1. The Kite Runner: Amir as a Complex Character Analyzing motivations and conflicts in a complex literary character

2. Characters are People When writing a novel a writer should create living people; people not characters. A character is a caricature. -- Ernest Hemingway What causes people to be who they are? 3. Why does Amir allow Hassan to be raped? Complexity -- more than one possibility. Three possible arguments to Amirs motivation to allow Hassan, his best friend, to be raped. Argument #1: Amir is influenced by the cultural setting of the novel. Argument #2: Amirs difficult relationship to Baba causes him to abandon Hassan. Argument #3: Amirs personality traits as a person cause him to do nothing to help Hassan. 4. Objective To understand that characters are people. To understand that complex characters, like people, may have multiple motivations and conflicts which influence their behaviors. To apply notions of argument, textual support, and insight. 5. Assignment Details Create a PowerPoint that justifies one of the motivations that caused Amir to allow Hassan to be raped. To accomplish this goal, the following will need to be done: 1) Refine the argument given to your team for accuracy and specificity. 2) Include three of the best textual supports from the novel. At least one textual support must come from after the rape scene in Chapter 7. 6. Assignment Details (continued) 3) Identify the impact and effect of literary elements that are present within the textual supports 4) Include insight for each textual support. This should be embedded in the slide as voice-over. Thus, the slide shows will not be presented in class, but watched and listened to electronically. 7. Assignment Details (continued) 5) The file should be saved in the following manner depending upon which motivation and team number you are assigned: Amirs Motivation Setting Team # Amirs Motivation Baba Team # Amirs Motivation Himself Team # Example: Amirs Motivation Setting Team 2 8. Outcomes The Teams PowerPoint Comments to other teams PowerPoints An essay that incorporates the most persuasive arguments, textual supports, and insights from all three possible motivations for Amirs inaction during Hassans rape 9. Grades Each team will consist of three people (with the exception of one team). Each teammate will receive two scores. 1) An overall content score shared by the team 2) An individual job score 10. Group Content Scale 4 Outstanding Not only contains all required information but contains at least two specific moments of profound thought or originality, Virtually no errors in logic are present. 3 Proficient Contains all required information (revised argument, textual supports, analysis of the impact of Literary Elements, and Insight). No more than two minor errors in logic may be present. 2 Not Quite / Approaches Lacks one of required information. May also contain one major error in logic or more than two minor errors in logic. 1 Far Below Lacks two or more required information. May contain two or more errors in logic. Every teammate is responsible for the teams content 11. Team Job : Presentation / Techical Director 4 Outstanding Not only is the text easy to read, but the presentation creatively incorporates visual enhancements that match the content successfully thoughout the presentation. 3 Proficient Text is visually easy to read. Animations, images, text effects and other visual enhancements have been attempted to enhance the content on some slides. 2 Not Quite / Approaches Text is relatively easy to read; however, animations, images, textual effects and other visual enhancements are minimal or do little to enhance the content. 1 Far Below Text is difficult to read in one or more areas. Technical difficulties are present. Virtually no attempt is made to enhance the content. Responsible for the teams visual presentation 12. Team Job : Grammar Guru 4 Outstanding No more than one grammatical errors are present in either the verbal or visual presentation. 3 Proficient No more than two grammatical errors are present in either the verbal or visual presentation. 2 Not Quite / Approaches Three to four grammatical errors are present in either the verbal or visual presentation. 1 Far Below More than four grammatical errors are present in either the verbal or visual presentation. Responsible for ensuring the visual and verbal presentations are free from grammar errors. 13. Team Job : Speech Specialist 4 Outstanding Not only is the voice over proficient, but emphasis is placed on certain key words and phrases to help the listener comprehend the complexities of the insight. 3 Proficient Voice over is clear to understand, uses vocabulary appropriate for a college-level class, while at the same time not being overly wordy all of the time. 2 Not Quite / Approaches Voice over is unclear or confusing on one slide. 1 Far Below Voice over is unclear or confusing on more than one slide. Responsible for the teams voice over. 14. Example The final slides present an example of outstanding in all three jobs and an outstanding in content. Note: This example only shows one of the three required passages required for the project. Remember, each team will need at least three textual supports! 15. Question: Why does Mrs. Mallard die when she sees her husband at the end of the novel? Given Argument Mrs. Mallard dies because she felt stifled in her marriage. 16. Given Argument: Mrs. Mallard dies from disappointment. Teams Revised Argument Mrs. Mallard felt stifled in her marriage, and had awakened to the notion of possibility that her life would have as a widow. However, the dejection from seeing her husband crushes this possibility and is too much for her to bear. 17. Best Textual Support #1: Limited Point of View, Direct Characterization, Diction She was young, with a fair, calm face, whose lines bespoke repression and even a certain strength. Literary Techniques Limited 3rd POV provides direct characterization as a woman whose lines bespoke repression. Had the POV been first person, this characterization would not have been possible. Denotatively, the word repression refers to subduing by force, suggesting that Mrs. Mallard has had to repress her feelings.