Worth a Thousand Words:
Photo/Picture Essays Based on
The Kite Runner
“A picture is worth a thousand words” is an old adage. Visual representations of relevant people,
places, images, and events greatly assist reading. In this assignment you will collect a set of
photos or create a set of drawings and write captions for the photos or drawings. The resulting
photo or picture “essay” will help your class, another class, or even your families understand a
theme, scene, concept, relationship, symbol, or image essential to understanding and appreciating
The Kite Runner.
The title of your photo/picture essay will substitute for the thesis statement of a standard written
essay. The images and captions will constitute the points and evidence that support your thesis.
For help structuring your essay, \ view the photo essay “The Famine the World Forgot” and the
related article “Hell Freezes Over.” The link to this photo essay can be found on the back of this
sheet.
You may choose your own subject (with approval) or select a topic from the list:
1. Depict a theme that can be traced throughout the book. *This should be one of the themes
from the original pre-reading survey.
2. In several places a character’s face is altered. (For example, after Hassan’s harelip is
repaired, he looks different.) What does the face initially look like? How is it transformed?
What is the effect of the transformation on various characters? How does this transformation
illuminate the text?
3. Depict Hassan’s life with Sanaubar, Sohrab, and Farzana. What does Hassan’s adult life
convey?
4. Depict Kabul at the beginning and end of the story.
5. Depict what Farid meant when he said that Amir had always been a tourist in Afghanistan.
6. Depict fatherhood, hospitality, or kinship in The Kite Runner.
7. Depict the relationships between Amir and his family.
8. Create a photo/picture essay that Amir might have created had he decided to tell his story in
that genre.
9. Depict your own story of personal and cultural growth, relating it to your reading of The Kite
Runner. Your story should be honest but not so personal that you would not want to share it.
These websites offer colorful photos and examples of photo essays:
Lund, Michael. “Afghanistan: Country of War.” Michael Lund: Freelance Journalist n.d. 6 June 2008
<http://www.lnd.dk/pictures.htm>.
McGirk, Tim. “The Famine the World Forgot: Hell Freezes Over.” Time 5 Mar. 2001: 46+.
<http://www.time.com/time/photoessays/afghan/photo_01.html>.
McGuire, Richard. “Journey through Afghanistan.” Richard McGuire Photo n.d. 6 June 2008
<http://richardmcguire.com/travel/asia/afghanistan/index.htm>.
Newman, Cathy. “A Life Revealed.” Photography by Steve McCurry. National Geographic Apr. 2002: 6+.
<http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2002/04/afghan-girl/index-text>.
“Photos of Afghanistan.” Afghana.com n.d. 1 July 2008
<http:..www.afghana.com/Photographs/Photos.htm>.
Warfield, Joanne. “A Photo Journal of 100 Images from 1977.” The Beauty of Afghanistan Remembered
June 2008 http://www.joannewarfieldfineart.com/afghanistan77/afghancontents.html>.
(Be sure to click on the photo portions as well as the story.)
n.d. 6
Middle Ground: Exploring Selected Literature from and about the Middle East by Sheryl L. Finkle and Tamara J.
Lilly copyright 2008 NCTE.