Okay, so “The Flowers” and “A Rose for Miss Emily” are similar yet different…so what? Apples and oranges are similar yet different, too. So what? They’re both fruit, both have peels, but one is red, and the other is orange. So what? If that’s all there is to it, then why bother?

1. How does society play a role in two different stories?

2. How does setting reflect character?

3. How does the author treat a subject in different stories?

4. Compare and contrast characters in two different stories.

5. What images consistently dominate two different stories? (Look at metaphorical rather than literal connections).

6. How do authors develop protagonists and antagonists in two different stories?