Compare how Whitman & Douglass express their views of America
Step 1: Clarify your understanding
- How does Douglass view America?
- How does Douglass use literary devices to express his view of America?
- How does Whitman view America?
- How does Whitman use literary devices to express his view of America?
- In what way(s) are Douglass and Whitman’s views of America similar?
- In what way(s) are Douglass and Whitman’s views of America different?
- In what way(s) do Douglass and Whitman express their views similarly?
- In what way(s) do Douglass and Whitman express their views differently?
Step 2: Choose your points of comparison and evidence - Choose which point of similarity you will write about
- Choose evidence for Douglass (MLA citation)
- Choose evidence for Whitman (MLA citation)
- Choose which point of difference you will write about
- Choose evidence for Douglass (MLA citation)
- Choose evidence for Whitman (MLA citation)
- Choose how you will organize your paragraphs
Step 3: Write and review your thesis statement - Does your thesis statement fully address the prompt? (Compare how Walt Whitman and Frederick Douglass use literary devices to express their views of America.)
- Is your thesis clear/detailed/specific enough?
- Does your thesis reference specific literary devices?
- Does your thesis reference the authors’ specific views of America?
- Do your classmates understand your thesis when they read it?