Planning and writing a diary entry
The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini
Imagine that Rahim Khan keeps a diary in which he records his thoughts and
feelings.
Write an entry for this diary on the day he gives Amir feedback on his story
(Chapter Four). In this entry, Rahim Khan reveals his thoughts on Amir’s character
and Amir’s relationship with Baba and Hassan.
You should give careful consideration to your language choices and style, which
should achieve a sense of Rahim Khan’s voice.
Before you begin writing your entry, complete the following tasks to help you plan
effectively.
1. What would you define as the purpose, audience and
form of this task?
2. What are the features of a diary entry? e.g. biased,
chronological.
3. Read through the following extract (taken from Anne Frank’s diary, aged 13) and
annotate it to show:

conventions of diary writing

linguistic/grammatical features used to engage the reader

what it suggests about the writer / her character.
I simply can’t build up my hopes on a foundation consisting of confusion, misery and
death. I see the world gradually being turned into a wilderness, I hear the everapproaching thunder, which will destroy us too, I can feel the suffering of millions and
yet, if I look up into the heavens, I think that it will all come right, that this cruelty
too will end, and that peace and tranquillity will return again.
In the meantime, I must uphold my ideals, for perhaps the time will come when I
shall be able to carry them out. (Extract from Anne Frank’s diary, aged 13)
© www.teachit.co.uk 2015
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Planning and writing a diary entry
The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini
4. Now looking specifically at The Kite Runner, plot what has happened up to this point
that would influence Rahim Khan’s diary. Remember you need to draw in any
additional knowledge you have through the book – such as the knowledge Rahim Khan
has that he reveals later on.
5. You will need to think about the narrative voice and how to achieve it. Copy and
complete the table to explore the type of language you could use.
Character
Rahim Khan
Narrative voice or important things about
the character that help to define it
Lexical and grammatical features
you could use to replicate it
Parental feelings towards Amir/encouraging
Positive lexis, extended noun phrases
and use of stative verbs when
describing Amir
Moral centre / voice of reason within the novel.
He treats those that deserve it with respect.
Reference to Pashto words – nang and
namoos, Agha, jan
When writing, you will need to consider the following:
 In order to achieve high marks for AO1 you need to show the examiner a range of
writing skills, ‘using appropriate terminology and accurate, coherent written
expression’.

Although the diary entry is, strictly speaking, a private piece, in this case it is also
a work of fiction.

You are also writing for an examiner and a mark scheme.
6. Now it’s time to answer the exam-style question:
Imagine that Rahim Khan keeps a diary in which he records his thoughts and
feelings. Write an entry for this diary on the day he gives Amir feedback on his
story (Chapter Four).
In this entry, Rahim Khan reveals his thoughts on Amir’s character and Amir’s
relationship with Baba and Hassan.
You should give careful consideration to your language choices and style, which
should achieve a sense of Rahim Khan’s voice.
After you have finished, swap your work with a partner and identify the following in
their work:



features that are appropriate for the form
linguistic and grammatical features that create a believable voice for the
character
features that make the text engaging for the reader
Identify how effective you believe the piece is in meeting: purpose, audience and
form. How could it be improved?
© www.teachit.co.uk 2015
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Page 2 of 2