Understanding and Using Comparison Structures

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Understanding and Using Comparison Structures
Comparison is one of the oldest and most commonly
used methods of discovery and development.
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Comparison Strategies
An understanding of the rhetorical strategies of
comparison will help students with common
assignments such as
Research papers
Regular essays
Debates and oral arguments
Essay tests
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Discovery and Development with Comparison

• Essay questions, for example, often call for the
  use of comparison.
• The following question was given during a
  in-class final exam (time limit 45 minutes)

Compare Romanesque and Gothic architectural
styles as expressions of religious experience
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What does the Question Ask?

• To compare two subjects in a detailed manner.
• To make some claim about what each means with
  respect to the other.

Gothic
Romanesque
as expressions of religious experience.
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A plan for two subjects and their detailed points
Subject A
Subject B
1st point (detail) 2nd point (detail) 3rd point
(detail) (more if needed)
1st point (detail) 2nd point (detail) 3rd point
(detail) (more if needed)
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Subject A (Romanesque)

• Called Romanesque) (Roman like) because it is
  based on the Roman arch

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Point 1 the round arch

• A Romanesque cathedral begins with the round
  Roman arch.

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Point 1 the round arch

• The round arch produces a barrel vault

The effect when walking down the nave is a
feeling of walking downa tunnel.
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Point 1 the round arch
The nave (main interiorroom) of St.
Sernin Rounded arch Barrel Vault
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Point 2 Walls and Columns
To support the heavy arch, walls must be thick,
and columns must be heavy and closely spaced
A cross-section diagram of Durham Cathedral
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Point 2 Walls and Columns
To support the heavy arch, walls must be thick,
and columns must be heavy and closely spaced
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Point 3Windows
Strong walls require that few windows be used,
leaving the interior relatively dark.
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Point 3Windows
Strong walls require that few windows be used,
leaving the interior relatively dark.
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The first subject--summation
Romanesque
Subject B
1st point (round arches) 2nd point (thick walls
and columns, closely spaced) 3rd point (few
windows, very dark)
1st point (detail) 2nd point (detail) 3rd point
(detail) (more if needed)
Overall experience dark, mysterious, closed-in,
perhapsa bit frightening.
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Subject B (Gothic)

• The Gothic
• Cathedral is
• based on
• the pointed
• Gothic arch.

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Point 1 the Gothic arch

• The nave of Amiens

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Point 1 the Gothic arch
The pointed arch does not produce barrel vaulting
but ribbed and groin vaulting. Notice the effect
is like a branching tree.
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Point 2 walls and columns
The Gothic arch reaches greater heights with
thinner columns, more widely spaced.
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Point 2 walls and columnsSomething New
In an effort to reach even greater heights with
thinner walls and columns, builders developed the
flying buttress.
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Point 2 walls and columnsSomething New
Sometimes the buttressing is quite elaborate
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Point 2 walls and columnsflying buttresses
Buttresses at Notre Dame, Paris
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Point 3 Windows
Thinner walls and columns allow more
windows--with lots of colorful stained glass
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Point 3 Windows
Thinner walls and columns allow more
windows--withlots of colorful stained glass
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Point 3 Windows
The effect is a much brighter, more colorful,
open space
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Point 3 Windows
The interior of St. Chapelle
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The second subject--summation
Romanesque
Gothic
Overall experience bright, color-ful, open,
perhapscheerful, even joyful.
1st point (round arches, barrel vaulting) 2nd
point (thick walls and columns, closely
spaced) 3rd point (few windows, very dark)
1st point (pointed arches, ribbed vaulting) 2nd
point (thin walls and columns, widely spaced) 3rd
point (many windows, bright, colorful)
Overall experience dark, mysterious, closed-in,
perhapsa bit frightening.
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Answering the Question

• Question
• Compare Romanesque and Gothic architectural
  styles as expressions of religious experience

