Compare Jack (the Shining) to either Han Solo or Sherlock Holmes
Compare Jack to either Han Solo or Sherlock Holmes with a focus on either their attitudes to working with others or their self-confidence. Focus on one similarity or difference and explain the significance of this. You can also focus on all three but be sure to avoid a 5-paragraph or “hamburger” essay format with body paragraphs about each character but no direct comparison.
You will want to directly compare the texts or characters and explain clearly how/why the topic is shown similarly or differently as well as what this shows about a specific theme or issue (the “so what?”). Remember to include any works that you mention in the essay in your Works Cited. Your thesis should be at the end of the introduction and respond to the essay question or prompt directly (reread the question several times as you work on the assignment or at least again before submitting your final draft) but also explain your logic in taking this stance: how so or why are you claiming this and why should the reader agree? Listing observations will not explain the links between the observations. Instead, focus on one “umbrella” argument that covers all of your examples or relate the things that you list (explain why this isn’t a random selection of points).
