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DEAR MR KILMER

SUMMARY

Chapter 1
Early morning during the above freezing February air, Richard, Gus and Pa went for deer hunting .
Pa bet Richard was going to get his first deer on that day. However, Richard deliberately misfired
to avoid killing the beautiful young buck. Gus tried to encourage his brother to more sociable and
scolding him for missing the shot.

Gus was active in sports meanwhile Richard loved farming. After dinner, Pa and Gus started
talking about sports. Richard went to the kitchen to help his sister Angie who had taken care of
the house after their mother died. Pa and Gus always took it for granted. Richard explained to Pa
that he did not have the right to kill the animals. Pa confessed that he was grieving every time he
shot an animal. In past eye, maybe he was remembering his wife or his brother ,Roland who was
killed in a war in Cuba. Richard felt satisfied after he shared his feeling with Pa.

Richard went to his room and took a piece of paper and pen and started writing a poem about
how a deer been killed and he put it in the drawer on top of other poems and he did not want
anyone to know about it.

Chapter 2
The snow had come to an end. The school had started again in the month of April. America
declared war on Germany. One morning, Richard's English teacher, Mrs Hansen,told the class that
a famous poet, Joyce Kilmer has just volunteered for army service in the ongoing world war. She
read a poem entitled "Tree" written by Joyce Kilmer to the class, Richard was fascinated by the
beauty of the simple poem. Richard borrowed Mrs Hansen poetry book and secretly jotted down
the New Yorks Time editors office address .On the way back home,Richard met Hannah
Schermers,the preety girl of German crying in the hallway because someone had written her "dirty
hun" on her book cover.

Richard confronted his classmates who then revealed their hatred toward Germans .After going
back home, Richard decided to write to Mr Kilmer ,he introduced himself and told him that he
liked his simple poems and shared about his secret poetry writing. He sent the letter to the New
York Times

Chapter 3
A terrible incident has happened at the tavern owned by Hannah Schermers parents.It had been
vandelised. To insteal good values in students, Mrs Hansen encouraged her students to sign a
card to express their sympathy for Hannah and her family. Mrs Hansen was shocked at the
protest by more vocal studenst and the culture of fear created by the class bullies which stopped
some sincere students from signing. In the end, only Richard signed the card. Richard’s action
caused the students to taunt him for supporting the German. Richard approached his teacher and
asked for the card and he wanted to personally delivered it to the Schermers. Abruptly,Richard
was attacked by Abner and Harry but he managed to win the fight. Richard felt terrible as he
walked home and kept pondering about the people of Turtle Lake. On his way home, he climbed
an old oak tree to watch a train pass by. He saw passengers happily travelling. As he reached
home ,Angie ran excitedly towards him with news that he had received a letter from New York. It
was from Joyce Kilmer.
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Chapter 4
Joyce Kilmer’s letter to Richard consisted simple answer and advice. He encouraged him to
pursue his poetic dreams with courage and confidence. He invited Richards to write again and
send him one of his poems. That night, Richard tried to be brave to share about the letter to his
family. Pa,Gus and Angie didn't show any excitement and they did not know who Joyce Kilmer
was.

Richard went to his room to reply Mr Kilmer's letter. Gus came to the room and teasesdRichard
on his sissy poems. Gus also advised him to try to fit in with his friends.

Next morning Richard went to see Mrs Hansen to tell her about the letter. She was very
impressed. Richards showed her a few of his favourite poems and she helped to select one to
send to Mr Kilmer. Mrs Hansen encouraged him to share the letter to the class but Richard was
not ready yet. Richard met Hannah right after he came out from Mrs Hansen’s room. She
apologised to Richard on what she had done the last time they met. She also shared her feeling
and problems with Richard. Richard climbed the oak tree again and saw the train with a load of
merry soldiers on their way to war. Richard was sad thinking about Mr Kilmer and Otto, Hannah's
brother.

Chapter 5
It was the end of school and Richard shared Mr Kilmer's letter to the class. Many of his classmates
discouraged him about writing poems but Mrs Hansen always gave him support and advised him
to do what he liked. Richard and Mr Kilmer often exchanged their stories and wonderful poems.
Hannah also fully supported Richard and helped him to finish his poems. The poem turned out
really well.

In history class,Mr Higby described about the current battle .He also reminded his class to
keep abreast of war events in summer holiday.

During the summer, Richard helped his father at the farm and he also noticed that his father
was always unhappy. One night,he wrote about his Pa and very pleased with his work.

Richard received a reply from Mr Kilmer. He praised Richard's poem on the soldiers and he
hoped this war will end all wars. Meanwhile,Richard continued to daydream about the smart and
beautiful Hannah Schermer and wrote a poem about her.

Chapter 6
Richard and Kilmer exchanged a number of letters throughout the summer, Richard sent a
poem with each letter and always delighted to recieve encouragement and suggestion to
improvement. In early September, Kilmer told Richard that he had finally arrived in France.
Richard was hoping that the war would end before Kilmer went to Europe.

School started again, Mrs Hansen announced a plan to hold a patriotic programme to help
sell Liberty Bonds, which helped finance the war.The show will involve music ,singing war songs,
play Lady Liberty Role and Doughboy wearing a soldier 's uniform.The main roles will be played
by the boy and girl who wrote the best essays. Each student secretly dreamed of playing the
roles, however,Richard was selected to play the role of the Doughboy and Hannah Schermers was
selected for the role of Lady of Liberty. When Hannah read her essay in the class, Richard was the
only one who applauded her.
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Chapter 7
Mrs Hansen asked Hannah to read her essay in front of the class. Richard sensed that some
students apprieate Hannah's essay but were too scared to clap because of the class bullies.
The next morning some parents were already in the principal room that she chose somebody else.
Everyone in school was angry with Mrs Hansen’s choice.

The next day, Mrs Hansen announced that Hannah has turned down the roll of Lady Liberty .
She withdrew to avoid causing people more pain. Richard also gave up the role of doughboy
because he dislikde the mean biased behaviour of his friends and neighbours. He wanted to give
moral support to Hannah. Mrs Hansen chose Millie and Herbie as the replacement.

During the lunch break, Hannah invited Richard to her house for the supper.Richard informed
Gus in school to tell their father that he will not be home for dinner. Gus said that he was
unpatriotic and calling him a traitor. Richard walked with Hannah to her house. He spent a
delightful evening with them.Time flies soon,it was dusk, when he reached home, his father was
waiting to talk to him at the porch.

Chapter 8
Pa told Richard that Abner's father complained to him that he turned down his role in the school
play to side with Schermer's. Richard explained to Pa the real story. He added that Schermers
were patriotic and wanted the Allies to win. Besides, their son Otto ,an American soldier. also
fought with the Allies.Pa advised Richard not to side with the Schermers against the rest of
community. He added that Schermers were diffrent. Besides, Abner's father and the other helped
him when he broke his leg. Richard felt it was unfair because the Schermers were Americans and
they paid taxes.

Most of the students ignored Richard at school. He did not bother and became closer to Hannah.
Whenever he was lonely,he went to the Schermers as they understood him. He shared his poetry
with them. Christmas was around the corner and Mr Kilmer had to spend it away from home. It
was very cold in France as fighting continued. Richard sent Hannah's cookies with nut and raisins
and Mrs Schermers knitted scarf with his letter to Mr Kilmer. In class, Mr Higby informed
that the American had pushed back the German in France.

A picnic was planned for the last day of school in Turtle Lake. Richard and Hannah sat away from
the others under a large tree .Richard carved a heart and their initial R and H on the oak tree.
Suddenly,someone had thrown a stone at her. Her ankle was bleeding, Richard fixed it up and
saw the word "hun" on the flat side.

Chapter 9
Three days after Richard was having a picnic with Hannah. As usual, he and his father were
cleaning the barn. What was so suprising on that day, Gus showed up earlier than usual. With a
big smile,he told his father and Richard that he made his place to the army. As he was so
enthusiastic about it, his father acted against him, he tried to convince his father that he can
survive the mass war. But still, his farher did not believe him as he knew the real situation which
he experienced from the death of his brother in war. The arguement endedin a complete
dissapoinment and tension. Richard was stuck in the middle and decidesdto comfort his brother.
Richard felt helpless as Gus wont accept it.
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The next morning,Gus and his friend went to Sioux City to catch the next troop train headed
east. Before leaving,he had a talk with his father and shook hand wirh Richard. He waved for the
last time as sign of goodbye. Richard suddenly felt the fear that he will lose his beloved brother.

Pa turned into more quiet person after Gus’s absence. Richard talked to Angie about his father
state of mind because they both knew that his father must be grieving as he concerns and
worries for Gus.

He felt a great reliefs when he spent time with them rather than with his family. Besides, he
cannot imagine a time of joy without the letter and the poetry matters. He received the most
warmhearted and kindest letter he had ever received. Even so, it left Richard with a question in
his mind regarding of what do poets and poetry do to make world better? Normally,he left the
letter in the mail box, but this time, Richard felt an absolutely haste for him to send the letter. As
he walked to the post office, he decided to stop at Schermers’ house to have talk with Hannah.

Surprisingly, Hannah came out with a gloomy expression on her face when Richard knocked
on the door showing that something sorrowful had happened. With a heavy heart, Hannah
told Richard that Mr Kilmer ended up dying in the warzone.

Chapter 10
Richard read the news on how Mr Kilmer was killed. He startled when he saw Mr Kilmer's picture
in the newspaper. He ran through the streets of Turtle Lake and climbed the highest branches of
the oak tree. Richard was deeply disappointed and decided to stop writing another new poem.
Any way he went back home and wrote another poem entitiled "In Memory of Sergeant Joyce
Kilmer." After writing it, he wanted to share it with somebody. He shared it with the
Schermers because only they will understand. Hannah cried and Mr Schermers shed his tears.
Richars felt guilty because his poem made them think about Otto. Mr Schermers suggested
Richard to send it to Turtle Lake Weekly because many would feel the same way as them.

Hannah accompanied him to the newspaper office. When Mr Garrison began to read the poem,
Richard got nervous and left because he was scared his father will be angry. A few days later, the
poem was published in the newspaper. After the farm works, Pa asked Richard if he knew that Mr
Kilmer had died. Richard said he did. Pa came with the newspaper and talked about his brother
Roland. Pa sobbed and told Richard about his brother Roland. Pa was amazed how Richard could
use those words in his poem.

In mid November 1918,The Allies won. Pa ,Angie and Richard laughed because Gus was
still training hard for the war that was over. In the end, Pa always listened to Richard's poem and
made correction and gave suggestion. He also gave compliment to his son.

COMPLETE