After reading Rick Bragg’s Silver Hair, Golden Years chapter, write a thesis statement that shows how the characters handled life now compared to how they handled it when they were younger.
Keep in mind, for a compare/contrast essay, you want to either focus on the comparison or on what is being contrasted. If you focus on the similarity, you will just touch upon the difference or vice versa.
Ex: Although the characters all learned to deal with their lives from lessons learned, not all of them would have chosen the lives they were dealt. THIS THESIS STATEMENT IS TOUCHING UPON THE SIMILARITY BUT WILL FOCUS ON HOW ONLY SOME OF THEM WOULD NOT HAVE CHOSEN THE LIFE (THE DIFFERENCE).
Ex: While the characters all had grown up knowing hardships, some now flourished because of the hardships. THIS THESIS STATEMENT IS GOING TO FOCUS ON HOW ALL OF THEM KNEW HARDSHIPS (SIMILARITY) AND ONLY TOUCH UPON THE DIFFERENCE THAT JUST A FEW OF THEM FLOURISHED BECAUSE OF THE HARDSHIPS.
Now you are ready to write the 500 word 5 paragraphs essay. Include a quote in each body paragraph from the reading. Follow the same guidelines you did for the Classification essay