I Will Always Write Back Character Analysis

Martin Ganda

Martin, one of the book’s coauthors, is a boy from Zimbabwe who becomes Caitlin Stoicsitz’s pen pal and eventual best friend. They exchange letters from the late 1990s through the early 2000s. He lives… read analysis of Martin Ganda

Caitlin Stoicsitz Alifirenka

Caitlin, one of the book’s coauthors, is a girl from Hatfield (a small town outside of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania). Starting in the late 1990s, she becomes a long-distance pen pal and eventually a best friend to… read analysis of Caitlin Stoicsitz Alifirenka

Caitlin’s Mom (Anne Neville)

Anne Neville is Caitlin and Richie’s mother, and she eventually becomes part of a surrogate “American family” for the Zimbabwean boy Martin Ganda. From the beginning, Anne supports Caitlin’s correspondence with Martin, although… read analysis of Caitlin’s Mom (Anne Neville)

Martin’s Father (George Ganda)

George Ganda works in a paper mill and is the father of Martin Ganda (Caitlin’s Zimbabwean pen pal), as well as Martin’s siblings Nation, Simba, Lois, and George. Even… read analysis of Martin’s Father (George Ganda)

Martin’s Mother (Chioniso Ganda)

Chioniso is the mother of Martin Ganda (Caitlin’s Zimbabwean pen pal), as well as Martin’s siblings Nation, Simba, Lois, and George. Though she can be strict and often complains… read analysis of Martin’s Mother (Chioniso Ganda)

Caitlin’s Dad (Richard Stoicsitz)

Richard Caitlin and Richie’s father. Like his wife, Anne Neville, he becomes a surrogate parent to the Zimbabwean boy Martin Ganda. Richard has a government job that he isn’t allowed to talk… read analysis of Caitlin’s Dad (Richard Stoicsitz)

Richie

Richie is Caitlin’s older brother and Richard and Anne’s son. Though he sometimes teases Caitlin, ultimately he supports his sister, even offering his clothes to send as donations to Caitlin’s Zimbabwean pen pal… read analysis of Richie

Wallace

Wallace is one of the first friends that Martin makes when he leaves behind his old school in Zimbabwe to attend one of the nation’s most prestigious boarding schools. Like Martin, Wallace also comes from… read analysis of Wallace

Nation

Nation is Martin’s older brother. It was his birth that caused Martin’s father and Martin’s mother to get married and move to Chisamba Singles (to be near Martin’s father’s job in the paper mill)… read analysis of Nation

Damon

Damon is Caitlin’s first serious boyfriend. Though he can sometimes be immature and jealous, the fact that his father struggles with multiple sclerosis has helped make Damon more sensitive than other boys his age… read analysis of Damon

Alois

Alois is Martin’s cousin Sekai’s husband. He works in a bank, and when Martin goes to visit him, Martin sees a level of success that he hasn’t encountered before in Zimbabwe. Alois inspires… read analysis of Alois

Mrs. Miller

Mrs. Miller is Caitlin’s middle school teacher who organizes the pen pal program that pairs up Caitlin and Martin. Though Caitlin and Martin’s correspondence soon leaves the classroom, Mrs. Miller represents how one… read analysis of Mrs. Miller

Mrs. Jarai

Mrs. Jarai is Martin’s teacher who organizes the pen pal program through which he first writes to Caitlin. Compared to Caitlin’s American teacher, Mrs. Miller, Mrs. Jarai has to deal with a… read analysis of Mrs. Jarai

Minor Characters

Sekai

Sekai is Martin’s cousin and Alois’s wife. She and Alois become aspirational figures to Martin because they are well-educated and well-off compared to Martin’s immediate family. Their success is part of what encourages Martin to pursue his own education.

Lauren

Lauren is one of Caitlin’s friends while growing up in Hatfield. Their relationship is complicated, as they frequently go from being best friends to not talking. For Caitlin, Martin represents a more stable friendship, without the complications of a relationship like the one she has with Lauren.

Simba

Simba is Martin’s younger brother. He starts acting out in school after Martin’s father loses his job, showing one of the effects that poverty can have on kids growing up.

Lois

Lois is Martin’s younger sister and the only daughter of Martin’s father and Martin’s mother. Inspired by Martin’s own success in school, Lois herself grows up planning to one day study at a U.S. university.

Dzmitry Alifirenka

Dzmitry Alifirenka is the man that Caitlin marries in the book’s epilogue. Martin is there to give a speech at their wedding, signifying how his bond with Caitlin has continued even after their letters to each other stopped.

Carola

Carola is Caitlin’s German cousin, who seems strange to Caitlin but who is actually very popular in school. She helps Caitlin begin to realize that the world is bigger than her small, suburban hometown.

Matt Johnson

Matt a boy in Hatfield who plays soccer and who is one of Caitlin’s first big crushes.

George

George is Martin’s youngest brother, named after Martin’s father.

Stephie

Stephie is the German exchange student whom Caitlin and her family host.