I Will Always Write Back

I Will Always Write Back

by

Caitlin Alifirenka, Martin Ganda, and Liz Welch

Teachers and parents! Our Teacher Edition on I Will Always Write Back makes teaching easy.

Caitlin’s Dad (Richard Stoicsitz) Character Analysis

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 about with his family. This sometimes causes stress, particularly on September 11th, when he isn’t answering his phone. But for the most part, Richard is there for his family, always home on time to have dinner with them. Richard’s job pays well; he is able to buy a car for Caitlin before she even has her driver’s license. This contrasts with Martin’s father’s situation: he also wants to provide for his family, but he struggles to do so, in part because of high inflation and unemployment in Zimbabwe.

Caitlin’s Dad (Richard Stoicsitz) Quotes in I Will Always Write Back

The I Will Always Write Back quotes below are all either spoken by Caitlin’s Dad (Richard Stoicsitz) or refer to Caitlin’s Dad (Richard Stoicsitz). For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
Kindness and Generosity Theme Icon
).
Part 3: Caitlin, November 1999 Quotes

Reading that letter brought tears to my eyes. He was so proud. He had never asked me for help. Asking my parents for help was probably one of the hardest things for him to have to do. He did not want to burden me. He knew that I would get sick worrying about him in such need. But there it was, written on paper, a huge SOS. My parents knew I had a pen pal in Zimbabwe, but they did not know how close we had become. That evening, I decided to tell them everything. It was the only way I could truly help Martin.

Related Characters: Caitlin Stoicsitz Alifirenka (speaker), Martin Ganda, Caitlin’s Mom (Anne Neville), Caitlin’s Dad (Richard Stoicsitz)
Page Number: 140
Explanation and Analysis:
Part 4: Caitlin, March 2001 Quotes

Damon was different from the guys I dated in middle school. He was more mature, and sensitive. I understood why when I met his dad. He had MS and was in a wheelchair as a result. That meant he needed full-time care to do anything from eat to go to the bathroom. Damon’s mom took care of his dad, and basically let her kids fend for themselves.

Related Characters: Caitlin Stoicsitz Alifirenka (speaker), Caitlin’s Mom (Anne Neville), Caitlin’s Dad (Richard Stoicsitz), Damon
Page Number: 252
Explanation and Analysis:
Part 4: Caitlin, April 2001 Quotes

The day after my birthday, my mom took me out of school to go get my learner’s permit. Damon met me at the DMV—he had skipped school, but lied to my mom when she asked him why he had the day off.

Related Characters: Caitlin Stoicsitz Alifirenka (speaker), Martin Ganda, Caitlin’s Mom (Anne Neville), Caitlin’s Dad (Richard Stoicsitz), Damon
Page Number: 262
Explanation and Analysis:
Part 5: Caitlin, September 2001 Quotes

I started connecting all the pieces: My dad worked for the government; he was at a military base; the Pentagon had been hit. I jumped to the impossible notion: My dad may be dead. I shook my head. That was preposterous. But then I remembered the fire I saw in the sky on the TV earlier that morning. That seemed impossible too.

Related Characters: Caitlin Stoicsitz Alifirenka (speaker), Caitlin’s Mom (Anne Neville), Caitlin’s Dad (Richard Stoicsitz), Richie, Damon
Page Number: 278
Explanation and Analysis:
Part 5: Martin, June 2002 Quotes

I was surprised to receive a letter from Caitlin’s mom. In it she offered to help me navigate the complicated American college admission process. I was so happy to hear this. It was further proof that Caitlin was not the only angel in this family.

Anne asked me if I had ever heard of the SATs. I had, in fact, because my good friend Wallace had taken them earlier that year. He, too, was planning to go to school in the States that September.

Related Characters: Martin Ganda (speaker), Caitlin Stoicsitz Alifirenka, Caitlin’s Mom (Anne Neville), Caitlin’s Dad (Richard Stoicsitz)
Page Number: 290
Explanation and Analysis:
Epilogue: Caitlin, October 2015 Quotes

I have no idea what any of these young people will do with the emotions our story stirred in each of them—but I am excited by the possibilities. It’s why I wanted to write this book.

Kindness is contagious. It changes lives. It changed mine. What will it do for you?