Claim Although both both Romanesque and Gothic
architectural styles express something about the
Christian religious experience, they present that
experience in very different ways the Romanesque
being dark, mysterious, and perhaps even
frightening, but the Gothic being brighter, more
open, more colorful, and perhaps cheerful or even
joyful.
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Making a decision
Now we must decide in what order the material
should be presented to the reader
Subject-by-subject or Point-by-point
Romanesque
Gothic
Overall experience bright, color-ful, open,
perhapscheerful, even joyful.
1st point (round arches, barrel vaulting) 2nd
point (thick walls and columns, closely
spaced) 3rd point (few windows, very dark)
1st point (pointed arches, ribbed vaulting) 2nd
point (thin walls and columns, widely spaced) 3rd
point (many windows, bright, colorful)
Overall experience dark, mysterious, closed-in,
perhapsa bit frightening.
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Subject-by-subject order
Present all of subject A, then all of Subject B
This is the order that has been used in this
presentation.
Gothic
Romanesque
Overall experience bright, color-ful, open,
perhapscheerful, even joyful.
1st point (round arches, barrel vaulting) 2nd
point (thick walls and columns, closely
spaced) 3rd point (few windows, very dark)
1st point (pointed arches, ribbed vaulting) 2nd
point (thin walls and columns, widely spaced) 3rd
point (many windows, bright, colorful)
Overall experience dark, mysterious, closed-in,
perhapsa bit frightening.
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A subject-by-subject outline

• Introduction and Claim Although both both
  Romanesque and Gothic architectural styles
  express something . . . . even joyful.
• Romanesque a dark, mysterious experience
• Round arches, barrel vaulting
• Thick walls and thick, closely spaced
• Few windows
• Gothic a bright, open and joyful experience
• Pointed arches, ribbed vaulting, with higher
  ceilings
• Thinner, more widely spaced columns, supported
  with flying buttresses
• Lots of windows, with stained glass
• Conclusion--summarize the main points and
  reaffirm the claim

Subject A
Subject B
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Point-by-point order
Present each point under each subject in order
Gothic
Romanesque
Overall experience bright, color-ful, open,
perhapscheerful, even joyful.
1st point (round arches, barrel vaulting) 2nd
point (thick walls and columns, closely
spaced) 3rd point (few windows, very dark)
1st point (pointed arches, ribbed vaulting) 2nd
point (thin walls and columns, widely spaced) 3rd
point (many windows, bright, colorful)
Overall experience dark, mysterious, closed-in,
perhapsa bit frightening.
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A point-by-point outline

• Introduction and Claim Although both both
  Romanesque and Gothic architectural styles
  express something . . . . even joyful.
• Point 1 arches and vaulting Round arches, barrel
  vaulting
• Subject A--Romanesque Round arches, barrel
  vaulting
• Subject B--Gothic pointed arches, ribbed
  vaulting, with higher ceilings
• Point 2 Walls and columns
• Subject A-- Romanesque Thick walls and thick,
  closely spaced columns
• Subject B--Gothic Thinner, more widely spaced
  columns, supported with flying buttresses
• Point 3 Windows
• Subject A--Romanesque few window, fairly dark
• Subject B--Gothic Lots of colorful windows
• Conclusion--summarize the main points and
  reaffirm the claim

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The two structures

• Introduction and Claim.
• Point 1 arches and vaulting
• Subject A--Romanesque
• Subject B--Gothic
• Point 2 Walls and columns
• Subject A-- Romanesque
• Subject B--Gothic
• Windows
• Subject A--Romanesque Subject B--Gothic
• Conclusion--summarize the main points and
  reaffirm the claim

• Introduction and Claim
• Subject A--Romanesque
• Point 1 arches
• Point 2 walls and columns
• Point 3 windows
• Subject B--Gothic
• Point 1 arches
• Point 2 walls, columns, buttresses
• Point 3 windows
• Conclusion--summarize the main points and
  reaffirm the claim

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Choose a structure

• Introduction and Claim.
• Point 1 arches and vaulting
• Subject A--Romanesque
• Subject B--Gothic
• Point 2 Walls and columns
• Subject A-- Romanesque
• Subject B--Gothic
• Point 3 Windows
• Subject A--Romanesque
• Subject B--Gothic
• Conclusion--summarize the main points and
  reaffirm the claim

The point-by-point structure works well when you
desire to make a sharp contrast on individual
points, such as comparing numbers in
measurements, pointing out subtle distinctions,
or exaggerating things for a comical effect.
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Choose a structure
The subject-by-subject structure works well when
you do not want to break up the individual
details, such when you are giving vivid
descriptions to create a mood or relating a
sequence of related events. Use when you want the
reader to think of the subjects as whole things.

• Introduction and Claim
• Subject A--Romanesque
• Point 1 arches
• Point 2 walls and columns
• Point 3 windows
• Subject B--Gothic
• Point 1 arches
• Point 2 walls, columns, buttresses
• Point 3 windows
• Conclusion--summarize the main points and
  reaffirm the claim

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