This document discusses different types of comparative essay questions and provides examples. It groups the questions into four categories: character-based questions which are easier, thematic questions which are most common, views and values questions which are harder, and structural questions which are rarest but allow for excellent analysis. It also notes that essay questions focusing on one or two ideas affect the level of difficulty and critical analysis required. Quotes included in questions can add text knowledge but are not required to answer the question.

1. Comparative Essay Questions: Know your enemy

2. Essay Question Types
• One Idea.
• Two ideas.
• With or without quotes.

3. Single Idea
• Compare the ways in which characters in Tracks and Into the Wild seek to discover what really matters to
them. (Pair 1)
• “The opportunity to act for ourselves. To try something that might force events into a different course.”
(Ransom) Compare the ways the two texts explore opportunities for change. (Pair 2)
• “People were crazy with pain and secrets.” (Stasiland) “…if you want to keep a secret you must also hide it
from yourself.” (Nineteen Eighty-Four) Compare how secrets affect the characters in these texts. (Pair 3)
• ‘It is possible to never feel completely at home in a new country.’ Compare how these two texts examine this
possibility. (Pair 4)
• ‘For many migrant families, it is the desires and experiences of previous generations that shape their own.’
Compare how this idea is explored in these texts. (Pair 4)
• ‘Ordinary people sometimes make extraordinary sacrifices for others.’ Compare how this idea is
demonstrated in these texts. (Pair 5)
• Compare the ways that women view other women in both Bombshells and The Penelopiad. (Pair 6)
• Compare how these texts explore the importance of belonging. (Pair 7)
• Compare how the issue of gender inequality is explored in the two texts. (Pair 8)

4. Two ideas
• Compare how, in Tracks and Into the Wild, the natural environment is both welcoming
and hostile (Pair 1)
• ‘Revenge is futile. Forgiveness is liberating.’ Compare how the two texts examine revenge
and forgiveness. (Pair 2)
• Compare the ways the two texts show that in order to retain power authorities rewrite
history. (Pair 3)
• Compare how The Crucible and Year of Wonders explore issues of victimisation and
blame. (Pair 5)
• Compare what the two texts say about individuals finding their own solutions to life’s
challenges. (Pair 6)
• “The proper word is fair.” (The Longest Memory) “…I wish to point out the gross injustice
…” (Black Diggers) Compare what these texts say about fairness and justice. (Pair 7)
• ‘Power comes from unity and persistence.’ Compare how the issue of commitment to a
cause is presented in the two texts. (Pair 8)

5. 4 ways of grouping essay
question types
• Character-based prompts: Focused on characters. (3)
• Difficulty: Easier
• Thematic prompts: Focused on big ideas. (10)
• Difficulty: Medium
• Views and values prompts: Focused on values and ethics. (2)
• Difficulty: Harder
• Structural prompts: Focused on structure and writing style. (0)
• Difficulty: Hardest

6. Character-based prompts
• Compare the ways in which characters in Tracks and Into the Wild seek to
discover what really matters to them. (Pair 1)
• “People were crazy with pain and secrets.” (Stasiland) “…if you want to
keep a secret you must also hide it from yourself.” (Nineteen Eighty-Four)
Compare how secrets affect the characters in these texts. (Pair 3)
• Compare what the two texts say about individuals finding their own
solutions to life’s challenges. (Pair 6)

7. Thematic prompts
• “The opportunity to act for ourselves. To try something that might force events into a different
course.” (Ransom) Compare the ways the two texts explore opportunities for change. (Pair 2)
• ‘For many migrant families, it is the desires and experiences of previous generations that
shape their own.’ Compare how this idea is explored in these texts. (Pair 4)
• ‘Ordinary people sometimes make extraordinary sacrifices for others.’ Compare how this idea
is demonstrated in these texts. (Pair 5)
• Compare how these texts explore the importance of belonging. (Pair 7)
• Compare how the issue of gender inequality is explored in the two texts. (Pair 8)
• Compare how, in Tracks and Into the Wild, the natural environment is both welcoming and
hostile (Pair 1)
• ‘Revenge is futile. Forgiveness is liberating.’ Compare how the two texts examine revenge and
forgiveness. (Pair 2)
• Compare how The Crucible and Year of Wonders explore issues of victimisation and blame.
(Pair 5)
• “The proper word is fair.” (The Longest Memory) “…I wish to point out the gross injustice …”
(Black Diggers) Compare what these texts say about fairness and justice. (Pair 7)
• ‘Power comes from unity and persistence.’ Compare how the issue of commitment to a cause
is presented in the two texts. (Pair 8)

8. Views and values prompts
• ‘It is possible to never feel completely at home in a new country.’
Compare how these two texts examine this possibility. (Pair 4)
• Compare the ways that women view other women in both
Bombshells and The Penelopiad. (Pair 6)

9. Structural prompts
None on the 2017 VCAA English Exam.

10. Interacting with quotes
• Quotes (You don’t need to use the quotes directly in your piece), but
rather highlight and pull out the key themes, consider also the
context of these quotes (i.e. When it was spoken, who said it to who,
and so on), these elements are the inferential meaning and themes
that you can pull out of these quotes.
• *If you are not instantly familiar with the quote included in the
question or prompt, it is best to avoid it! Or avoid referring to it,
instead focus on the thematic element of the question.

11. Key Learnings
• Theme questions are most common and should be most practiced.
• Quotes allow you to add in more text knowledge and broaden out the
essay prompt more easily.
• Essay questions with two ideas force you to be more critical and
comparative, though also more difficult.
• Structural essay questions are rare but allow for excellent analysis.