Compare/Contrast Topics for English 111 for fall 2008Note: The purpose of this essay is to develop your powers of observation and analysis of your own experience. Therefore, for this essay, please use only your own experience. Do NOT use research, and do not choose any topic that would require you to do research. Here’s one exception: You may use a popular news story that most people are aware of, provided it was reported in many different media.Option # 1: Model Essay: Zitkala-Sa, from The School Days of an Indian Girl (196)Possible topics: - Examine your life before and after an incident that changed your view of people, your life, or the world. Some possibilities: before and after joining the military, before and after the death of a loved one, before and after a natural disaster, before and after a move.- Examine the differences between two different places where you’ve lived, studied, or worked. If possible, it would be good to preserve Zitkala-Sa’s model of contrasting someplace wonderful to someplace awful, explaining what the differences between the two places suggests about the differences between the values of the people who live or work in each. Some possibilities: small town versus big city, one state versus another state, one country versus another country, public school versus private school, day school versus boarding school.Option # 2: Model Essay: Frederick Douglass, “Resurrection” (109)Possible topics:- Examine how you were shaped by your response to an injustice in your life, such as unfair punishment. (This could be repeated punishment or an isolated incident.) Contrast what you were like before and after.- Examine how you were changed by the experience of sticking up for yourself, especially in a situation that produced a better result than you expected. Contrast what you were like before and after.- Consider whether, while growing up, you’ve ever had to deal with a disadvantage or hardship not everyone experiences. Contrast the character you have because ofthis experience with the character of some people who obviously have not shared this experience. Some possibilities: having a chronic illness or physical handicap, having a learning disability, not having one of your parents in the home,living with a shortage of money or basic necessities, moving frequently from place to place, being mocked or made fun of for any reason.Option # 3: Model Essays: Natalie Angier, “Why Men Don’t Last…” (290) and Deborah Tannen, “Communication Styles” (391)Possible topics:- Compare/contrast the communication styles of men and women, the old and the young, or people from different ethnic groups. What do these differences reveal about the beliefs and values of each group?- Compare/contrast the way different groups (such as men and women, the old and the young, or different ethnic groups) manage conflict. What do these differencesreveal about the beliefs and values of each group?- Compare/contrast gender roles and expectations in two different groups. Some possibilities: compare/contrast how two different cultures see the roles of women;compare/contrast how expectations of gender roles among men of one culture contrast with expectations of gender roles among women of the same culture; compare/contrast how two different generations see gender roles.- Compare/contrast how different groups discipline, teach, and/or raise children.- Compare/contrast how different groups (especially different nationalities) elect their leaders. - Compare/contrast how different families or societies deal with outsiders; that is, those who don’t conform to that society’s normal expectations and codes of behavior. - Compare/contrast how two different groups define happiness. What does each group think makes life worth living? Why? What does this say about each group?Option # 4: Model Essays: Deborah Tannen, “Fast Forward…” (296) and Sherry Turkle, “How Computers Change the Way We Think” (397)Possible topics: - Examine the evidence: Do you think you or your friends are more aggressive online than in person? Why or why not? If it exists, is this difference affecting your character? Why or why not, and how? (This topic assumes that you can see a difference between your online and off line communication and behavior. If you can’t see such a difference, don’t choose this topic.)- Examine the evidence: Do you think online communication has made you less concerned about maintaining your privacy? If so, is this a good or a bad thing? How? Why? (This topic assumes that you can see a difference between theprivacy concerns of your elders and your own privacy concerns. If you are not aware of this difference or don’t believe it exists, don’t choose this topic.)- Examine the evidence: Do you think online communication has made you less honest? Has it lowered your expectations of the honesty of others? How? Why? Is this a problem? If so, how much of a problem is it? Why? (This topic assumesthat you can see some difference between the expectations of honesty that govern online communication and those that govern face-to-face communication. If you can’t see a difference, don’t choose this topic.)- Examine the evidence: A wealth of information is available on line from a wide variety of different sources, some credible and some not. Only common sense helps a searcher distinguish between credible sources and questionable ones. Do you think this has changed the way we distinguish between what’s true and what’snot? Do you think it has helped popularize the view that there’s no such thing as truth? Do you think it has made us more or less willing to listen to views of the facts that differ from ours? What are the differences in how we see truth, and howdo they matter? (This topic assumes that you can see some difference between credible online sources and questionable ones. It also assumes that you can see why confusion about conflicting versions of the truth could create problems in society. If you don’t get both of these points, this isn’t your topic.)- Discuss some other way in which relying on your computer has changed the way you live, think, or communicate. Contrast your memory of life before your increased reliance on the computer and afterwards, for better and for worse. - Examine some recent invention other than the computer to explain how it has changed you (or changed us as a society). Do