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Part 6: Martin, August 14, 2003
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, Caitlin spends the whole night tracking Martin’s flight. She and her family go to the airport an hour early with a big poster to welcome Martin. Finally, Martin comes out, and Caitlin recognizes him.
The major drama in Martin’s story is largely over. This section builds suspense until the big moment when Caitlin and Martin finally meet in person.
Themes
Caitlin and Martin hug while Caitlin’s mom takes photos. Martin greets the other family members as if they’re his own family. Martin has arrived with nothing but a toothbrush, some things for Wallace, and the clothes on his back—Caitlin’s mom has promised to take care of everything else. On the way back, they pass through Villanova, and Caitlin’s mom points it out to Martin.
The meet-up between Caitlin and Martin is joyful and suggests that the hard work and sacrifices that each of them has undergone were all worth it. The fact that Martin has arrived with almost nothing in terms of possessions suggests how totally he trusts Caitlin and her family to take care of him.
Themes
