Themes
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in I Will Always Write Back, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
Kindness and Generosity
Friendship
Family
Education
Summary
Analysis
Caitlin reflects back on how she had no idea that her pen pal letter 18 years ago would lead to her finding her best friend (Martin) and even writing a book about it. She still lives in Pennsylvania, only about half an hour from Caitlin’s mom and Caitlin’s dad, and now has two daughters.
Even more time has passed, and Caitlin and Martin continue to be friends. Interestingly, Caitlin and Martin’s roles have reversed in some ways, and now Caitlin is the one who lives near where she grew up while Martin is the one who travels around the world.
Themes
While Caitlin stayed in Pennsylvania, Martin helped write the book from around the world, contacting her from places like Manhattan, South Africa, and Texas.
Martin’s diverse travel itinerary suggests that education did pay off as expected, opening the door for him to travel to places he could only have dreamed of before.
Themes
Caitlin turned 30 three weeks before their book was published. Caitlin’s mom and Caitlin’s dad throw her a small party. Martin is invited, but Caitlin assumes he is off somewhere like Uganda or Zambia and won’t be able to make it. He surprises her, however, by showing up; he gets to meet Caitlin’s second daughter for the first time.
Caitlin acknowledges the hard truth that even though Martin is her best friend, they both have busy lives and aren’t able to see each other as often as they’d like. Still, Martin makes an effort to be there for major milestones, showing that on some level, the bond between them is still unbreakable.
Themes
Caitlin realizes that this will be the last time she sees Martin before their book comes out, and after that, the story won’t be just theirs anymore. The next time she sees him is at a book party in Manhattan. She finds that Martin fits in easily with the sophisticated crowd at the party, but she feels out of place.
Caitlin is aware of the power of stories: after all, it was Martin’s life story that helped get him the scholarship to Villanova that changed his life. In fact, Martin has been changed so much by education that he has learned to navigate social situations where Caitlin herself is uncomfortable.
Themes
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Caitlin is nervous about having to speak to the crowd, since she doesn’t like public speaking, but she finds that people are moved by her and Martin’s story. Later, Caitlin is gratified by messages she receives on social media about how their story touched other people.
Though Caitlin has done a lot of writing, both to Martin and then later for their book, she finds that public speaking is a much more difficult form of communication. One of the book’s recurring themes is how communication differs depending on the medium, whether it’s letters, emails, phone calls, or in person.
Themes
Knowing how much a teacher changed her life, Caitlin agrees to do a talk with Martin about the book at West Chester East High School (about an hour away from her), where I Will Always Write Back has been chosen as a school-wide read. Normally, Caitlin lets Martin do the talking, since she figures people are more interested in his story. This time, however, Martin can’t make it because he’s traveling. Caitlin considers canceling the event, but the organizers ask if she’d come on her own.
Though Caitlin showed a lot of independence and initiative in starting her relationship with Martin, in other ways she preferred to be passive. She was always afraid of standing out, and even as an adult, this fear seems to be what makes giving talks about her book so difficult. Still, she decides that she has to face her fear rather than backing down, even if it means going ahead without Martin’s help.
Themes
Caitlin stresses out about what she’ll do for her talk at the high school. She puts together some photos in a slideshow that she hopes will give her something to talk about. When Caitlin arrives at the school, there’s a big sign welcoming her, which only makes her more nervous.
Caitlin tries to cope with her stress by preparing herself. She knows from her correspondence with Martin that photos can communicate a lot, so she makes sure to incorporate some into her talk, hoping they will have the same effect there.
Themes
Speaking to appreciative teachers helps calm Caitlin’s nerves a little bit. Eventually, she gives her presentation. She closes by emphasizing how one small act of kindness changed everything and encouraging others to reach out and do the same.
Caitlin lays out her reasons for writing the book in the first place. She believes that kindness has changed her life and encourages others to learn from her example and explore how kindness can change their own lives.
Themes
Afterwards, Caitlin is shocked that people want her to sign copies of the book. She realizes then how much it meant to some people. She reflects that kindness is contagious and that it changed her life. She ends by asking, “What will it [kindness] do for you?”
The positive reaction to Caitlin’s talk shows that her and Martin’s story resonates with people. People in the audience see parallels with their own lives as well as the potential to improve themselves and the world with kindness. Caitlin’s idea that kindness is “contagious” is one of the central themes of the book, and it helps explain how something as small as one pen pal letter led to a major book that has affected thousands of readers.
Themes
