Hello, everyone.

It's lovely to see you here today.

Welcome to the final lesson from the world at war poetry unit.

My name's Dr.

Clayton, and I'm here to guide you through your learning today.

Welcome to the final lesson from the World at War Poetry Unit.

This lesson is called writing detailed comparisons between two poems. We're going to explore a comparative and it's question that asks you to consider now Naidu's "The Gift of India" with one other poem.

We're going to consider how we can really break down not only the question itself, but also the component parts of the essay, and how this will help us to write a response.

While we'll be focusing our examples and ideas on one specific analytical question, all these techniques will be helpful to any analytical essay that you write.

The key words that we'll be using in the learning today are comparative, ruminate, topic sentence, romanticise, and conjunctions.

The definitions for our keywords are appearing on your screen now.

These words will help you to unlock the learning today, and you'll see them throughout the learning material.

If you can, try to use them in your discussions and written work today.

So we have two learning cycles in our lesson today.

For our first learning cycle, we're gonna break down a comparative analytical essay by considering how to structure your answer, how to write a comparative thesis statement, how to write a comparative topic sentence, and how to use comparative conjunctions.

For our final learning cycle, we're going to focus on how to write your response by first thinking about what a sentence stems might support you in your written response, and also deconstructing a model before you'll have a go at writing your own comparative response at the end of the lesson.

There are several ways you can lay out your essay as a whole, and this is one method of doing so, which involves interspersing your comparative analysis throughout your essay, and this is the method we're going to use in our examples and planning today.

The benefits of this method are that it ensures you're giving equal weight to both poems, and that your comparisons are leading towards an argument as a whole.

Our question of the comparative response is compare how the concept of dying at war is presented in Naidu's, "The Gift of India," and one other poem.

So you need to choose whether you'll be using Brooke's "The Soldier," or McCrae's "In Flanders Fields" as your comparative poem.

In this structural model, in the introduction, you'll have your thesis statement.

We're going to talk about what a comparative thesis statement is in more detail in the rest of the learning cycle.

But essentially, this is where you set out your argument about the poems in relation to the concept of dying at war.

In paragraph one, you'll compare the similarities and differences the two poems have around the central focus of the question.

So if the focus of your question is on the concept of dying at war, you'll need to examine how both Naidu, and either Brooke or McCrae, present this concept.

This can be both by looking what the poems literally say about the concept in their poems, but it also might touch on the overall mood of the poems as well.

For example, the mood of Naidu's poem is one of grief and despair, while Brooke's has a peaceful and contented mood, and that feeds into what they want their reader to feel about the concept of dying at war.

For your second paragraph, you'll compare how two of the poems utilise form and structure in order to create meaning.

What you want to do is choose a structural device that both poems use.

So for example, a regular rhyme scheme is used in all three poems, and examine how the poets use this device to create different meanings.

For your third paragraph, you'll want to compare how the two poems utilise language in order to create meaning.

Again, you want to pick a language device that appears in both poems. So, you might choose to compare the use of personification in the "Gift of India" and the soldier, or the use of natural imagery in "The Gift of India," and in "Flanders Fields," and consider how the poets use these techniques to create different effects for the reader.

Remember, an analytical essay is at its core an argument, so every point you make should focus on the central theme of the question, which is the concept of dying at war.

You want to prove to the reader that your interpretation of this is the most valid.

Finally, you want to finish with a conclusion that summarises your argument about the two texts while also focusing on the writer's intentions.

The first element of your analytical essay is the comparative thesis statement.

A comparative thesis statement should name the two writers and poems that will be compared and contrasted, link to the question, make an assertion about the similarities and differences, and state how this relates to the bigger picture.

So what does it say about society? The comparative question that we'll be considering today is, compare the concept of dying at war as presented in Naidu's "The Gift of India," and one other poem.

Now, an example of a comparative thesis statement might be, "In both Naidu's "The Gift of India," and Brooke's "The Soldier," we are presented with ruminations on what it means for a soldier to die for their country.

However, while "The Soldier" presents his idea in very idealised and patriotic terms, "The Gift of India" instead privileges the value of the soldiers, and suggests their deaths result in a hollow victory." As you can see, the statement names both the writers and their poems by saying we're presented with ruminations on what it means for a soldier to die for their country.

The statement is providing a link to the question and offering a similarity in the theme of both poems. By then saying "The Soldier" presents the idea of dying for your country in very idealised and patriotic terms, while "The Gift of India" instead privileges the value of the soldiers.

The statement is making an assertion about the differences in how the perms approach the central theme.

Finally, by ending with the idea the deaths of the soldiers result in a hollow victory, the statement is making a gesture to the bigger picture because it's offering a comment on the nature of war itself, and whether war can ever truly be considered as won if soldiers' lives have paid the price for that victory.

Now for a quick check for understanding.

Which two of the following should a comparative thesis statement do? Is it A, utilise quotations, B, name the writers and their poems, C, lay out what each paragraph will be about, or D, gesture to the bigger picture? Pause the video and make your selections now.

