. #m$racin the Inte!!ectua! %or&
A. e&ore you start writing* sketch out a chart or note sheets and thorouh!y 'issect the
te(ts. 'omparing idea with idea* theme with theme* tone with tone* point o& (iew*
purpose* imagery* etc.5e(ote $3 + )6 minutes to this task.
000. Step T)o: %ritin the #ssay" The goal here is di&&erent &rom that o& most other essays.
7ere the goal is to brie&ly &rame the key points and point o& (iew that you are going to
take in your analysis. !et up a clear argument and mo(e right into the comparati(e
analysis.
A. %hat shou!' my Paper !oo& !i&e )hen I am *inishe'+ 8our essay should
be between six and eight paragraphs* allowing you to write an introduction
and conclusion along with a body paragraphs &or each o& the &ollowing"
theme#s%* structure* tone* images* and purpose9audience.
$

$
Again* it is best i& you can use 1theme2 as the thread that ties the entire essay together*
rather than treating separately.
. %ritin the intro'uction. This should be short and to the point. The
strongest essays will employ a hook* and pro(ide a clear 1read2 o& the o(erall
texts. All essays must pro(ide an argument that lays out your position #what
the authors are doing* how* and to what e&&ect% and presents a map to the way
you will approach your comparati(e commentary.
1. #(amp!e" onfronting the inevitability of death is an age!old
human concern. Donne"s 1#
th
century sonnet boldly challenges a
personified Death, strengthened by hristian faith, which promises
eternal life. $emingway"s 2%
th
century character &ic', on the other
hand, mirrors classic existential sorrow as he ponders his readiness
to enter the deeper and dar'er waters of death, followed by
nothingness. (oth authors effectively use distinct structures, tones,
images, and other devices uni)ue to the genres in which they wor' to
represent the theme of how humans might confront death.
'. ,ovin your arument *or)ar': Transitions, -o'y Pararaphs, an'
,a&in Ana!ytica! Points.
1. Transitions . Orani/ationa! Loic" As the reader mo(es &rom
your introduction into the body o& your commentary* she should &eel
as i& she is crossing a bridge. :or instance* based upon what you
ha(e written in your introduction* your reader should be able to
anticipate you will discuss 5onne &irst* since he is the &irst author
you introduce* and that the &irst point you will examine will deal
with structure* because it was the &irst you introduced. The
sequencing should hold to an organi;ational logic.
2. Aruments are ,a'e" 5ecide what the one or two most important
aspects you want to make your reader to see and understand. :ind at
least one example o& each aspect. :ollow the example with
discussion o& what is important to see and understand* as well as link
back to your argument.
*. #(amp!e 1" +he fourteen!line sonnet structure has been used by
poets since the 1*
th
century, though with many variations in meter
and rhyme scheme. $irsch argues that the form forces a logical
compression that is ideal for exploring complex issues li'e love and
death in a rhetorically compelling way. Donne"s poem illustrates
this. $e opens and closes with two declarations ,Death be not
proud- and ,death, thou shalt die.- +his is what essayists often do.
+hey ma'e an assertion in the introduction and illustrate the validity
of this declaration in the body, and then revisit their point in a
compellingly new way in the conclusion. +o tell a personified death
that he shall ,die- is )uite a powerful statement. (ut a personified
death is not Donne"s real audience. Donne see's to persuade his
fellow humans that they should not fear dying, for if they have
hristian faith they will earn eternal life in heaven.
5. %ritin Conc!usions. This should be short and to your point. That is* you
should &ocus upon your thematic position* and how the cumulati(e and
integrated e&&ect o& the range o& each authors art bears this out.
1. #(amp!e" It is natural to fear death, and to find ways to confront
and resolve this fear. .ost people wrestle with this fear, but when
artists ma'e this fear visible it assists all who engage with it to thin'.
/nd generating thought is the effect that both Donne and
$emingway accomplish, though Donne see's to settle and calm
while $emingway see's to disturb and agitate. +hrough their
explorations of death and the ,beyond,- these authors give us the
potential to lead a richer life, for as 0ocrates says, ,+he unexamined
life is not worth living.-
#m$racin the Inte!!ectua! %or&: -ein )ith a Chart
#!ements Te(t A Te(t -
%ho+ Author 0ame .
Type
%hat+ 1enre
%hy+ Taret Au'ience
an' Purpose
Theme(s)
Structure
Tone
Imaes
Other "evice 1
Other "evice 2
Text 1
Death be not proud, though some have called thee
Mighty and dreadful, for thou art not so;
For those whom thou thinkst thou dost overthrow
Die not, poor death, nor yet canst thou kill me.
From rest and sleep, which but thy pictures be, 5
Much pleasure; then from thee much more must ow,
!nd soonest our best men with thee do go,
"est of their bones, and souls delivery.
#
$hou art slave to fate, chance, kings, and desperate men,
!nd dost with poison, war, and sickness dwell; %&
!nd poppy or charms can make us sleep as well,
!nd better than thy stroke; why swellst
'
thou then(
)ne short sleep past, we wake eternally,
!nd death shall be no more; death, thou shalt die.
