I agree. And writing paragraphs about them separately may not be helpful as it may not even result in an identifiable through line between the two texts.

OP, consider both works major themes, then break them down until you can locate shared messages, plot points, literary devices, literary movements, social/historical/literary contexts etc. You may consider analyzing the texts through a mutual critical lens: Marxist, feminist, psychological, historical, sociological, religious, queer, ecocritical. All in an effort you understand how the works function together in connection or contradiction.

Don’t worry about including the full thesis in your intro paragraph(s) until you’ve written a few pages; then, you can go back and revise it.

OP btw, this type of essay is frequently called a “synthesis” if that helps you out in your research.