Maupassant’s “The Necklace” vs O’Henry’s “The Gift of the Magi”

Contrast paragraph – How do these two main characters differ?

Madame Loisel1._____________________ Evidence:

2. ____________________Evidence:

3. ____________________ Evidence:

Della Dillingham Young1.______________________Evidence:

2. ______________________Evidence:

3. ______________________Evidence:

Contrast paragraph – English 9

Include…• A topic sentence which names the

titles and authors of both works.

• 3 specific points of comparison. 1. introduce the point 2. provide specific evidence and ( ) reference 3. explain why it’s significant

ExampleGuy de Maupassant’s “The Necklace” and O’Henry’s “The Gift of the Magi” each tell the tale of a woman in the lower class who desperately longs to live in financial comfort. However, while both Mathilde and Della are poor, they each confront their problems differently.

These two characters differ in how they spend the little money they acquire. Mathilde selfishly spends her husband’s saved money on a ball gown for her own pleasure (Maupassant 29), while Della saves her own money to buy a gift for her husband (O’Henry 152). Indeed, readers understand that Mathilde ‘s nature is more selfish than Della’s.

Include…• At least 3 contrasting transitions

(please underline )

• A general clincher or closing sentence (What can the readers learn? What do the characters learn? What’s the “big picture”?)

**A minimum of 10 sentences overall. Your paragraph must be typed.

Example• Although, but, however, yet, on the other hand,

in contrast, whereas, while…

• While these two women choose different ways to approach the same challenge, they each learn the valuable lesson that living selflessly, not selfishly, always pays off in the end.

Incorporating quotes

Sometimes you need to change some of the words in a quote to make it work in your own sentence.

[ ] signifies a word/words have been changed from the original

… signifies words have been omitted from the original

Example:Unlike Mme. Loisel, Della doesn't worry about the things she doesn't have. Instead she is willing to unselfishly cut her hair and sell it because “[she] couldn't have lived through Christmas without giving [Jim] a present" (0’ Henry 156).