Kite Runner Argument Essay
Thinking Maps Directions
Brainstorm
Who suffers the most in Kite Runner?
List at least 5 afflictions each character suffers.
Amir
Hassan
Baba
Sohrab
1
1
1
1
2
2
2
2
3
3
3
3
4
4
4
4
5
5
5
5
Circle Map
HOW do you
WHAT is the
know the
main source of
source
character
the character’s
experiences
pain and
affliction
suffering?
source suffering? What
How does he source
seems to be the
affliction
affliction
react to
common thread
these
in these events?
Character
events? How
What might be
affliction
Name
source the underlying
do the
affliction
events source
reason for
change him?
most/all of this?
affliction
affliction
source
source
WHY is this character’s suffering so important to the story? Consider how it
affects conflict(s), character(s), and/or theme(s) in the story.
Flee Map
WHAT do these
particular details reveal
about the character?
Paragraph 1
Topic
HOW do these afflictions
affect the conflict(s),
character(s), and/or
Essay Topic & Stance
theme(s)?
Paragraph 2
Topic
Paragraph 3
Topic
Supporting details, elaborations, direct quotes,
paraphrases, emotional & logical appeals, etc.
WHY are these details particularly important to note in your essay?
Ethos – Pathos - Logos
Ethos – ethical appeal – Prove your credibility by
using academic voice, strong vocabulary, correct
grammar
Pathos – emotional appeal – Appeal to emotions
by using connotations and emotional stories and
examples
Logos – logical appeal – Convince audience by
using logic or reason – Cite facts, statistics, &
authorities – Use historical and literal analogies
– Construct logical arguments
Brace Map
HOW will this “hook”
engage my reader?
Hook
Introduction
Background
Topic
Thesis
WHY is this
background
information
important?
Stance
Focus/STs
WHAT does this thesis tell my reader
about the essay to follow?
Brace Map
WHY is it
important to close
with these
particular points?
Restate topic & stance
1 sentence re. Paragraph 1 topic
Conclusion
1 sentence re. Paragraph 2 topic
1 sentence re. Paragraph 3 topic
HOW does this
conclusion create
a sense of closure
for my reader?
Logical conclusion to discussion
WHAT emotion will this closing
likely evoke in my reader?
Rough Draft
Using your flee map & brace maps, compose a
rough draft of your essay’s introduction, body (3
paragraphs), and conclusion.
Once you feel like your essay is as good as you
can get it, move on to the tree map and bridge
map.
Tree Map
WHAT types of structures do
you use the most in this essay?
HOW do these structures affect
the essay’s flow or fluency?
Body Paragraph ___ Fluency
Simple
Sentences
Compound
Sentences
Complex
Sentences
Write sentences on these lines. Then combine and
separate to balance the lists and increase fluency.
WHY is it important, in terms of your ethical appeal (i.e., credibility as an
author), to revise the sentences in this particular paragraph?
Bridge Map
WHAT types of word choice
issues did you find in your essay –
ambiguity, clichés, informality,
repetition, incorrect terms?
is a more
effective
word choice
than
New
word
Original
word
as
New
word
Original
word
HOW do your original word
choices affect the essay’s tone,
mood, and/or effectiveness?
How will your substitutions
affect these elements?
as
New
word
Original
word
New
word
as
Original
word
as
New
word
Original
word
WHY is it important, in terms of your ethical appeal (i.e., credibility as
an author), to make these substitutions?
Final Draft
Make changes to your rough draft using the tree
map on sentence fluency and the bridge map on
word choice.
Write a final copy of your essay.