Related Characters: Caitlin Stoicsitz Alifirenka (speaker), Martin Ganda, Caitlin’s Mom (Anne Neville), Martin’s Father (George Ganda), Martin’s Mother (Chioniso Ganda), Caitlin’s Dad (Richard Stoicsitz), Lois
Page Number: 396
Explanation and Analysis:
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Caitlin’s Dad (Richard Stoicsitz) Quotes in I Will Always Write Back

The I Will Always Write Back quotes below are all either spoken by Caitlin’s Dad (Richard Stoicsitz) or refer to Caitlin’s Dad (Richard Stoicsitz). For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
Kindness and Generosity Theme Icon
).
Part 3: Caitlin, November 1999 Quotes

Reading that letter brought tears to my eyes. He was so proud. He had never asked me for help. Asking my parents for help was probably one of the hardest things for him to have to do. He did not want to burden me. He knew that I would get sick worrying about him in such need. But there it was, written on paper, a huge SOS. My parents knew I had a pen pal in Zimbabwe, but they did not know how close we had become. That evening, I decided to tell them everything. It was the only way I could truly help Martin.

Related Characters: Caitlin Stoicsitz Alifirenka (speaker), Martin Ganda, Caitlin’s Mom (Anne Neville), Caitlin’s Dad (Richard Stoicsitz)
Page Number: 140
Explanation and Analysis:
Part 4: Caitlin, March 2001 Quotes

Damon was different from the guys I dated in middle school. He was more mature, and sensitive. I understood why when I met his dad. He had MS and was in a wheelchair as a result. That meant he needed full-time care to do anything from eat to go to the bathroom. Damon’s mom took care of his dad, and basically let her kids fend for themselves.

Related Characters: Caitlin Stoicsitz Alifirenka (speaker), Caitlin’s Mom (Anne Neville), Caitlin’s Dad (Richard Stoicsitz), Damon
Page Number: 252
Explanation and Analysis:
Part 4: Caitlin, April 2001 Quotes

The day after my birthday, my mom took me out of school to go get my learner’s permit. Damon met me at the DMV—he had skipped school, but lied to my mom when she asked him why he had the day off.

Related Characters: Caitlin Stoicsitz Alifirenka (speaker), Martin Ganda, Caitlin’s Mom (Anne Neville), Caitlin’s Dad (Richard Stoicsitz), Damon
Page Number: 262
Explanation and Analysis:
Part 5: Caitlin, September 2001 Quotes

I started connecting all the pieces: My dad worked for the government; he was at a military base; the Pentagon had been hit. I jumped to the impossible notion: My dad may be dead. I shook my head. That was preposterous. But then I remembered the fire I saw in the sky on the TV earlier that morning. That seemed impossible too.

Related Characters: Caitlin Stoicsitz Alifirenka (speaker), Caitlin’s Mom (Anne Neville), Caitlin’s Dad (Richard Stoicsitz), Richie, Damon
Page Number: 278
Explanation and Analysis:
Part 5: Martin, June 2002 Quotes

I was surprised to receive a letter from Caitlin’s mom. In it she offered to help me navigate the complicated American college admission process. I was so happy to hear this. It was further proof that Caitlin was not the only angel in this family.

Anne asked me if I had ever heard of the SATs. I had, in fact, because my good friend Wallace had taken them earlier that year. He, too, was planning to go to school in the States that September.

Related Characters: Martin Ganda (speaker), Caitlin Stoicsitz Alifirenka, Caitlin’s Mom (Anne Neville), Caitlin’s Dad (Richard Stoicsitz)
Page Number: 290
Explanation and Analysis:
Epilogue: Caitlin, October 2015 Quotes

I have no idea what any of these young people will do with the emotions our story stirred in each of them—but I am excited by the possibilities. It’s why I wanted to write this book.

Kindness is contagious. It changes lives. It changed mine. What will it do for you?

Related Characters: Caitlin Stoicsitz Alifirenka (speaker), Martin Ganda, Caitlin’s Mom (Anne Neville), Martin’s Father (George Ganda), Martin’s Mother (Chioniso Ganda), Caitlin’s Dad (Richard Stoicsitz), Lois
Page Number: 396
Explanation and Analysis: