Comparing and Contrasting

Comparing and contrasting are important strategies in reading.  Comparing is when you tell how two characters, settings, or events are alike.  Contrasting is when you tell how two characters, settings, or events are different.  It is important to think about how characters, settings, or events are alike and different as you read.  This will help you make connections to the story and understand the characters, settings, and events better.

Today, in class, we practiced an example of comparing and contrasting.  We read the story The Memory String by Eve Bunting.  The story is about a girl, named Laura, who has a memory string.  The string is full of buttons that remind her of important people in her family.  One day, the string breaks and the buttons are scattered through the yard.  Her dad and her stepmother, Jane, help her search for the buttons.  But, after their searching, one button is still missing.  Jane keeps looking until she finds the button, and this helps her connect with Laura.

We compared and contrasted Laura's father, and her stepmother Jane:

We found that Laura's father and Jane are alike because they both care about Laura very much and they both enjoy being with each other.

We found that they are different because Laura's father is her birthparent and Jane is a stepparent.  They are also different because Laura's father does not understand how important the buttons on the memory string are to Laura, but Jane does understand and keeps searching for the button until she finds it.

We were able to make two comparisons and two contrasts for Laura's father and Jane in the story.

You should do this also when you are reading.  Look for ways that the characters, settings, or events in your story are the same.  Then, look for ways they are different.  This strategy will help you understand the story better and make better connections to it.