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Part 3: Caitlin, December 2000
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 Zimbabwe, Martin’s family doesn’t celebrate Christmas because they want to save the money in their account. He is happy to receive a new package from Caitlin, this time with a care package for the monsoon season. Martin is also excited to receive his first pair of real American shoes (since the ones Caitlin sent last time were too small).
Martin’s family’s more subdued Christmas contrasts with Caitlin’s family’s extravagant one. Still, Caitlin’s package gives him hope, and the fact that she included supplies for the monsoon season shows that she is getting a better idea of what Martin’s family might actually need.
Themes
Martin wants to send something good back to Caitlin, so he waits to hear back about his exams. As it turns out, he got the highest scores in the entire region. He is told he can become anything, even a doctor or a politician. His headmaster encourages him to apply to a boarding school—the best school in Zimbabwe—and either apply for a scholarship or get help from his American friends.
Martin has seen evidence from others about the benefits of education, and now he is learning firsthand what these benefits could be for himself. Martin is a very gifted student, but he also has support from people like his headmaster and Caitlin, showing how education is not just about raw academic achievement.
Themes
Martin sends a thank-you letter where he tells Caitlin about his high exam scores. He decides to look into the private school his headmaster encouraged him to look up by going there in person. He tries to get himself enrolled but is told the only way to do so is to speak directly to the headmaster the next day.
Martin thanks Caitlin because he knows that his education up to this point wouldn’t be possible without the help of her and her family. Martin’s decision to visit the new headmaster in person shows that he is committed to getting the best education possible.
Themes
Martin finds a student who has a rural accent and asks to spend the night with him so that he can speak to the headmaster in the morning. The student introduces Martin to other students on campus and helps him get a meal at the dining hall.
Martin realizes that some of the students at the school come from wealthier backgrounds than he does, but he is encouraged to see another student from a rural area. This shows how social class can help people bond, particularly when they are out of their element.
Themes
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The next morning, Martin meets the private school headmaster outside of an old stone church on campus. The headmaster tells him at first that the class is already full, but he takes interest after hearing that Martin is from Chisamba Singles (since the headmaster has an uncle that lives there and he knows it is a tough place).
The headmaster initially tells Martin that the class is full but then changes his mind after hearing Martin’s story. This shows how educational institutions are often limited by their budgets but also how, in some cases, powerful figures have the ability to bend the rules or make their own.
Themes
After questioning Martin some more, the headmaster offers Martin a spot, but he says that Martin must pay the deposit by 5 p.m. the next day: 1,000 Zimbabwe dollars. This is more than Martin has, even with Caitlin’s gifts. He thinks of his cousin Sekai’s husband Alois, who works in a bank, and calls him to ask for a loan. Alois says they’ll help, and Sekai comes to help him buy all the supplies Martin will need for school. Alois will take care of the tuition.
The money that the headmaster asks for is a major hurdle for Martin—even if he could get the money from Caitlin, it wouldn’t be possible to get it in time for the deadline. The fact that Sekai and Alois help serves to illustrate that in fact Martin’s education isn’t just about him or about any specific school—it is a community effort that is only possible thanks to the contributions of various people around the world.
Themes
Martin heads off to his new boarding school. He realizes he will miss his family, but he’s excited. The other students are curious about his pictures of Caitlin. They think she’s his girlfriend, and while at first, he tries to correct them, he finds that letting them believe this raises his status on campus.
Martin leaving his family represents a major step for him growing up. He will have to become more independent. Other students don’t know much about him, like the details of his pen pal relationship with Caitlin, and sometimes Martin uses this to his advantage, allowing them to believe false impressions if it benefits him.
Themes