The correct answers are B, name the writers and their poems, and D, gesture to the bigger picture.

So very well done if you selected those answers.

We're now moving on to the comparative topic sentence.

What I'd like you to do is begin by discussing what the difference between a general topic sentence and a comparative topic sentence is.

Pause the video and take a few moments to discuss.

Amazing, you had some great ideas there.

Like Laura, you might have said that a topic sentence explains the specific focus of a paragraph, and then like Alex, you might have noticed that a comparative topic sentence explains a specific point of comparison between the poems that will be the focus of the paragraph.

Now let's consider what makes a good comparative topic sentence.

One example might be, whilst both Naidu and McCrae utilise natural imagery in "The Gift of India" and in "Flanders Fields," their intended purpose differs dramatically.

While McCrae arguably romanticises the notion of dying for your country, Naidu may be offering a comment on the value of the individual rather than simply seeing them as a soldier Here by beginning with whilst both, the example is using comparative conjunctions.

By suggesting that both writers utilise natural imagery, the example gives the focus of the paragraph.

By suggesting that McCrae romanticises the notion of dying for your country while Naidu does not, the example links to the question.

Finally, by suggesting that McCrae romanticises the notion of dying of your country, while Naidu instead privileges the value of the individual, the example summarises the ideas of the paragraph concisely and coherently.

Now for a quick check for understanding.

Which of the following is not a comparative topic sentence? Is it A, Brooke's use of metaphorical language in "The Soldier," Naidu uses similes in "The Gift of India.

B, while Brooke and Naidu both utilise a regular rhyme scheme, the regularity of "The Soldier" provides a peaceful tone.

Or C, although both Brooke and Naidu personify their respective countries as mothers, Naidu's personification creates a despairing tone.

Pause the video and make your selections now.

The correct answer is A, Brooke uses metaphorical language in "The Soldier." Naidu uses similes in "The Gift of India" is not a comparative topic sentence since there are two separate sentences without any comparative discourse markers, or comparative conjunctions.

So well done if you selected that answer.

We're now going to look at comparative conjunctions.

Comparative conjunctions are used to link two ideas, and show either the similarities or differences between them.

What I'd like you to do is discuss what comparing, or words that show similarities, and what contrasting, or words that show differences, conjunctions can you use? Pause the video and take a few moments to discuss.

Well done, everyone.

Had some great ideas there.

Like Laura, you might have said you can use similarly, likewise, or equally to show similarities.

And like Sophia, you might have said you can use alternatively, in contrast, or whereas to show differences.

Here's how we might use comparative conjunctions in a sentence starting with comparing conjunctions, or those that show similarities we have, similarly, likewise, and equally.

In a sentence, you might say that, "Brooke creates a hopeful tone through positive imagery; similarly, McCrae also creates a hopeful tone through positive symbolism.

We can then interchange similarly for likewise and equally.

If you notice the way the sentence is punctuated, because you are connecting together two sentences with a similar idea, you can use a semicolon at the end of your first sentence about Brooke, followed by your compare and conjunction, and then a comma before you begin your second sentence about McCrae.

In terms of contrast and conjunctions, or those that show differences, you might use the conjunctions in contrast, alternatively, or whereas.

In an example sentence, this might look like "Brooke creates a hopeful tone through positive imagery; In contrast, Naidu creates a mood of despair through negative adjectives." And then we can substitute in contrast for alternatively and whereas.

Again, notice that the correct punctuation is to have a semicolon after your sentence about the first poem, followed by your contrast and conjunction, then a comma, and then your second sentence about your second poem.

Now for a quick check for understanding, which two of the following would you use to show similarities between two ideas? So A, likewise, B, alternatively, C, whereas, or D, equally.

Pause the video and make your selections.

The correct answers are A, likewise, and D equally.

So well done if you selected those answers.

You're all doing really well, everyone.

We're now into our first task of the lesson.

What I'd like you to do is complete the single paragraph outline by using the supporting detail to write a comparative topic and concluding sentence.

Just a quick recap that a topic sentence explains the specific focus of the paragraph, and should be written in full sentences, and a concluding sentence provides a summary of the paragraph with a clear focus on the writer's purpose.

This should also be written in a full sentence.

You've been given three supporting details.

The first is that "The Soldier" and "The Gift of India" both use a regular rhyme scheme.

The second is the regularity of the rhyme in "The Soldier" suggests a sense of peace and contentment.

And the third is that the regularity of the rhyme in "The Gift of India" suggests a sense of something predictable.

So what comparative topic and concluding sentence can you think of that would match those details? Pause the video and create your answers now.

Amazing work, everyone.

You might have said, a comparative topic sentence might be, "While both "The Soldier" and "The Gift of India" utilise regular rhyme schemes, this creates a different effect in both poems, resulting in a different mood." Here you've shown that the focus of the paragraph will be the regular rhyme scheme, but you've noted the poets utilise the structural feature in different ways to create different moods.

