Biete Giorgis Church at Lalibela, Ethiopia vs. Great Mosque of Djenné
The essay should answer the question, “How are the objects similar?” and “How are the objects different?” The key to a good compare and contrast essay is to organize the paragraphs by theme where both works of art are discussed all the way through. What are the themes? Choose any of the formal qualities – such as style, material, size, use of line, texture, shape, etc. You also need to include a discussion of the objects’ functions. So what was the object used for? Who used it? Where was it originally located? Who was supposed to see or not see the works? The essay should be about 1-2 pages in length, 12 point font, Times New Roman, 1-inch margins, double-spaced.**Remember, the most important thing is to discuss the works together. So for example, if you make a point that the materials are different – you need to explain why that is important and talk about both works together. Or if the subject matter is the same – why is it the same? what is being portrayed in each work? If you just write about one work for a couple of paragraphs and then the other, that will result in a low grade.