Goldberg and McCann arrive together at Meg's boarding house, and the play never fully explains who they work for or what they want. Goldberg is the talker, full of nostalgic stories and smooth reassurance, while McCann is quieter, more physical, and prone to sudden bursts of anger. This contrast makes the pair ideal for a compare and contrast essay, provided the assignment asks for analysis rather than a simple list of differences.

Students often default to a two column structure in which one paragraph describes Goldberg and the next describes McCann. That approach produces tidy but shallow essays because it never forces the student to say what the comparison reveals. A stronger structure organizes the paper around a shared question, such as how each man contributes to Stanley's collapse.

The rubric should reward essays that make this move. Give separate credit for the thesis, the quality of the evidence for each character, and the strength of the comparison itself. That way a student who writes beautifully about each man but never connects them can see exactly where the paper fell short.

Building the Rubric Criteria

A useful rubric for this assignment has four main criteria. The thesis should make a claim about what the two characters accomplish together rather than describing each separately. The evidence should include short, accurate quotations, and the analysis should explain how word choice, tone, and behavior shape the effect on Stanley and the audience.

• A thesis that argues how the two men function as a pair, not merely how they differ
• Specific moments for each character, such as Goldberg's speeches and McCann's torn newspaper
• Analysis of language, including Goldberg's reassuring clichés and McCann's clipped replies
• A comparison that reaches a conclusion about control, menace, or conformity
• Clear organization that avoids a block by block summary of each man

Common Problems in Comparison Essays

A frequent issue is false symmetry, where students claim the two men are opposites without noticing how often they act in tandem. During the interrogation, for example, their questions interlock so that Stanley cannot respond to either one. Feedback should invite students to examine how the contrast is a tactic that serves a shared purpose.

Another problem is thin evidence for McCann, who speaks less and is therefore easier to overlook. Encourage students to read his actions as closely as his lines, including the way he shreds the newspaper strip by strip. A paper that gives McCann equal attention shows more careful reading than one that treats him as a silent accessory to Goldberg.

Using the Rubric for Fast, Consistent Grading

A rubric with clear descriptors lets you move through a stack of essays without rewriting the same explanation each time. Highlight the descriptor that matches each criterion and add a single comment about the most important improvement. Students receive precise guidance and you finish sooner than you would by marking every sentence.

Sharing the rubric before students draft also changes the quality of the work. When students know that the comparison itself carries weight, they plan their essays differently and avoid the block by block structure. The rubric becomes a teaching tool as much as a grading tool.