DE A R M R K IL ME R

CHAPTER 7 & 8
CHAPTER 7 AT THE SCHERMERS
RICHARD SENSES THAT SOME STUDENTS APPRECIATE HANNAHS ESSAY BUT ARE TOO
SCARED TO CLAP BECAUSE OF THE CLASS BULLIES.

THE NEXT DAY, MRS HANSEN ANNOUNCES THAT HANNAH HAS TURNED DOWN THE ROLE
OF LADY LIBERTY. RICHARD SEEKS HER OUT AND SHE TELLS HIM THAT HER ESSAY HAS
TRIGGERED A WAR IN TURTLE LAKE BECAUSE OF HER GERMAN ROOTS. HANNAH
WITHDRAWS TO AVOID CAUSING PEOPLE MORE PAIN.

RICHARD ALSO GIVES UP THE ROLE OF DOUGHBOY BECAUSE HE DISLIKES THE

MEAN,BIASED BEHAVIOUR OF HIS FRIENDS AND NEIGHBOURS. HE ALSO ADMIRES HANNAH
FOR HER PRINCIPLES AND COURAGE, AND WANTS TO GIVE HER MORAL SUPPORT.
 THOUGH SURPRISED AT RICHARDS DECISION, MRS HANSEN SAYS THAT HER FAITH
IN HUMANITY HAS BEEN RESTORED BECAUSE OF RICHARD AND HANNAHS
INTEGRITY AND COURAGE. RICHARD WALKS HANNAH HOME AND SPENDS A HAPPY
AFTERNOON WITH HER.

RICHARDS WITHDRAWAL DRAWS MIXED REACTIONS FROM HIS CLASSMATES. MRS

HANSENS CHOICE OF MILLIE AND HERBIE AS REPLACEMENTS BASED ON THEIR
ESSAYS GLADDEN THE HEARTS OF RICHARD AND HANNAH. NOW STRONGE, HE
IGNORES ANY FURTHER TAUNTS, AND EVEN THE COMMENTS BY GUS.

RICHARD ACCEPTS THE SCHERMERS INVITATION TO SUPPER AND SPENDS A

DELIGHTFUL EVENING WITH THEM. FASCINATED BY THEIR CULTURE, LEARNING AND
TRAVELS, HE IS THRILLED WHEN HANNAHS PARENTS TELL HIM THAT HE IS ALWAYS
WELCOME IN THEIR HOME.

WHEN HE RETURNS, PA IS WAITING FOR RICHARD ON THE GARDEN SWING

THEMES
1. THE CHALLENGES OF GROWING UP
- HANNAH FACES THE CHALLENGES OF COMING FROM A MIGRANT GERMAN FAMILY, NEW TO IOWA. THUS
SHE HAS TO ENDURE THE PAIN OF OSTRACISM AND REJECTION BY THE MAJORITY OF FEARFUL,
UNREASONABLE CLASSMATES AND COUNTRY PEOPLE

2. HUMANITY AND FRIENDSHIP GIVES US HOPE

- BEING KING TO OTHERS WHEN THEY ARE FACING DIFFICULTY REVEALS THE BASIC GOODNESS OF MAN,
AND UNDERLINES OUR HUMANITY

3. LOVE, UNDERSTANDING AND FAMILY RELATIONSHIPS

- THE SCHEMER FAMILY IN CONTRAST IS A MORE BALANCED AND HAPPY ONE THERE IS JOY, LAUGHTER,
COMMUNICATION, MUSIC, SINGING, BOOK AND LITERATURE IN THEIR HOME

4. WHERE THERE IS PREJUDICE, THERE IS NO LESSON

- RICHARD IS UNLIKE MANY IRRATIONAL AND BIASSED PEOPLE IN HIS COMMUNITY. HE IS LOGICAL,
SENSITIVE AND PERCEPTIVE. HE CONTINUES TO BEFRIEND HANNAH AND HER FAMILY DESPITE HIS FAMILY'S
COMMENTS
MORAL VALUES
1. COURAGE AND RESILIENCE
- HANNAH TURNS DOWN THE ROLE OF LADY LIBERTY WHICH SHE WANTED
VERY MUCH EVEN THOUGH SHE DESERVES IT FAIRLY

