Chicken represents how different two countries’ cultures and economies can be. For Caitlin, chicken is a typical weeknight meal, but for Martin, it is a special Christmas dinner—if his family can even afford it then. Learning about how special chicken is to Martin’s family helps Caitlin to better understand the economic conditions that Martin lives in. Chicken also shows how scarcity can make something more desirable: Martin values chicken much more than Caitlin because he’s only able to have it on rare occasions, whereas Caitlin can have it whenever she wants. The abundance of chicken for Caitlin makes her take it for granted, showing how people in wealthier countries are often unaware of how good they have it, particularly compared to people from poorer countries. When Caitlin gives money to Martin’s family, they celebrate, showing how a small gift from one person (i.e., Caitlin gifting her spare baby-sitting money) can have a big impact on the recipient. Notably, when Martin’s family finally buys chicken, they share it with other people in their community, emphasizing the idea that “kindness is contagious.”
Chicken Quotes in I Will Always Write Back
The next evening, with a full belly, I wrote Caitlin a letter. I thanked her for the very generous dollar bill and told her I would send her something in return soon. I considered sending her a Zimbabwean dollar but knew that was one day’s worth of sadza. So instead, I made the only promise that I knew I could keep: that I would always write back, no matter what.
A lesser man may have been threatened by Caitlin’s generosity. Here was a fourteen-year-old girl sending us more money than my father made in several months. My father only had love and respect for Caitlin. Her letters had always been precious to me. Now they were also crucial to my whole family. We were on a ship that was sinking, huddled at the tip before it went under. Caitlin’s gift was a lifeboat.
My mother was afraid to keep this much money in our house. It made us a target in these difficult times.
Thanks to Caitlin, we ate chicken for Christmas that year, a miracle considering what our friends and neighbors were experiencing. In Zimbabwe, if you have food, you share it, so our neighbors ate chicken with us.
Chicken Symbol Timeline in I Will Always Write Back
