Similarities

Differences

Initial Comparison/Contrast of Thomas Gray and William Styron

Thomas Gray and William Styron are both white men writing about the story of an African American man.

They both wrote works explaining motives and reasoning behind Nat Turner's brutal killings of white people.

Thomas Gray's explanation behind Nat Turner's motives was based upon Turner's relationship with God. Styron's adaptation was more focused on love and Turner's relationship with a white teenage girl.

Gray received Turner's account directly; however, Styron primarily relied on Gray's work for research.