How do two short stories help the reader to understand a common theme

Topic for Paper 2:
How do two short stories help the reader to understand a common theme? By writing this paper, you will answer this question and demonstrate the following skills for writing and literature:
• Analyze literature for a purpose
• Distinguish digital or print materials through annotation to show reading and summary skills
• Identify a common theme in two short stories
• Identify one to three examples from each story to support the theme
• Write a thesis statement that clearly identifies the titles of the stories, their authors, the theme, and what the paper will discuss about the stories and the theme
• Write clear topic sentences for paragraphs that inform the reader what the paragraph will discuss
• Develop paragraphs that explain how the examples from the stories support the topic sentence of the paragraph. Development of body paragraphs that include strong topic sentences and transitions that set up comparison/contrast of the two stories and their shared theme
• Organize a comparison and contrast paper by presenting paragraphs in a logical and interesting fashion using one of two methods for comparison and contrast: story-by-story or idea-by-idea
• Write sentences in standard American English that clearly express ideas
• Demonstrate the correct use of MLA formatting within the paper and on a Works Cited page

The paper is an analysis of two short stories that discuss the concept of courage, redemption, self-realization and sacrifice. Courage is the main topic and how courage it is represented by love, sacrifice and fear of dying and multiple other sub-topics. Please focus on the two stories and try to stay away from the life of the authors. Below the links to the short stories. Please use them, it is mandatory to use these specifically for the citations.

Beyond the Bayou” | Kate Chopin. http://americanliterature.com/author/kate-chopin/short-story/beyond-the-bayou

“The Open Boat” | Stephen Crane. http://americanenglish.state.gov/files/ae/resource_files/the-open-boat.pdf