Comparative Essay Assignment

Due Dates:
Write a 2-4 page essay in which you compare Stephen Kings novella R ita Hayworth and
Shawshank Redemption and the film Shawshank Redemption. You will not simply point out
differences or give your personal review; rather, you will focus on the changes that were
made, why these changes may have been made, and how these changes might affect the
audiences reactions to character, symbolism, theme, etc. Make sure to follow the
guidelines below:
1. Remember your purpose: you are to identify changes made and explain the effect of
those changes. You are NOT reviewing the films or how successfully or unsuccessfully
the film was translated. Avoid all review words: great, well done, etc.
2. Remember your audience: Your audience has not seen the film or read the book. You
must provide enough context and background about the characters, plots, settings, etc.
for your audience to understand.
3. Italicize movie and book titles. Be sure to actually state the title of your movie and book.
4. Identify 3-4 significant changes between the film and print text.
5. Write a thesis statement that identifies the overall effects of the most significant changes.
6. Your thesis needs to specifically state what your essay will be about:
a. By adding new characters and conflicts, Hitchcock gave the film more
complexity, exploring the troubling and difficult nature of relationships.

7. Support what you say with specific examples. Be sure to explain the effect of that change.
a. In the novella, Andy and Red develop a friendship over a period of years.
They are both wary of each other, and their slowly developing relationship emphasizes
the isolation and loneliness that inmates face in Shawshank. Readers of the novella are
not sure what to make of the men in the prison, or if they are to be trusted. In the film,
Darabont adds a number of characters that form a group of friends, led by Red, that
Andy rapidly becomes a part of. By creating this rag tag friend group, Darabont
humanizes the prisoners. The effect of this change is that the audience sides with the
prisoners almost immediately in the film.

8. Avoid talking about similarities for this essay and focus on the changes.

9. Avoid describing effects that are either obvious or impossible to prove. ALL movies
have to cut elements because of time, so that is not really an effect. So, avoid statements like,
The director did not use this scene because it would take too long and the audience would be
bored.

10. Make sure your paper has an introduction with a thesis statement, body paragraphs
with supporting evidence, and a conclusion paragraph.

11. Proofread your work carefully.

Aspect Highly proficient Proficient Nearing Not Proficient
4 3 Proficiency 1
2

Intro - 10 points Engaging hook, Attempts an Missing a hook or No thesis

succinct plot and engaging hook. plot summary. statement
setting summary, Provides plot and Thesis statement
Strong, clear setting summary. is not clear
thesis statement. Clear thesis
Flows together statement. May
seamlessly flow together
awkwardly

Body Paragraphs Clear topic Topic sentences, Attempts topic Evidence is

20 points sentences, relevant and sentences. extremely limited
relevant and numerous pieces Evidence may be or irrelevant
numerous pieces of evidence. May irrelevant or
of evidence, and lack transitions scarce.
use of transitions
between ideas.
Makes a great
argument.

Conclusion Summarizes main Summarizes main Summarizes and No conclusion

10 points idea and idea and rephrases using
rephrases thesis rephrases thesis repetitive
sentence. Makes sentence. language. May
connection to the raise new,
world. unconnected
issue at the end

Grammar/punctua No errors. Uses A few errors but Some errors. At Many errors begin
tion appropriate not enough to points errors can to obscure
10 points language and interfere obscure meaning. meaning.
vocabulary with meaning