2. TRUTH, INTEGRITY AND HONOR

- RICHARD TELL HIS FATHER THE TRUTH THAT HE PURPOSELY MISFIRED AS HE
COULD NOT BEAR KILLING THE BEAUTIFUL DUCK

3. COMPASSION AND UNDERSTANDING

- JOYCE KILMER UNDERSTANDING RICHARD'S CHALLENGES AND GIVES HIM A
LOT OF ENCOURAGEMENT AND SUPPORT
SETTING

PLACE: HANNAH'S HOME (SCHEMERS') [SAFE HAVEN FOR RICHARD WHERE HE

CAN SHARE HIS POETRY, BENEFIT FROM THE MORE CULTURES GERMAN
FAMILY AND BUILD A CLOSER RELATIONSHIP WITH HANNAH]
- CLASSROOM, CHICAGO, NEW YORK, GERMANY
CHARACTERS
1. RICHARD KNIGHT
- OUTSPOKEN, COURAGEOUS [STOOD UP AGAINST CLASS BULLIES]
- HARDWORKING HELPFUL [WORK HARD ON HIS STUDIES]

2. JOYCE KILMER
- KIND SUPPORTIVE [ASKS RICHARD TO SHARE HIS POEMS WITH HIM AND OTHERS]

3. PA
- UNDERSTANDING [INSIST ON PRIVACY WHEN HE SPEAKS TO RICHARD]

4. HANNAH SCHERMER
- GENEROUS, GENTLE [BAKES COOKIES FOR KILMER, WHICH RICHARD SENDS TO FRANCE]
CHAPTER 10 GOODBYE MR KILMER
RICHARD IS STANDING AT THE SCHERMERS DOORWAY, TOO STUNNED TO CRY.
WITH GREAT COMPASSION, THE FAMILY BRINGS HIM INSIDE.

MR SCHERMER GENTLY SHOWS HIM THE HEADLINE BELOVED AMERICAN POET

KILLED IN BATTLE IN THE NEWSPAPER. RICHARD GAZES AT THE SMILING FACE
OF HIS POET MENTOR AND FRIEND, AMAZED THAT HE IS ONLY SEEING HIS
FACE FOR THE FIRST TIME AFTER HIS DEATH. THE ARTICLE RECOUNTS THE
CIRCUMSTANCES OF KILMERS DEATH AND HOW HIS COMRADES BURY HIM IN
FRANCE.
 RICHARD IS TOO SHOCKED TO CRY AND REALISES THAT THE UNPOSTED LETTER TO
KILMER IS STILL IN HIS POCKET. REALITY STRIKES AND THE TEARS BEGIN TO WELL UP.
HE THANKS THE SCHERMERS AND RUNS TO HIS FAVOURITE OAK TREE WHERE HE
CRIES FREELY.

HE IS FILLED WITH HOPELESSNESS AS HE PONDERS THE UNANSWERED QUESTION ON

WHAT POETS AND POETRY CAN DO TO MAKE THE WORLD A BETTER PLACE. HE
REALISES THAT POETS ARE UNABLE TO STOP WAR.

WHEN HE RETURNS HOME HE COMPOSES A POEM IN MEMORY OF SERGEANT JOYCE

KILMER. IT HAS FOUR VERSES EXPRESSING SADNESS OVER THE LOSS OF A WORLD OF
RHYME AND SONG HE HAD TREASURED.

RICHARD VISITS THE SCHERMERS THE NEXT DAY AND SHARES THIS POEM WITH THEM.
THEY ARE ALL TOUCHED BY HIS BEAUTIFUL POETIC PIECE. MR SCHERMER INSISTS
THAT MORE PEOPLE SHOULD READ THE POEM AS SO MANY FAMILIES IN TURTLE LAKE
HAVE LOST THEIR LOVED ONES.