FAH101: 4.1 Comparing and Contrasting

What is a compare and contrast analysis?

A distinctive kind of art-history question is the comparison (compare and contrast). In a compare and contrast, two slides are shown and students are asked to compare and contrast the images—to discuss the similarities and differences between them. This kind of question may ask you to discuss two images within a culture or period, or images across cultures or periods.

Your instructor may provide a specific question to answer, or you may have to determine the important issues raised by the juxtaposition of the two images. It’s important to spend time thinking and outlining your answer before you begin to write, especially when there is no question provided. You want to make sure that you're focusing on the central issue presented by the pairing of the two images. Pairings aren't random—usually your instructor is prompting you to discuss an important theme or issue in the course.

A mistake a lot of students make in comparisons is simply describing one image and then the other without ever relating the two. Make sure you're discussing the similarities and differences between them. Words like "similarly," "unlike," "both," "in contrast," and "while" are good clues that you're developing a strong comparative essay. As with a thematic essay, the conclusion should summarize your argument and present any final thoughts.

In the video below, Briana Zavadil White of the National Portrait Gallery discusses what compare and contrast analyses are all about.

Teacher Lesson: Compare & Contrast (15:01)

Recap: The goal of a compare and contrast analysis is to make a point - demonstrate a thesis - about two works considered together. You are not merely making two lists. You will introduce the comparison with a thesis sentence.

Compare and Contrast Analysis Organization

We can call the two ways of organizing a compare and contrast block-by-block (or lumping) and point-by-point (or splitting).

Whether organizing by lumping or by splitting will depend largely on your purpose and on the complexity of the material. Lumping is often used for long, complex comparisons, if for no other reason than to avoid the ping-pong effect, but no hard-and-fast rule covers all cases here. When you offer an extended comparison, it is advisable to begin by indicating your focus, that is, by defining the main issue or problem and also by indicating what your principle of organization will be in the introduction.

The University of Toronto Writing Centre offers a helpful resource on the comparative essay.

The “lumping” or “block” method:

After introducing the two works in the intro paragraph, write a full description and analysis of each work, separately.

After establishing the key traits and qualities of the two works (once the reader has a strong sense of what each work looks like and understands its formal qualities), bring both works together to compare the two examples.

Lumping

The “splitting” or “ping- pong” method:

After introducing the two works in the intro paragraph, describe and analyze the two works together. In this case, it’s best to organize paragraphs around certain topics (for example, the first descriptive paragraph can focus on certain formal elements, while the next paragraph can discuss specific design principles and stylistic effects)

After raising all the key points of similarity and difference between the works, summarize the key points of comparison you’ve analyzed.

Splitting

Block-by-Block (Lumping)

When you compare block-by-block, you say what you have to say about one artwork in a block or lump, and then you go on to discuss the second artwork, in another block or lump.

For example, a lumping structure would be as follows:
- Thesis about the Buddha and the bodhisattva
- The Buddha (posture, folds of garments, inner nature)
- The bodhisattva (posture, folds of garments, inner nature)
- The Buddha and the bodhisattva (synthesis)
If you lump, do not simply comment first on X and then on Y.

Let your reader know where you are going, probably by means of an introductory sentence.

Don't be afraid in the second half to remind the reader of the first half. It is legitimate, even desirable, to connect the second half of the comparison (chiefly concerned with Y) to the first half (chiefly concerned with X). Thus, you will probably say things like "Unlike X, Y show…" or "Although Y superficially resembles X in such-and-such, when looked at closely Y shows…" In short, a comparison organized by lumping will not break into two separate halves if the second half develops by reminding the reader how it differs from the first half.
Point-by-Point (Splitting)

When you compare point-by-point, however, you split up your discussion of each work, more or less interweaving your comments on the two things being compared, perhaps in alternating paragraphs, or even in alternating sentences.

For example, a splitting structure would be as follows:
- Thesis about the Buddha and the bodhisattva
- The Buddha (posture)
- The bodhisattva (posture)
- The Buddha (garments)
- The bodhisattva (garments)
- The Buddha and the bodhisattva (synthesis)
Splitting is well suited to short essays or for occasional use within longer essays, but if it is relentlessly used as the organizing principle of a longer essay, it is likely to produce a ping-pong effect. The essay may not come into focus—the reader may not grasp the point—until the writer stands back from the seven-layer cake and announces, in the concluding paragraph, that the odd layers taste better.

