Comparative essays are a natural assignment for a collection such as Michel Tremblay's Bonbons Assortis, since students can pair stories that approach family, neighborhood, or memory from different angles. They are also notoriously difficult to grade, because many students write two separate summaries and call the result a comparison. Teachers need criteria that reward genuine side-by-side thinking rather than neat organization alone.

The core test of a comparative essay is whether the comparison produces a conclusion that neither story alone could support. A strong paper might argue that two stories treat the same theme with different emotional tones and then explain why that difference matters. A weak paper simply lists similarities and differences without ever asking what they reveal.

Organization can disguise this problem, so graders should look beyond tidy structure. Essays arranged story by story often drift into parallel summaries, while essays arranged by point of comparison are more likely to produce real analysis. Neither structure is required, but the rubric should make clear that the argument, not the arrangement, earns the points.

Criteria That Reward Real Comparison

A useful criterion asks whether the thesis makes a claim about the relationship between the stories. Another asks whether each body paragraph engages both texts or at least explains how one illuminates the other. These criteria push students away from the habit of treating each story as a separate topic.

• A thesis that states how the stories relate, not just that they are related
• Evidence drawn from both stories in a balanced way
• Explicit comparison language that explains similarities and differences
• A conclusion that says what the comparison reveals
• Attention to the specific choices each author makes

Common Problems to Watch For

One frequent issue is imbalance, where a student writes at length about the story they remember best and gives the second only a few lines. Another is forced comparison, where two stories are linked by a superficial feature such as both containing a mother figure. Feedback should ask students to justify why the pairing is meaningful, not just possible.

Students also tend to overstate similarities because contrast feels riskier. Encouraging them to look for productive differences often yields sharper arguments. A teacher comment that asks what changes between the two stories can help a student find a more interesting thesis.

Helping Students Choose Pairings

The quality of a comparative essay depends heavily on the pairing, so some guidance at the planning stage saves grading headaches. Offer a short list of workable pairs, or ask students to submit a one-sentence rationale before they begin drafting. Reviewing those rationales quickly catches weak pairings while there is still time to adjust.

A simple planning grid with columns for each story and rows for shared ideas can help students see where the comparison is strongest. They can fill in evidence for each cell and choose the rows with the most material. This tool takes ten minutes and often transforms a muddled essay into a focused one.

Keeping Scoring Consistent

Comparative essays tend to vary widely in structure, which can make grading inconsistent. Reading each paper with the rubric open and scoring each criterion separately before assigning a total reduces the pull of overall impressions. This approach also gives you ready-made material for feedback on specific areas.

If you use software to apply the rubric first, review its criterion-level notes and decide where you agree. The goal is not to replace your judgment but to ensure every paper receives the same careful check against the same standards. Over a full class set, that steadiness matters more than any single score.