Previous
Part 3: Martin, November 1999
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
In Pennsylvania, around Thanksgiving, Caitlin still worries about Martin, since she hasn’t heard back recently. Caitlin’s mom’s friend says that the American embassy won’t take any packages for Martin, so the best option is to just send it by regular mail and write “used school supplies” on the customs form.
While Caitlin’s mom prefers to help Martin through more official channels, she learns that in some cases, Caitlin’s more informal style of generosity might be the only option. Institutions that people like Caitlin’s mom take for granted, like the post office, are not always reliable when countries face a crisis, like Zimbabwe did.
Themes
Caitlin is so worried about Martin that she has a hard time caring about her friends’ small problems, which only frustrate her. That year at Christmas, she and her brother, Richie, get expensive presents and eat ham and turkey.
Learning about Martin’s life has changed Caitlin’s perspective about her own life. The ham and turkey that Caitlin’s family eats symbolize the abundance they have, contrasting with the simple chicken that Martin’s family eats on Christmas (if they can even afford that).
Themes
Caitlin sends Martin new letters, not knowing if they actually reach him. In one, she asks for his headmaster’s name and his school’s mailing address (to help facilitate getting his tuition money there).
One of the difficulties of Caitlin and Martin’s correspondence is that the long distance and long wait time between letters both make it difficult for them to know if their letters have the intended effect. As with many parts of their relationship, trust plays a major role.
Themes
