1. Writing an essay that sticks
closely to the topic
The Rugmaker of Mazar-e-Sharif

2. ‘The Rugmaker of Mazar-e-Sharif is
the story of one man overcoming
enormous challenges.’ How does the
narrative structure of The Rugmaker of
Mazar-e-Sharif convey Najaf’s
achievements?

3. Is the novel about one man overcoming
challenges?
What is ‘narrative structure’?
What are Najaf’s achievements and how are
they conveyed?

4. Narrative Structure
What does ‘narrative’ mean?
To narrate is to tell
You can recount events if you are narrating
You can narrate a story
You can ‘spin a yarn’
A narrator is someone who tells a story

5. Narrative Structure
What does structure mean?
To structure is to organise
To structure is to build
Narrative Structure is how the story is built or
organised

6. Narrative Structure in The Rugmaker
of Mazar-e-Sharif
Two interlinking narratives (stories) set in Australia
and Afghanistan
2001-2006 1977-2001
These narratives alternate (take turns) They go back
and forth, to and fro.
Eventually these narratives converge (come
together)

7. Narrative Structure
These two narratives are used to demonstrate how
the past informs (has an impact on) the present.
In this way the reader is given a greater
understanding of Najaf’s experiences and emotional
states
‘for me, the middle of the night is not a good time’
(p.156)

8. Narrative Structure
The authors use stories and experiences from the
past to shine a light on the present.
For example: Traditional stories like the fable of
Kandhi Hazara help Najaf to understand his own life
better.
This focuses our attention, as readers, on Najaf’s
experience as a refugee. His fears, frustrations,
hopes and joys.

9. Is The Rugmaker of Mazar-e-Sharif the
story of one man overcoming
enormous challenges?
Do I agree with this part of the topic?
Yes.
I will start my essay with the following:
The Rugmaker of Mazar-e-Sharif is about one
man overcoming enormous challenges.

10. How does narrative structure convey
Najaf’s achievements?
This is the second part of the topic that many
students ignored.
HOW is the story built to show us Najaf’s
achievements?
HOW is the story organised to show us Najaf’s
achievements?

11. OK the narrative structure needs to be
addressed in my introduction
Using a dual narrative the writers are able to
slowly reveal elements of the past that make the
present more real to the reader. As the book
proceeds we learn and understand more about
Najaf’s character, and the influences on his life.
The reader is able to begin to understand why
Najaf holds certain views.

12. Add this to the first sentence
The Rugmaker of Mazar-e-Sharif is about one
man overcoming enormous challenges. Using a
dual narrative the writers are able to slowly
reveal elements of the past that make the
present more real to the reader. As the book
proceeds we learn and understand more about
Najaf’s character, and the influences on his life.
The reader is able to begin to understand why
Najaf holds certain views.

13. THREE BODY PARAGRAPHS
Now I need to list briefly three of Najaf’s
challenges and achievements in the
introduction, which I have chosen to use in my
essay and which will make up the body of my
essay.

14. The Rugmaker of Mazar-e-Sharif is about one man
overcoming enormous challenges. Using a dual narrative
the writers are able to slowly reveal elements of the past
that make the present more real to the reader. As the
book proceeds we learn and understand more about
Najaf’s character, and the influences on his life. The
reader is able to begin to understand why Najaf holds
certain views. In understanding Najaf’s character the
reader is able to appreciate the enormity of the
challenges facing him and his extraordinary
achievements. Three significant challenges Najaf faced;
were the his injury and rehabilitation, remaining positive
at Woomera, and setting up his own business in
Melbourne. Najaf’s challenges underpinned his greatest
achievements.

15. Introduction
The Rugmaker of Mazar-e-Sharif is about one man
overcoming enormous challenges. Using a dual narrative the
writers are able to slowly reveal elements of the past that
make the present more real to the reader. As the book
proceeds we learn and understand more about Najaf’s
character, and the influences on his life. The reader is able to
begin to understand why Najaf holds certain views. In
understanding Najaf’s character the reader is able to
appreciate the enormity of the challenges facing him and his
extraordinary achievements. Three significant challenges
Najaf faced; were the loss of his brother and his injury,
remaining positive at Woomera, and setting up his own
business in Melbourne. Najaf’s challenges underpinned his
greatest achievements.

16. Najaf’s injury and rehabilitation
After Najaf’s family house was bombed, killing his
brother, Najaf’s injury and rehabilitation caused him great
distress. He started to doubt his god saying that perhaps
‘God had chosen his family for special suffering.’ He
realises ‘that a man is not what he thinks, not what he
says but what he does with his hands and legs and heart.’
He then decides to keep himself busy by knitting and
selling woollen socks. However, his beliefs became
stronger after he was cured by the little red pill given him
by the psychologist. He was then able to return to work.
This incident from his past affected Najaf’s later outlook
on life and he became a more positive person.

17. Remaining positive at Woomera
Najaf maintained a positive attitude at Woomera even
although he felt powerless, not knowing his fate. In the first
chapter of The Rugmaker of Mazar-e-Sharif he tries to relieve
his homesickness by singing an Afghani song. When the
officers start listening to him he believes himself to be ‘a man
with something to offer, a song to sing and and maybe a tale
to tell that might be worth listening to’ (p.5) Due to his strong
faith established throughout his trials in Afghanistan, he is
able to hope, and it is his hope which helps him show
compassion for his fellow inmates at Woomera. Najaf starts
working in the kitchen to do something constructive with his
time, and makes sure that everyone gets equal amounts of
food so that there are not arguments. His belief in the good of
work, is linked to his faith as he says; ‘work repays your debt
to God for making you a human being.’

18. Setting up his rugmaking business in
Australia
Najaf’s belief in the godliness of work is evident not
only in him setting up his business in Australia but
in the past, when he worked protecting the family
flock which was considered more important than
school. He says that; ‘It is important to Afghanis to
feel that what comforts come from God have been
earned, and particularly important to the Hazara.’
His work ethic permeates the chapters of the book
both past and present, and it is this achievement
which gave him his greatest happiness, in setting up
his rugmaking business in Melbourne.

19. Now I have mentioned three areas of
achievement, how should I conclude?
By going back to the topic. I will look at the
introduction and see whether I have answered
the topic.
I have said that Najaf’s achievements are due to
his strong character.
I have also said that the narrative structure
allows readers to understand Najaf’s character.
I have mentioned three achievements.

20. Conclusion
The writers make us aware of Najaf’s character
by using an effective narrative structure
Now where is that piece of information about
how narrative structure shows Najaf’s character
to the reader.
I need to go look at my notes.

21. Conclusion
The writers make us aware of Najaf’s character
by using an effective narrative structure where
the past indeed influences the present. The
success of this strategy allows the reader to
understand where Najaf’s beliefs come from. His
beliefs underpin his achievements. He was able
to successfully recover from his leg injury,
remain positive at Woomera and build a
successful business in Australia.