*ohn Donne +%,''-
)
<escue* deli(erance= also* the bringing &orth or 1birth2 o& the soul.
-
>u&& up with pride.
Text 2
.ick had one good trout. /e did not care about getting
many trout. .ow the stream was shallow and wide. $here were
trees along both banks. $he trees of the left bank made short
shadows on the current in forenoon sun. .ick knew there were
trout in each shadow. 0n the afternoon, after the sun had crossed
toward the hills, the trout would be in the cool shadows on the
other side of the stream.
$he very biggest ones would lie up close to the bank. 1ou
could always pick them up there on the 2lack. 3hen the sun was
down they all moved out into the current. *ust when the sun
made the water blinding in the glare before it went down, you
were liable to strike a big trout anywhere in the current. 0t was
almost impossible to 4sh then, the surface of the water was
blinding as a mirror in the sun. )f course, you could 4sh
upstream, but in a stream like the 2lack, or this, you had to
wallow against the current and in a deep place, the water piled up
on you. 0t was no fun to 4sh upstream with this much current.
.ick moved along through the shallow stretch watching the
banks for deep holes. ! beech tree grew close beside the river,
so that the branches hung down into the water. $he stream went
back in under the leaves. $here were always trout in a place like
that.
.ick did not care about 4shing that hole. /e was sure he
would get hooked in the branches.
0t looked deep though. /e dropped the grasshopper so the
current took it under water, back in under the overhanging
branch. $he line pulled hard and .ick struck. $he trout threshed
heavily, half out of the water in the leaves and branches. $he line
was caught. .ick pulled hard and the trout was o5. /e reeled in
and holding the hook in his hand, walked down the stream.
!head, close to the left bank, was a big log. .ick saw it was
hollow; pointing up river the current entered it smoothly, only a
little ripple spread each side of the log. $he water was
deepening. $he top of the hollow log was gray and dry. 0t was
partly in the shadow.
.ick took the cork out of the grasshopper bottle and a
hopper clung to it. /e picked him o5, hooked him and tossed him
out. /e held the rod far out so that the hopper on the water
moved into the current owing into the log. .ick lowered the rod
and the hopper oated in. $here was a heavy strike. .ick swung
the rod against the pull.
from 6rnest /emingways short story Big Two-Hearted River
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Sample Essay
Intro Confronting the inevitability of death is an age-old human concern.
Donnes 17
th
century sonnet boldly challenges a personified Death,
bolstered by Christian faith, which promises eternal life. Hemingways
20
th
century character Nick, on the other hand, mirrors classic existential
angst as he ponders his readiness to enter the deeper and darker waters of
death, followed by nothingness. Both authors effectively use distinct
structures, tones, images, and other devices unique to the genres in which
they work to represent the theme of how humans might confront death.
Structure The fourteen-line sonnet structure has been used by poets since the 13
th

century, though with many variations in meter and rhyme scheme. Hirsch
argues that the form forces a logical compression that is ideal for
exploring complex issues like love and death in a rhetorically compelling
way. Donnes poem illustrates this. He opens and closes with two
declarations Death be not proud and death, thou shalt die. This is
what essayists often do. They make an assertion in the introduction,
illustrate the validity of the assertion in the body, and then revisit their
point in a compellingly new way in the conclusion. To tell a personified
death that he shall die is quite a powerful statement. But a personified
death is not Donnes real audience. Donne seeks to persuade his fellow
humans that they should not fear dying, for if they have Christian faith
they will earn eternal life in heaven.
Structure Though traditionally not as compressed a form as poetry, the short
story is known among narrative fiction as distilling experience down to
what is essential, often a simple moment. Hemingway is particularly well
known for revolutionizing the art form through sparing prose. In this
excerpt we see how Hemingway creates seven short, almost stanza-like,
paragraphs. Anaphorically, Hemingway begins four of these paragraphs
with Nick+verb. The effect of this is to force the reader to focus,
intimately, upon every action of the character. The intimacy created is
important, for the river Nick wades in to fish is the river of life. So when
we reach the first line of paragraph five, where Hemingway simply says,
It looked deep though, we feel with Nick that walking into the deep dark
waters of lifes uncertainty legitimately induces fear, particularly if we
believe there is no existence beyond the life we now live. In a post-WWI
world many people bitterly embraced a perspective that there is no God.
When you die, you die, and thats it. Here, in this excerpt, structure is
used to convey trepidation concerning death and existence.
Tone
Donne
Blah, blah, blah
Tone
Hemingway
Blah, blah, blah
Imagery
Donne
Blah, blah, blah
Imagery
Hemingway
Blah, blah, blah
Purpose
&
Audience
Donne
Blah, blah, blah
Purpose
&
Audience
Hemingway
Blah, blah, blah
Conclusion It is natural to fear death, and to find ways to confront and resolve this
fear. Most people wrestle with this fear, but when artists make this fear
visible it assists all who engage with it to think. And generating thought is
the effect that both Donne and Hemingway accomplish, though Donne
seeks to settle and calm while Hemingway seeks to disturb and agitate.
Through their explorations of death and the beyond, these authors give
us the potential to lead a richer life, for as Socrates says, The unexamined
life is not worth living.