In your preparatory thinking, splitting probably will help you to get certain characteristics clear in your mind, but you must come to some conclusions about what these add up to before writing the final version. The final version should not duplicate the preliminary thought processes; rather, since the point of a comparison is to make a point, it should be organized so as to make the point clearly and effectively.

If you split, in rereading your draft:
- Ask yourself if your imagined reader can keep up with the back-and-forth movement. Make sure (perhaps by a summary sentence at the end) that the larger picture is not obscured by the zigzagging.
- Don't leave any loose ends. Make sure that if you call attention to points 1, 2, and 3 in X, you mention all of them (not just 1 and 2) in Y.

Common Writing Pitfalls

Writing takes practice. You can't become a good writer without writing—a lot. Learning how to write in the style of a particular academic discipline isn't easy, because each discipline has its own distinctive way of researching, structuring arguments, and presenting evidence. Writing as an art historian will teach you to look carefully (through close looking and reading), argue logically (e.g., through a compare and contrast analysis), and think originally. Remember that in the end all writing, not just fiction or poetry, is a creative process.

Click on the cards below to learn about each writing pitfall

Very long paragraphs

Usually, paragraphs that are take up most of a page (or more) are a sign the arguments are muddled and you are trying to make more than one point at a time. You can probably restructure a very long paragraph as two or more.
Very short paragraphs

Paragraphs that are just a few sentences either mean your thoughts are not fully developed and you need to expand that paragraph, or that the material should be integrated into the paper elsewhere.
Unfocused paragraphs

Make sure each paragraph has a point to make and is not just a jumbled collection of miscellaneous observations that don't seem to fit anywhere else. Does the paragraph have a topic sentence? Does each sentence in the paragraph support and develop that idea? If not, then edit.
Long, convoluted sentences

Douglas Fraser, who taught art history at Columbia University, used to tell his students, "Take your favourite sentence and rewrite it, the simple way."
Strings of prepositional phrases
These are especially difficult to avoid in a formal analysis. For example:
- (Awkward) The family sits around a table with flowers in a vase on top of it.
- (Better) The family sits around a table with a flower-filled vase.
Expletive constructions
Constructions like "there is," and "it is" bulk up sentences and are imprecise, so watch out for them in the editing process. For example:
- (Awkward) It was the last image in the manuscript that was the most striking.
- (Better) The last image in the manuscript was the most striking.
Passive voice
Active verbs are more forceful and expressive than passive verbs. A paragraph full of passive verbs sounds stilted and monotonous. For example:
- (Passive) The fresco was painted by Michelangelo.
- (Active) Michelangelo painted the fresco.
Strong verbs

Make sure your verbs are active and precise. Avoid, when possible, bland verbs like "is," "has," and "goes." Be sure to streamline your verbs (for example, replace "has an affect on" with "affects").
Verb tenses

Use consistent and correct tenses throughout your paper. This does not mean that the verbs will all be in one tense. Art historians typically use the present tense to describe visual or physical aspects of an artwork: "the Buddha sits in a yogic posture," "the columns support the pediment." Use the past tense to discuss the actions and thoughts of a deceased artist: "Picasso lived in Paris."
"Five-dollar" words

Explain your ideas in your own way, avoiding flowery expressions and long, technical, or unusual "five-dollar" words (words that are just there to sound sophisticated). At the same time, don't be afraid to use terms that help you explain your argument with precision—if you know how to use "contrapposto" or "impasto'' correctly, then do.

How do I start writing a compare and contrast analysis?

Remember how Briana Zavadil White from the National Portrait Gallery guided us through the compare and contrast of two portraits of Pocahontas? You can review the "Teacher Lesson: Compare & Contrast" video again to help you begin your compare and contrast analysis. Pay attention to the brainstorming process and what initial and follow-up questions were asked.

