Pairing The Kite Runner Novel and Atonement Film

1
Pairing The Kite Runner (Novel) and Atonement
(Film)

• SAETA Year 12 English Refresher Course 2009
• Presented by Rose Hampel

2
Introduction

• The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini
• Syllabus text
• Film adaptation can be paired with novel of
  Atonement which is also a syllabus text
• Atonement directed by Joe Wright
• I have also paired The Kite Runner with Life as a
  House
• Focus on betrayal and atonement and father-son
  relationships.

3
Where do I begin?

• I teach the paired texts unit at the beginning of
  the year to model connecting texts for students
  as they prepare to do their Individual Study.
• Students are expected to have read the novel
  during the summer holidays.
• I begin with an introduction to the sociocultural
  context of the novel The Kite Runner.

4
Teaching The Kite Runner

• Students re-read the novel and prepare for class
  discussions by answering the comprehension
  questions.
• Focus is on understanding of the narrative,
  characters and techniques used by the author.
• I conclude with a summary that draws together the
  various techniques used by Hosseini.

5
Assessing The Kite Runner

• Students complete a single text essay based on
  past exam questions.
• Focus on refining essay writing skills.
• TEX-Link structure (Topic sentence Explanation
  Example Link back to the question)

6
Teaching Atonement

• View the film once all the way through without
  interruption.
• Second viewing is a close viewing, pointing out
  techniques used by director.
• Encourage students to re-watch the film in their
  own time with the directors commentary switched
  on!

7
Interesting Features

• Narrative structure and point of view
• Scenes repeat from different points of view.
• Briony watches Cecelia and Robbie at the fountain
  from her bedroom window.
• Briony walks into the library when Robbie and
  Cecelia are having sex.
• Question of what is real and what is fiction from
  Brionys novel.
• Scene of Robbies arrest is played in reverse
  when he is dying in Dunkirk.

8
Interesting Features, cont.

• Characterisation of Briony
• Walking down the corridor sound effect of
  typewriter reflects her role as story-teller and
  gives a military feel she is very controlling.
• Editing as Robbie and Cecelia prepare for the
  dinner.

9
Assessing Atonement

• Oral presentation focussing on character
  narrative structure and point of view setting
  symbolism and motifs music and sound effects
  themes. I want students to integrate camera
  movement and angles within other areas.
• Tutorial style the aim is for the students to
  teach each other.
• Try to have students cover all the topics.
• I conduct tutorials on the topics not covered
  when I have too few students.

10
Pairing the Texts

• Focus on ideas in the texts and the techniques
  used to explore them
• Betrayal
• Nature of the betrayal
• Motivation for their betrayal
• Atonement
• Nature of the atonement is it adequate?
• Empathy for protagonists
• How culpable were they?
• To what extent does the reader/viewer empathise
  and forgive them?
• Empathy for victims of betrayal
• What was the cost to the victim?
• Create a table that draws links (similarities and
  differences) between the two texts,
• Ensure that students are recording the techniques
  that are used to explore each idea.

11
Assessing the Paired Texts

• Paired texts essay based on past essay questions.
• Focus is on understanding of the texts but also
  that they have mastered the structure of a
  connected texts essay.
• After this essay is marked and returned, we do an
  essay test using different questions so they
  begin to refine their skills writing in test
  conditions.
• Have students create a set of revision notes to
  learn teach this skill!