Essays / Comparison essay: conflict in "Cages" vs "Two Kinds" and David Cooperfield vs great expectation [5]

Supposed to write a comparison essay on dad and sons conflict in Vanderhaeghe's "Cages" VS moms and daughters conflict in Tan's "Two Kinds" (or The Joy Luck Club).

Not sure what/how/where to compare among those 2?????????????

Research Papers / Discuss the accuracy of the historical setting... [2]

...in a novel. This is my first ever research paper for English.

So, for this topic, all I am doing is taking bits and parts from the novel and using secondary sources to support them???

For example...

In the novel, "King John Doe died on Jan 1 1900"

In a book written about King John Doe, I'd take the part where the author mentioned the date King John Doe died to support what was mentioned in the novel?

I am in NO way providing any opinions or criticizing the accuracy of the history setting, is that correct?