Essay number one is a comparison and/or contrast paper, which makes thesis building tricky at times. The thing to remember about this kind of paper is that your thesis must not simply compare and/or contrast elements in the two texts. It must go BEYOND that to SUGGEST SOMETHING ABOUT THE TEXTS.
Here is an example of a bad thesis:
There are many similarities between OROONOKO and AMIJIMA. Both protagonists fall in love, both sacrifice themselves and their lovers for a greater good, and both have to face "villains" who try to dishonor them.
While all of those ideas are well and good, the thesis above does not rise beyond a simple comparison. An analogy might be if I tell you that FAUST is a lot like HARRY POTTER, but then don't explain why that's an important thing to mention. You'd think I was wasting your time with a pointless exercise in comparison and contrast.
A better thesis might read like this:
The suicides in OROONOKO and AMIJIMA occur among couples who are victims of society. This suggests that death was the only satisfying alternative for the lovers.
This thesis is a bit better in that it seems to argue something that is suggested by the comparisons the paper will then make.
Other tips:
Write in present tense. Literature does not disappear when the book closes.
Aim for at least one quote per paragraph.
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