91 pages • 3 hours read
Caitlin Alifirenka, Liz Welch, Martin GandaI Will Always Write Back
Caitlin Alifirenka, Liz Welch, Martin GandaNonfiction | Autobiography / Memoir | YA | Published in 2015A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more. For select classroom titles, we also provide Teaching Guides with discussion and quiz questions to prompt student engagement.
Summary
Chapter Summaries & Analyses
“Caitlin: September 1997”-“Martin: November 1997”
“Caitlin: January 1998”-“Caitlin: May 1998”
“Martin: June 1998”-“Martin: October 1998”
“Caitlin: December 1998”-“Martin: April 1999”
“Caitlin: May 1999”-“Caitlin: June 1999”
“Martin: June 1999”-“Caitlin: December 1999”
“Martin: January 2000”-“Caitlin: February 2000”
“Martin: February 2000”-“Caitlin: September 2000”
“Martin: November 2000”-“Caitlin: December 2000”
“Martin: January 2001”-“Martin: April 2001”
“Caitlin: April 2001”-“Martin: July 2001”
“Caitlin: September 2001”-“Martin: June 2002”
“Caitlin: August 2002”-“Martin: September 2002”
“Caitlin: October 2002”-“Martin: December 2002”
“Caitlin: January 2003”-“Martin: April 2003”
“Caitlin: April 2003”-“Caitlin: July 2003”
“Martin–July 2003”-“Martin–August 14, 2003”
“Caitlin: August 15, 2003”-“Caitlin: October 2015”
Key Figures
Themes
Symbols & Motifs
Important Quotes
Essay Topics
Tools
Beta“Caitlin: October 2002”-“Martin: December 2002”Chapter Summaries & Analyses
“Caitlin: October 2002” Summary
Wallace finally contacts Caitlin’s mother successfully. He tells her that he is studying at Temple University in Philadelphia, which is not too far away from where Caitlin and her family live. Caitlin’s mother pays Wallace the first visit. When she returns home, she tells Caitlin that Wallace’s dorm room is fairly empty. She has made a list of items to purchase for Wallace and plans to bring them to him on the next trip. The family arranges to visit Wallace together to help him set up his dorm.
When Caitlin finally meets Wallace, she asks him many questions about Martin. She learns from Wallace that Martin is “smart” and “funny” (312). Caitlin is relieved to have confirmed these aspects of her best friend, which she has assessed from letters alone. When Caitlin’s family decides to take Wallace out to dinner at the Hard Rock Café in downtown Philadelphia, Wallace is overwhelmed by the bustling activity of the restaurant. He has also never eaten any of the American foods on the menu. Caitlin’s mother suggests that Wallace take the leftovers back to his dorm. Wallace politely declines at first because he does not have a place to store the food. Caitlin’s mother says that they will buy him a mini fridge to store his food after dinner.
After dinner, the family helps Wallace set up his new mini fridge. As they leave, they invite Wallace to stay with them any time he wants to visit. Caitlin’s mother tells him, “Just think of us as your American family” (314).
“Martin: October 2002” Summary
Martin receives an email from Wallace, who informs him that he has met Caitlin’s family and is surprised by how kind they are. This makes Martin laugh, as he knows this to be true. Martin has been corresponding with Caitlin’s mother, who has looked into more colleges and scholarship opportunities for Martin. She has contacted LaSalle University, which offers the Christian Brothers scholarship to a few exceptional students. The minimum SAT score to qualify for the scholarship is 1350. Martin understands then why Caitlin’s mother has urged him to take the SAT.
In a letter from Caitlin, she tells Martin that he does not have to address her parents so formally, as Martin is “more like family” (317). When Martin receives his recommendation letters from his teachers, he prepares to send copies of them to Caitlin’s parents. In the accompanying note, he refers to them as “Mom and Dad” (318). He also writes “I love you” (318) and draws a big heart around the message.
“Caitlin: November 2002” Summary
Wallace begins to visit Caitlin’s family every weekend. He has been struggling to adjust to college life, as many of his classmates prefer to party while he is used to studying every weekend at Marist Brothers. Caitlin’s family offers him supportive words of advice and invites him to spend Thanksgiving with them. They take photographs to send to Martin.
Since Richie has been accepted at Temple, he plans to commute to school every day from home. The family offers to let Wallace stay with them in their home until he can find better accommodations. This way, Richie can give Wallace a ride to school.
Caitlin writes to Martin to tell him the news and wishes him luck with the SAT.
“Martin: December 2002” Summary
While most of Martin’s classmates have plans to attend universities elsewhere in Zimbabwe or overseas, Martin is still awaiting news of his college acceptances. He takes the SAT in Harare and finds the test to be more difficult than he anticipated. He hopes that his scores will help him get a full scholarship to attend any of the universities he has applied to in the US.
On the last day of the semester, as students are moving back home, Martin thanks Mr. Muzawazi for all his support. When Martin tells him that without his support, he would still be stuck in Chisamba Singles, Mr. Muzawazi tells him encouragingly, “You don’t get stuck” (323).
“Caitlin: October 2002”-“Martin: December 2002” Analysis
Before Martin comes to the US, his friend, Wallace, is the first among Martin’s friends to encounter Caitlin’s family. Caitlin’s family’s interactions with Wallace inform them about how they can help better integrate Martin into American life, as it becomes apparent that Wallace is struggling to fit in. Caitlin’s descriptions of her family’s first encounter with Wallace depict Wallace as someone who is in a state of culture shock. Wallace describes his surprise at hearing that college social life at Temple University means drinking during the weekends, a lifestyle that is not endorsed at Marist Brothers, where students are too concerned with studying to party. He is also stunned by the level of excess in American foods, and is only able to take small bites of the many plates that Caitlin’s family orders at the restaurant. He is further taken aback by Caitlin’s family’s insistent generosity, which includes Caitlin’s mother purchasing a mini fridge for him when it becomes clear that Wallace needs a place to store leftovers.
Through the intimacy of Caitlin and Martin’s long correspondence, their relationship has evolved from one of friendship to one of family. The notion of family includes not only the two pen pals but their immediate families and friends as well. When Caitlin’s mother says to Wallace, “Just think of us as your American family” (314), she demonstrates how Caitlin’s correspondence with Martin has led to a deeper bond. This is echoed in Caitlin’s later sentiment to Martin when she tells him, “You’re more like family” (317). This encourages Martin to write to Caitlin’s parents as if they are his own, calling them “Mom and Dad” (318). This growing familiarity shows a developing bond between Caitlin and Martin that challenges traditional notions of family. For the two of them, family is forged through acts of kindness and other modes of compassionate kinship.
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