The writing technique of contrast and comparison can help a person to find common ground while analyzing differences and discuss them together, thus adding richer colors to the theme. When discussing the similarities, people can find the common advantages or disadvantages of the relationship between the characters in their stories; when analyzing the differences, people can find the different positions of the characters in the stories, so as to determine which side is correct. The technique of contrast and comparison is best used for writing essays, and there is plenty of contrast and comparison between characters in a novel. The Gold Cadillac, and around the three themes Racism and Prejudice Family and Loyalty Identity and Self-Respect.
Racism and Prejudice treat African Americans so unfair and biased compare to native Americans. The most serious discriminatory mentality is the American police. They are always very polite and friendly to white people. Sometimes they even let them go when they make mistakes. On the contrary, when it comes to black people, the police often find fault with black people and then detain them, because in the minds of these biased police officers, black people are inherently discriminated against. It is certainly a stark contrast "The car was a symbol, not just of what we had, but of what they thought we had no right to. The people who stared at us didn’t see a family in a car, they saw a black man and woman and two children in a Cadillac, something that was beyond our place." In this quote, racism and prejudice are shown through the way the community reacts to the gold Cadillac. The prejudice comes from the belief that African Americans shouldn’t have such nice things, and this idea comes from the deep-rooted racism in society. Instead of seeing the family as just a family, the community only sees them as a black family who, in their eyes, doesn’t deserve to have a car like that. The compare and contrast of the different race describes this unfair and cruel society.
Compare and contrast reflects the family issue and different people's views and attitudes towards family. No matter what happens, what dilemma people are in, people should always remember that family is the first place that they should cherish and protect forever. “My father’s eyes were steady and calm, and I could tell he wasn’t going to back down. He didn’t care what anyone thought. He was doing this for us, for the family.” This example shows that although the police and society are trying to tear this family apart, scorning and despising them, Dad still does not show a trace of fear because he knows that behind him is his family. If he is afraid, the whole family will suffer which shows a comparision of the attitude between and the other African Americans to the police. The theme of family is often in every excellent novel, and contrast and comparison can perfectly reflect this theme.
Contrast and compare are potent tools for shaping diverse characters while introducing various actions and behaviors to Create distinct and vivid characters. Dad’s attitude "It’s a fine car, isn’t it? A real fine car. We’re going to drive this thing all over the South, show it to my folks. They ain't never seen nothing like it."' Mother's concern: "I don’t like it," Mama said. "I don’t like it at all. We don’t need a car like that. It’s too much money, and besides, it ain’t safe. Not down South, not with the way things are." This example shows that when the Father buys the new car, he is excited and proud of this achievement, while the Mother is concerned about wasting too much money. Contrast and comparison often allow readers to understand the deeper meaning of the author
In conclusion, The Gold Cadillac skillfully uses the technique of contrast and comparison and is reflected in three themes: contrast and comparison between society and race, contrast and comparison about the value that different people place on family, and contrast and comparison of the deeper relationships between characters. The skill of compare and contrast helps people think more critically, understand complicated ideas better, organize your thoughts clearly, make stronger arguments, solve problems more effectively, see both sides of an issue, and make individuals writing deeper and more interesting.
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