Your concluding sentence might then be whilst both "The Soldier" and "The Gift of India" utilise regular rhyme schemes, Naidu's intention behind the regularity in "The Gift of India" is arguably a comment on the futility of protesting against war, since it was inevitable the soldiers would fight and die.

While Brook's intention through the regularity may have been to reflect the peace and contentment of the soldier.

Here, the sentence summarises the paragraph, while also gesturing back to the overall theme of dying at war.

You're all doing really well, everyone.

We're now into our second and final learning cycle where we're going to focus on writing a comparative response.

To begin with, let's just go through some sentence stems that will support your written response.

Some examples of discourse markers to signpost your argument might be, initially, furthermore, consequently, thus, and in conclusion.

These are important to use throughout your answer as they help the reader to follow your argument, and understand their place in the essay.

Examples of comparative conjunctions to show comparisons might be likewise, on the other hand, contrastingly, however, whereas, similarly, and alternatively.

Finally, to show your inference and analysis, you might use phrases such as this suggests, implies, emphasises, the use of X reveals, demonstrates, and the writer effectively conveys.

So try to use those in your written response if you can.

Now let's have a look at what that might look like.

What I'd like you to do is read through the model paragraph and find examples of best practise.

So the model reads, "While both Naidu and Brooke utilise the personification within "The Gift of India" and "The Soldier," they do so to create different effects on the reader.

Naidu's use of the adjectives torn and stricken conveys the image of a mother who has had her sons taken away from her.

Whereas, Brooke focuses on the concept of England, raising the speaker, and therefore implies the soldier should happily fight for England given the emotional connection between them.

Thus, both writers utilise personification.

However, Naidu's use of it creates a grieving tone, while Brooke's use creates a contented tone." Pause the video and see if you can find examples of best practise.

Amazing.

Well done, everyone.

By beginning the paragraph with the phrase, while both, and beginning the final sentence with thus, the paragraph is providing effective discourse markers so the reader can see where this part of the argument begins and ends.

By using the words whereas and however, the model is using comparative conjunctions to show differences.

Then, through the phrases, Naidus's use of adjectives torn and stricken conveys the image of, Brooke focuses on the concept of England raising the speaker and therefore implies, Naidu's use of it implies, and Brooke's use of it emphasises, the model is showing where the inference and analysis is happening.

Now for a quick check for understanding.

What I'd like you to do is match the sentence stem with the purpose.

So what is the purpose of using furthermore, what is the purpose of using on the other hand, and what is the purpose of using the use of X demonstrates? Your options are discourse marker to signpost your argument, to show inference and analysis, or comparative conjunction to show comparisons.

Pause the video and make your selections now.

The correct answers are that furthermore is a discourse marker to signpost your argument.

On the other hand is a comparative conjunction to show comparisons, and the use of X demonstrates is used to show inference and analysis.

So well done if you selected those answers.

You've all done really well today, everyone.

We're now into the final task of the lesson.

What I'd like you to do is take all your knowledge about the poems and how to write an analytical essay, and write a comparative response to the question.

Compare how the concept of dying at war is presented in Naidu's "The Gift of India," and one other poem.

Remember to use the following structure.

Use your introduction for a comparative thesis statement that introduces the poets and poems, as well as their similarities and differences.

Use paragraph one to discuss similarities and differences in how the poems present the theme of dying at war.

Use paragraph two to compare how the poems use form and structure to create meaning.

Use paragraph three to compare how the poets use language to form meaning, and then use your conclusion to summarise the argument.

Remember that you are choosing the second poem, so which poem, out of "The Soldier" and "Flanders Fields," do you think would work best as a comparison to Naidu's "The Gift of India?" Pause the video and create your answers now.

Amazing, everyone.

Some fantastic work there.

Now it's time to self-assess your work for your response to the question.

Compare how the concept of dying at war is presented in Naidu's "The Gift of India," and one other poem.

In order to self-assess your work, read back through your answer and see if you've included the following.

Have you included a comparative thesis statement that names both the writers and their poems that you'll be analysing? Does it link to the question and offer similarity on the theme of dying at war? Does it make an assertion of differences, and does it gesture towards the bigger picture? Then, have you included a paragraph which compares the themes and ideas of the poems around the concept of dying at war? Have you then created a paragraph on how the writers have used form and structure to create meaning? Have you included a paragraph on how the writers have used language to create meaning, and then have you ended on a conclusion that summarises your argument, and focuses on the writer's intentions.

Throughout your work, have you used comparative topic sentences for each paragraph that uses comparative conjunctions, gives the focus of the paragraph, offers a link back to the concept of dying at war, and summarises the ideas of the paragraph concisely? Finally, have you used comparative conjunction throughout to compare the similarities and differences of the two poems? Pause the video and have a read back through your work.

You all did really well today, everyone.

Here's a summary of what we covered today.

We said that comparative thesis statements should present the overall argument of the essay.

Comparative topic sentences should introduce the focus of the paragraph, and comparative conjunctions should be used throughout to present similarities and differences.

I really hope you enjoyed this lesson, and the rest of the unit as a whole.

Goodbye, everyone.