A: It was freezing cold out on the prairie, but Daniel trudged on. He had to find firewood. His mother was ill. She needed the warmth of a fire. So many people on the wagon train had died. Daniel was scared. He wondered if they would ever reach Oregon by the end of 1861.
B: “Hello, Chicago Power Company?” Bob said into the phone. “I need you to come fix our furnace. The heat won’t come on, and it’s very cold. My mother’s sick. It’s a fairly new furnace, too. Mom said it was installed in 2005. Can you come right away?” He hung up and got blankets out of the closet to cover his mother until help came.
Compare and contrast the two characters in these passages. In your answer, be sure to identify the setting of each passage and the conflict faced by each boy. How does the historical era in which each boy lives affect his conflict? Use events and details from the passages to support your ideas.
1. Be sure to address ALL parts of the assignment.
2. Read and study the following to make sure you’re clear about how to organize and write a comparison/contrast paper:
http://guidetogrammar.org/grammar/composition/comparison.htm
In Passage A, the setting is on the prairie, where Daniel is facing freezing cold weather. The conflict that Daniel faces is the need to find firewood to keep his sick mother warm. The historical era in which Daniel lives is during the wagon train journey to Oregon in 1861. This historical era greatly affects his conflict as the harsh conditions and uncertain future of the wagon train journey make it difficult for him to provide for his mother's needs and worry if they will reach their destination.
In Passage B, the setting is in a house where Bob is experiencing a cold temperature due to a broken furnace. The conflict faced by Bob is the need to get the furnace fixed in order to keep his sick mother warm. The historical era in which Bob lives is more recent, as indicated by the mention of the furnace being installed in 2005. The historical era in this case does not have a significant impact on Bob's conflict, as modern resources and services are available to help resolve the issue.
To compare the two characters, both Daniel and Bob are motivated by their concern for their sick mothers, and both are dealing with the challenge of ensuring warmth in a cold environment. However, Daniel's conflict is rooted in the historical era of the wagon train journey, where resources and help may be limited. On the other hand, Bob's conflict is more immediate and can be resolved through contacting a modern utility company for assistance.
Overall, the historical era plays a significant role in shaping the nature and intensity of the conflicts faced by each boy. It affects the availability of resources, the level of uncertainty, and the challenges they encounter in finding a solution to their respective situations.