Pocahontas (c.1595–1617) painting and print

(Left) Unidentified artist, after Simon van de Passe, Pocahontas c. 1595–1617, after 1616. Oil on canvas, 77.5 x 64.8 x 2.5 cm. National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution, Washington D.C. | (Right) Simon van de Passe, Pocahontas c. 1595–1617, 1616. Copper engraving print on paper, 17.5 x 12 cm. National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution, Washington D.C.

Developing a List of Similarities and Differences

The first step in writing a compare and contrast analysis is developing a list of similarities and differences. I often brainstorm the similarities and differences by drawing a Venn diagram or using a table (refer to examples on the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Writing Center website).

In our course, we are comparing the two objects (refer to the "Writing Your Compare and Contrast Analysis Paper" section below). Use the following questions to help you start developing a list of similarities and differences:
- What is the topic of each object? What details are included in each object?
- How do the formal elements guide the viewing experience?
- What are the materials and sizes of each object?
- What are the contexts (if known) of each object? (Recall the 5Ws and 1H)
Developing a Thesis

After developing a list of similarities and differences, determine what is interesting, important, and relevant in the context of the course/assignment. Identify how the similarities and differences create an argument about the two paintings. Do the similarities outweigh the differences and vice versa? The University of Toronto Writing Centre offers a helpful resource on using thesis statements.

Compare and Contrast Analysis Samples

The compare and contrast of two portraits of Pocahontas video (hyperlinked above) offers a strong example of how to conduct a compare and contrast analysis.

Take a look at this compare and contrast analysis sample and consider how the author is organizing their compare and contrast (page 8.3). For our compare and contrast analysis, I encourage you to dive into the compare and contrast analysis without the personal narrative opening paragraph. Try outlining your own analysis paper to ensure that each paragraph of your analysis saying and doing something with the help of an effective structure. Please note that the sample PDF is not the same as our assignment in format and research requirements.

John Singleton Copley, Mrs. Joseph Mann (Bethia Torrey), and John Singleton Copley, Mrs. Ezekiel Goldthwait

(Left) John Singleton Copley, Mrs. Joseph Mann (Bethia Torrey), 1753. Oil on canvas, 91.44 x 71.75 cm. Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. | (Right) John Singleton Copley, Mrs. Ezekiel Goldthwait (Elizabeth Lewis), 1771. Oil on canvas, 127.32 x 101.92 cm. Museum of Fine Arts, Boston.

Writing Your Compare and Contrast Analysis Paper

Introduction

In the opening paragraph, you will include:
- The name of the artist (if known), title (which is italicized every time you use the title in your paper), date, and medium (if known) for both objects you are comparing and contrasting.
- What you think is the subject of each object.
- Thesis statement (usually the last line or so of your first paragraph).
Body Paragraphs

From that point, the rest of the compare and contrast analysis should include not only a description of each object but especially those details of the work that have led you to come to your thesis. The goal of a compare and contrast analysis is to make a point, argue a thesis. You are not merely making two lists. You are relating the two objects to one another and addressing questions such as:
- Why should these two objects be compared and contrasted?
- How does comparing and contrasting the two objects reveal additional insights about each object?
- Why has each artist used formal elements in a particular way?
- How has such strategies uses guided and affected your viewing experience?
Conclusion

As with your formal analysis, the final paragraph should summarize your argument (i.e., a restatement of your thesis) and present any final thoughts.

To do this week

What is a compare and contrast analysis?

Teacher Lesson: Compare & Contrast (15:01)

Compare and Contrast Analysis Organization

The “lumping” or “block” method:

The “splitting” or “ping- pong” method:

Block-by-Block (Lumping)

Point-by-Point (Splitting)

Common Writing Pitfalls

Very long paragraphs

Very short paragraphs

Unfocused paragraphs

Long, convoluted sentences

Strings of prepositional phrases

Expletive constructions

Passive voice

Strong verbs

Verb tenses

"Five-dollar" words

How do I start writing a compare and contrast analysis?

Developing a List of Similarities and Differences

Developing a Thesis

Compare and Contrast Analysis Samples

Writing Your Compare and Contrast Analysis Paper

Introduction

Body Paragraphs

Conclusion