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 wakes up to the sound of her mom screaming and wonders what’s happening. It turns out the president of Villanova has personally requested that Martin be given enough money for a full ride.
The fact that the president personally made the decision to give Martin a scholarship suggests that Martin was always worthy of such support, but that he just had a difficult time making it through the bureaucracy of the college admissions process to find someone with the power to give him money.
Themes
In Pennsylvania, Caitlin gets the call from Martin and is excited. Caitlin’s mom tells Martin that they already know everything. Caitlin’s mom gets on the line with the embassy to arrange Martin’s flight. Even Damon is excited to hear the news. Martin will leave Zimbabwe on August 15 and arrive in Philadelphia the next day.
Perhaps the biggest sign that kindness is “contagious” is how even Damon is excited about potentially getting to meet Martin. Though he complained about Caitlin’s relationship with Martin in the past, the triumph of finally helping Martin achieve his dream has helped Damon get invested in Martin’s story, too.
Themes
