Sophomore World Lit
Name:________________________________
The Kite Runner In-class Essay
Directions: Write a literary response essay in response to the following prompt.
Prompt: What theme is Khaled Hosseini communicating about one of the following topics:
o Transgressions and Redemption
o Loyalty and Betrayal
o Courage and Cowardice
o Jealousy and Selflessness
o Values and Integrity
Your essay should include:
 A thesis statement
 Three body paragraphs (including claim, evidence, and analysis)
 Direct quotes from the novel
If you are reading A Thousand Splendid Suns, you may choose one of the following options:
o Write an essay comparing and contrasting a theme in both A Thousand Splendid Suns and The
Kite Runner
o Write an essay about a theme in A Thousand Splendid Suns
o Write an essay about a theme in The Kite Runner
Rubric:
Criteria
Thesis
(4) Exceeds Standards
Meets all the criteria of (3) and:
□ Includes a Level 3 Thesis
□ Thesis communicates a highly thoughtful and sophisticated idea beyond class discussions
(3) Meets Standards
□ Includes a Level 2 Thesis
□ Is concise, logical, and clearly stated
Claims
(4) Exceeds Standards
Meets all the criteria of (3) and:
□ Claims are clearly stated, concise, and logical
(3) Meets Standards
□ Each claim states an argument that gives focus to that section in the paper
Evidence
(4) Exceeds Standards
Meets all the criteria of (3) and:
□ Chooses the best evidence from the novel to support the claim.
□ Chooses evidence that allows for making inferences and close analysis of the text.
□ The context provided explains to readers what they ought to look for while reading the
quote.
(3) Meets Standards
□ Is clearly connected to the claim
□ Provides evidence for all claims
□ Context is given to introduce the quote
Score
Sophomore World Lit
Name:________________________________
Analysis
(4) Exceeds Standards
Meets all the criteria of (3) and:
□ Makes thoughtful inferences about the evidence provided
□ Analysis offers new insight and a deeper understanding of the claim/thesis
(3) Meets Standards
□ Provides below-the-surface analysis for each piece of evidence
□ Provides the logical steps needed to link the evidence to the claim and thesis
Grammar, Mechanics, Organization, Transitions, Style, and MLA Conventions
(4) Exceeds Standards
□ Transitions are used to help emphasize specific ideas in the essay
□ Sentence structure is varied: includes both simple and complex sentence structures
□ Strong verbs are used, passive voice is avoided
□ There are absolutely no grammatical, punctuation, or spelling mistakes
(3) Meets Standards
□ Organization of the paper helps make the argument easy to follow
□ Transitions are used to smoothly take the reader from one idea to the next
□ Ideas are clearly presented in precise language
□ Avoids clichés, awkward phrasing, and uses the present tense
□ There are up to 2 minor grammatical, punctuation, or spelling mistakes
□ Evidence cited correctly
□ A title is included
Total Score (out of 20)
Ms. Lau’s comments: