Similiarities Between Individuals, Groups, Places,

¶ … similiarities between individuals, groups, places, songs, etc. Within the structure of these essays, we find that there are two major methods of comparison: the subject-by-subject and the point-by-point. Within these two methods are also several different styles that authors employ. Bruce Catton's work, "Grant and Lee: A Study in Contrasts" takes a very serious and well balanced look at the two primary military generals of the U.S. Civil war. Catton offers no personal opinion in this work, and he offers the reader a carefully crafted work designed to show off the two generals' strengths and weaknesses in a manner that honors their memories while simultaneously pointing out their faults and failures. In contrast, Russel Baker's essay, "A Nice Place to Visit" is filled with snarky sarcasm directed entirely at the "pretentions" of Toronto as a modern city. Ultimately, Baker concludes that Toronto is simply too nice a place to visit. Baker uses humor to express his personal editorial view on the city of Toronto - he does so to make a humorous point - and it is quite effectively crafted. Both of these essays take up the concept of the compare and contrast structure, and both succeed in their work. However, it is Catton's essay that has the greatest balance, and thus a true contrasting can take place. While Baker's essay is funny, it fails to be fully truthful and thus cannot be accepted without direct observation.

They were two strong men, these oddly different generals, and they represented the strengths of two conflicting currents that, through them, had come into final collision" (Catton, 631). Catton sets up his essay by creating a sense of equality between his subjects. This feeling is confirmed throughout his work - that the facts are accurate, the character descriptions believable, and that by looking deeply at these two men, we can learn something about ourselves and find things to emulate.

In Baker's essay, the author has purposefully chosen to write a spoof-comparison essay relating his own personal opinions about society, manners and the speriourity of New York.

The method of achieving this is to make point-by-point comparisons without any intention of actually giving genuine praise to Toronto. As such, all comparisons in the Baker essay are made through sarcasm.

Personality is a significant element within both essays. In Catton's it takes on the importance of providing the necessary humanity that a good history requires. Lee is described as embodying, "the noblest elements of [the South's] aristocratic ideal. Through him, the landed nobility justified itself." Baker uses the same form of reverential speech, but with a completely opposite effect. "For a city that aspires to urban greatness, Toronto's entire taxi system has far to go. At present, it seems hopelessly bogged down in civilization." What are we to take from this? He is being irreverent, clearly, and his tone communicates a reverence for New York in the absence of genuine compliments about Toronto. Catton's descriptions of Lee and Grant are filled with respect for both men and Catton would hardly consider his work entertainment. Baker, however, has every intention of making the reader laugh (be it uncomfortable or genuine) at both Toronto and New York. but, again, where Catton seeks to elevate the two subjects of his work to a particular status, Baker is clearly wanting to take Toronto down several pegs for, perhaps, acting superior to New York.

When positively comparing Lee and Grant, Catton says, "Under everything else, they were marvelous fighters. Furthermore, their fighting qualities were really very much alike...in each man there was an indomitable quality." The language used by Baker is much less genuine and clear in intent, "The subway, on which Toronto prides itself, was a laughable imitation of the real thing. The subway cars were not only spotlessly clean, but also fully illuminated. So were the stations. To the New Yorkers, it was embarrassing..." What Baker says throughout the essay is that New York is loud, rude, aggressive, cold, dirty, and that he absolutely without question loves it that way.