DEAR MR KILMER

Anne Schraf

THEMES
FARAHIN
IZZAH
ZAHIDAH
ZATIL
NAJIHA

The Challenges of Growing

Up
Love, Understanding and
Family Relationship
Humanity and Friendship
Give Us Hope

Richard has problems fitting in with society.

Having a quiet, sensitive nature, he likes to
be alone and daydream rather than play
sports. He doesnt enjoy hunting like the
men
in chance
his family.
Richard has
little
of communicating
with Pa who is often silent and reserved.
Richard can only share a limited amount
Richard
is a
boy
with principles
and firm
of
his pain
and
frustration
with Angie.
beliefs. He does not give in to the herd
mentality or get pressured into being
popular like Gus. Thus, he has to face the
bullies in his class Abner and Harry
when he is the only person who signs the
card for the Schermers. He also has to
face repercussions of giving up the role of
doughboy to support Hannah. He also has
to face the repercussions of giving up the

Richard has doubts about his hidden

poetic talent. It makes him an oddball
who feels alone, even when Im around
other people (p. 27). It is only when he
begins his correspondence with Joyce
Kilmer that he begins to realise that his
poetic gift to be celebrated and shared.
The culturally vibrant home of the
Another challenge
by Richard
is his
Schermers
also helpsfaced
to nurture
his talent.
relationship with Hannah, which causes
him to faces
be taunted
as a Hun of
lover.
Hannah
the challenges
coming
from a migrant German family, new to Iowa
country though not new to the country.
Thus, she has to endure the pain of
ostracism and rejection by majority of
fearful, unreasonable classmates and

Gus, Angie proves to be the heart of the

family loving, compassionate and nonjudgemental. She knows that Pa has
sufered deep emotional scars and forgives
him unconditionally. Richard is able to find
some comfort and safety with Angie in the
kitchen whenever he feels left out by Pa
PaGus
loves
children
but
unable to
and
(p.his
16)
or when
heisneeds
express
it or talk
abouttoburied
someone
to listen
him. pain over
the loss of his wife and brother. Often lost
in his silence and his thought, this causes
some strange barrier between him and his
children. (p. 64)
Gus cannot understand why Richard is not
interested in team sports or fitting in. This
causes some tension in the home.

After Richards poetic tribute to Kilmer is

published in the local paper, Pas silence
is broken. Pa relates A world is gone! to
when Roland was killed in the Cuban
War. In the end, Richard is able to share
his poetry with Pa, and Pa gives him
helpful comments. A more normal and
happy family relationship built on
The
Schermer family,
in contrast, is more
understanding
and communication
balanced
happya one.
There is joy,
finally and
becomes
reality.
laughter, communication, music, singing,
books and literature in their home.
Richard finds their home an oasis after
the silence of his own family.

Being kind to others when they

are facing difficulty reveals the
basic goodness of man, and
underlines
our the
humanity.
Hence, when
Schermers
tavern was vandalised, Mrs
Hansen asks her class to sign a
card of sympathy. The whole
class disobeys her, except
Early in the tale, Richard finds
Richard.
Hannah Schermer crying alone
in the hallway. He notices the
words Dirty Hun written on
her book cover. Angry, he
confronts his classmates.

Richard. When Hannah wins the role of

Lady Liberty, only Richard claps. Their
classmates ostracise them. Hannah, like
Kilmer, had written on the beautiful
dream of a world without war. When she
turns down the role, Richard does the
same to support her. When they tell Mrs
Hansen about their decision, Mrs Hansen
says, Just
yesterday,
I came close
Joyce
Kilmers humanity
alsotoshines
being ashamed
being
American.
through of
when
hean
replies
to Richards
But today,
a wholeand
lot better

letter.I feel
A sensitive
perceptive
man,
thankshears
to youthe
two.
Kilmer
cry of a lonely but
poetically talented Richard who needs
friendship and kindness. He asks Richard
to send him a copy of one of his poems
and puts Richard at ease by signing of
as A fellow poet. Kilmers letters are
always encouraging and give Richard
hope. This friendship via letters creates a