1. WRITING A LITERARY ESSAY
KITE RUNNER
WRITING A LITERARY ESSAY

2. STAGES IN THE PROCESS Analysis Planning Writing Editing
Make sure you understand the question
Planning
Construct your argument.
Organise your points
Supply evidence for the points
Writing
Use your plan to write the essay
Editing
Check your language and style

3. Analysis of the topic:
1. Highlight the key words 2. Define terms 3. Answer the following question: “ What is this essay asking me to do?”

4. Planning
Brainstorm, tabulate, or list all the important points on the topic.
Write out your argument in a sentence or two.
Now consider your introduction and conclusion

5. Outline of essay Introduction Body Conclusion
Introduce the topic. Frame an argument
Introduction
Body
Conclusion
THERE MUST BE A DIRECT LINK BETWEEN YOUR INTRODUCTION AND YOUR CONCLUSION
Elaborate on the argument
Remember to paragraph
The argument must build up logically
Reinforce what you have proved.
DO NOT INTRODUCE ANYTHING NEW INTO THE CONCLUSION
Do not end on a question.

6. Paragraph practice P.E.E.R
IF YOU FOLLOW THIS FORMAT YOU WILL SUCCEED IN WRITING A GOOD ESSAY!
P = POINT Key sentence
E = Explanation
E = Evidence /Examples
R = Refer to argument.

7. Writing the essay Follow your plan.
Make sure you follow the correct paragraph construction.
DO NOT TELL THE STORY! The content you relate must be used as evidence.
Style must be:
Formal
No slang, abbreviations, colloquialisms
Write in the present tense
Link your paragraphs
Remember the title of the novel – “ Life of Pi”, or Life of Pi or italics. Life of Pi
Note:
Plays – audience
Novels – reader
Not in first person
Spell characters’ names correctly!

8. Edit your essay
Read through the essay and check your language and spelling.
Make sure your paragraphs are linked.
Check your word limit.

9. NOW LET’S DO AN ESSAY TOGETHER!

10. How do the relationships between fathers and sons affect the events in the novel, Kite Runner

11. SOME QUESTIONS / IDEAS TO CONSIDER
What is the question asking me to discuss?
SOME QUESTIONS / IDEAS TO CONSIDER
What are the relationships between father and son in the novel?
Describe these relationships.
How do they affect events in the novel?
RELATIONSHIPS?
Amir and Baba
Some effects?
Amir spends his life trying to please his father / no consequences to the rape
Jealousy between Amir and Hassan
Hassan and Baba
Ali and Hassan
Hassan and Sohrab
Amir and Sohrab

12. Outline of the essay Must link back to the introduction Introduction
A major theme in the novel Kite runner is the relationship between fathers and sons. In most cases these relationships determine the lives of the characters in the book
Outline the various relationships
Amir and Baba
Ali and Hassan
Hassan/ Amir and Sohrab
Conclusion
Must link back to the introduction

13. A major theme in the novel Kite runner is the relationship
between fathers and sons. In most cases these relationships
determine the lives of the characters in the book. The most
extensive and far reaching effects is the relationship Baba has
with his son Amir and his son Hassan.,
Amir has a very complex relationship with Baba, and as much as
Amir loves Baba, he rarely feels Baba fully loves him back.
Amir’s desire to win Baba’s love makes him jealous of the
affection Baba shows to Hassan. Consequently, this motivates
Amir not to intervene in Hassan’s rape.

14. Baba has his own difficulty connecting with Amir. He feels guilty
treating Amir well when he can’t acknowledge Hassan as his son. As a
result, he is hard on Amir, and he can only show his love for Hassan
indirectly, by bringing Hassan along when he takes Amir out, for
instance, or paying for Hassan’s lip surgery.
Another reason Baba treats Amir so badly is he, as a character, is so
different from Amir. He longs for a son who is tougher and more like
him. Amir realises this and spends his whole life trying to make
amends for who he is.

15. In contrast with this, the most loving relationship between father and
son we see is that of Hassan and Sohrab.
Hassan, however, is killed, and toward the end of the novel we watch
Amir trying to become a substitute father to Sohrab. Their relationship
experiences its own strains as Sohrab, who is recovering from the loss
of his parents and the abuse he suffered, has trouble opening up to
Amir. Finally though, we see a trust developing and the novel ends on
a note of hope.
The relationship between father and son is an important one and in Kite
Runner we see the effects that such a relationship can have.