Previous
Part 6: Caitlin, August 15, 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
On the ride back from the Philadelphia airport, Martin can’t believe that he is finally meeting Caitlin in person. Caitlin’s mom and Caitlin’s dad show Martin around Villanova, then take him home to the house that Martin recognizes from photos.
Martin’s shock is unsurprising, given how many new things he’s been exposed to at once. The fact that Caitlin’s family is driving around with him in a car, headed back to their house, suggests that Martin really has become a member of the family.
Themes
Martin gets the same room in Caitlin’s family’s house that Wallace had stayed in earlier. Caitlin decides to take Martin to the mall for the first time, and he is overwhelmed by all the sights and smells. They buy a new outfit for him to wear to dinner that night.
Martin’s gratitude toward Caitlin’s family contrasts strongly with the dismissive attitude of the German exchange student Stephie. This suggests that coming from an impoverished background could make people more accepting and open to new experiences than people from wealthy backgrounds.
Themes
The next day, Caitlin’s mom and Caitlin’s dad hold a party with all of Caitlin’s relatives and neighbors. Caitlin’s mom gives a speech introducing the family to Martin and vice versa. This moves Martin to make his own impromptu speech about how Caitlin and her family have helped him fulfill his dreams. He and Caitlin squeeze hands and can’t believe that after six years, they are finally right next to each other.
The main book ends with the image of Martin and Caitlin physically touching, something that they weren’t able to do at any prior point in the book. While the authors suggest that you don’t need to be able to physically touch someone to make a difference in their life, they also show that, sometimes, there is no substitute for being with someone in person.
Themes
