Main Character

Richard Knight
Courageous
-send card to Hannah and having fight with Abner and Harry
Diligent and Helpful
-He always help Pa in farm and Angie in the kitchen doing the house chores.
Selfless
-turn down the role after Hannah
Sensitive
-Could not kill the buck even having a chance to do it.
Mature,Open Minded
-not sided with people who disturb Hannah
Poetic
-borrow book from Mrs Hansen
-write poems and keep it in drawer
Quiet
-Love being alone and not like to talk too much.

Hannah Schermer
Patient
-still strong even her tavern had been vandalised
Intelligent
-always helping Richard with good ideas and suggestion to complete his poem.
Appreciative
-thanked Richard for sending her the sympathy card
Generous and Kind Hearted
-She bakes cookies for Mr Kilmer
-Invited Richard for supper

Pa
Secretive
-Pa didnt told his children about his brother Roland.
Understanding
-He didnt angry and ask Richard the reason why he didnt kill the buck
Responsible
-He took care of Gus,Angie and Richard alone after her wife died.
Loving
-He doesn’t let his son Gus to joined the army training
MINOR CHARACTER

Gus
Adventurous
-desperately want to join the war without disscussing with Pa because he didnt like do farming
-like to go for hunting
Impatient
-cannot wait to join the army training
Stubborn
-disobey Pa because he want to join the war.
Brotherly
-asked Richard to fit in with the community so he will not be isolated by them.
Boastfull
-always tease Richard and tell him his awesomeness

[Link]
Understanding
-he understands Richard feelings and feel not awkward when communicating by the way of writing
letter.
Helpful
-give Richard advice and motivation through letter
Patriotic
-joined the war eventhough he is a famous poet.
Poetic
-write numerous of [Link] of his famous poet is tree.

[Link]
Patriotic
-put up a sale and play to finance the war
Supportive
-urges Richard to read his poem in front of the class.
Tolerant
-do not angry when Hannah and Richard turned down the role
Creative
-support Hannah with giving a sympathy card.

Angie
Hardworking
-doing all the housechores by himself without complaining
Loving
-continueing her mother role after her mother death and she realising that no one will taking care of his
family
MORAL VALUES

 Courage and resilience

Themes

 The challenges of growing up

Fillial Love
-Gus love Richard his brother,he advises him to fitting in with community so he will not be isolated by
them
-Pa still cant forget his brother Roland after the war with Spain in Cuba
-Richard loves Angie by helping her doing the housechores like washing the dishes at the kitchen

Patriotic Spirits
-Mr Kilmer joined the war even he is a famous poet because he hope that he can end the war so the
next generation will not involved with this unnecessary war.
-Mrs Hansen doing many programme by selling the Liberty Bond to finance the war.
-The Schermers rationing their food by eating small pieces of meet as a symbolic of symphathy for allies
that fighting in the war.

TIME SETTING

** The story is set during World War [Link] story begins in February 1917 and ends in November 1918
SYNOPSIS

The Knight family, which consists of Mr. Knight and his three children –Gus, Angie and Richard, is a
farming family living in a small district in Turtle Lake, Iowa, USA in 1917.
The novel centred on Richard, a fifteen-year-old boy, who begins a correspondence with a poet,
Joyce Kilmer, while Mr. Kilmer is serving the country during World War I.
Richard is a budding poet himself but is unable to get the encouragement he needs from his family.
Richard’s father is a good, hardworking farmer but he is very reserved and hardly shares his feelings with
his children. Furthermore, Gus and Angie do not understand poetry and think that Richard is odd.
One day, Mrs Hansen, Richard’s English teacher, reads a poem by Mr Kilmer in class. While the
other boys feel that the poetry is boring and meant for ‘sissies’, Richard is inspired by the beauty of the
poem, Mrs Hansen further explain that Mr Kilmer is a brave and patriotic man as he has volunteered to be
a soldier to fight in the war. Richard’s admiration for the poet compels him to write a latter to Mr Kilmer
and thus begins their correspondence.
During the war, Richard takes solace in his friendship with Hannah and the letters from Mr Kilmer.
Through his letters, Mr Kilmer encourages Richard to continue writing poems and not to keep this talent a
secret. Richard finally manages to read his poem in class, gaining the admiration and respect of most of
his fellow classmates.
One day, Richard hears the dreadful news that Mr Kilmer has been killed in battle. In his grief,
Richard writes a poem in Mr Kilmer’s memory. The Schermers, who have always been supportive of his
talent, suggest that Richard send his poem to The Turtle Lake Weekly, a local newspaper, in the hope
that it gets published. Later, the paper carries an obituary for Me Kilmer along with a special section with
Richard’s poem.

After reading the poem, Richard’s father is finally able to open up and share his sadness of having
lost his brother, Roland, in the war several years ago. The poem enables father and son to have a closer
bond.

EVENT

EVENT FOR " DEAR MR. KILMER "

On the last day of school he finally reads his poetry in front of the class. Working at the farm with his Pa
that summer helped them get closer. Richard and [Link] exchanged a handful of letters during the
summer.

[Link] left to go to Europe for the [Link] school is putting on a patriotic program to help finance
the war. There was two main people for the play, but in order to get the parts you had to write poetry.
Richard got the main part for dough boy and Hannah got the main part for lady liberty.

Students and parents were mad when Hannah got the part for lady liberty because she was from
Germany. Hannah decided to decline the role for lady liberty. Richard decided not to do the play either.

Richard talks to his dad about why he turned down his part in the play. He got a letter back from
[Link] from the war. In April, they forced the British to retreat.
Gus (Richard's brother) joined the army after his graduation. Pa and Gus get into an argument about the
war. Hannah tells Richard that [Link] has been killed in the war.

Richard reads in the newspaper how he died. [Link] wants Richard's poems to be in the
[Link] Americans win the war against Britain.

SUMMARY

DEAR MR. KILMER

By: Anne Schraff

Germans are starting up submarine warfare. Richard and Gus went hunting at noon. Richard is
scared to kill an animal because he never went hunting before.

United States had declared war on Germany.

Blanche's Uncle Steve is in the army, and he is liable to be fighting the Germans soon. Richard wrote a
letter to famous person named [Link] about what he should do with his poetry and about how he is
feeling right now.

Someone vandalized the tavern owned by Hannah Schermers just because they came from Germany.
Richard gained two bullies for signing a card going to the Schemers. Richard got a letter from someone
in New York he wonders who it came from.

The letter that came back was from [Link]. The letter said that Richard it is time to overcome
your fear and tell everybody you write poetry. Hannah's brother joined the American Expeditionary
force cause its the write thing to do even know he might have to kill his on cousins. On the last day of
school he finally reads his poetry in front of the class. Working at the farm with his Pa that summer
helped them get closer. Richard and [Link] exchanged a handful of letters during the summer.
[Link] left to go to Europe for the war. The school is putting on a patriotic program to help finance
the war. There was two main people for the play, but in order to get the parts you had to write poetry.
Richard got the main part for dough boy and Hannah got the main part for lady liberty.

Students and parents where mad when Hannah got the part for lady liberty because she was from
Germany. Hannah decided to decline the role for lady liberty. Richard decided not to do the play either.

Richard talks to his dad about why he turned down his part in the play. He got a letter back from Mr.
Kilmer from the war. In April, they forced the British to retreat.

Gus (Richard's brother) joined the army after his graduation. Pa and Gus get into an argument
about the war. Hannah tells Richard that [Link] has been killed in the war. Richard reads in the
newspaper how he died. [Link] wants Richard's poems to be in the newspapers. The Americans
win the war against Britain.

[Link]