Koro sensei is

everywhere
Dear Mr. kilmer
chapter 2

By : zua hanan - athirah

 synopsis
It was now April and the United States are at war with
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 "Trees" written by Joyce
Kilmer,who worked at the New York Times
newspaper.Richard was fascinated by the beauty of the
simple poem.Richard borrowed Mrs. Hansen poetry book.He
also found the address of Kilmers workplace and wrote it
down.As he was leaving school, he saw a classmate,Hannah
Schermer,the pretty German girl was crying in the hallway
because someone had scribbled Dirty Hun on her book
cover.Richard told his classmates what had happened.They
felt that the Schermers are not acceptable because they
were originally from Germany.Back home,Richard decided to
contact Joyce Kilmer,he wrote a letter to Kilmer,expressing 2
 themes
The challenges Humanity and Where there is Life is full of
of growing up friendship give prejudice, there surprises and
Hannah faces the us hope is no reason ironies
challenges of coming from a Richard finds Hannah At school, the German When Mrs. Hansen reads
migrant German family. Schermer crying alone in American girl Hannah is the out Kilmer's poem trees in
Thus, she has to endure the the hallway. He notices the first victim of prejudice. The class, Richard discovers a
pain of ostracism and words dirty hun written on cover of her book is written fellow poet who has the
rejection by a majority of her book cover. Angry, he with the words dirty hun and same love for nature and all
fearful, unreasonable confronts his classmates. she is ostracized living things. Surprisingly,
classmates. Kilmer has enlisted for
Pa Pa service in the army.
ge Pa ge Pa
23-
ge 23 ge
25
23- 19,
25 20

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 plot She tells the class that Joyce Kilmer has just
It is the month of April and America declares volunteered for army service in the ongoing
war on Germany world war 1

Thrilled to have found a new hero, Richard

Mrs. Hansen reads out a poem entitled Trees borrows Mrs. Hansen's poetry book Trees
by Joyce Kilmer. and Other Poems

Richard is fascinated by the beauty and

He secretly takes down the editors office
serenity of the engagingly simple poem which
address of the New York Times
compares a tree to a poem

4
 Richard catches Hannah,crying in the He is drown to the easy rhythms of Joyce's
hallway because someone had written verses which celebrate the joys of everyday
dirty hun on her cover book life.

Richard decides to write Mr. Kilmer. He intro

himself and tells him that he likes his simple
Richard confronts his classmates who poems, which reveal his love for all living
than reveal their hatred towards Germans things. Richard salutes him for enlisting and
promises to pray for him.

After completing his farm chores , Richard

He addresses it to the New York Times and
goes to his room and eagerly reads the
drops it off at the post office
poems of Joyce

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RICHARD KNIGHT
MRS HANSEN
JOYCE KILMER
HANNAH SCHERMER

CHARACTERS AND
CHARACTERISTIC

6
RICHARD Sensitive, poetic, imaginative and dreamer
Pa
KNIGHT -Finds a kindred spirit in Joyce Kilmer who also loves nature and all living things ge
22
-15-years-old boy
(18)
-Favourite classes quiet, unsociable, loner and private Pa
are English and -Does not really fit in with society and is often glad to be alone ge
History (19) 25
-Favourites poets
are Shakespeare ,
Lord Byron and Has integrity and honest Pa
Shelley (20) -Tells off Abner, Harry and Blanche whom he suspects are responsible for ge
-lives on a farm defacing Hannahs book. 23
near turtle lake in
Iowa (26) Pa
Hard-working, persevering and helpful ge
-Does double the amount of work on the farm, as Gus is often away at sports 18,
practices-helps Pa herd cattle, gather eggs and pitchy hay to the horses 25

Compassionate and selfless Pa

-Empathies with Hannah whose book is defaced with dirty hun ge
23

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MRS Strict but dedicated English teacher, positive and
supportive
HANSEN Pa
-Is happy to lend Richard her copy of Trees and Other Poems ge
-English teacher of 22
18 students
including richard
knight (19) Creative and patriotic
-Wears a pair of Pa
-Uses poetry to enliven her lessons
bifocals (19) ge
-Has a beak of 19
nose-page (19)

wise, honest, outspoken and tolerant Pa

-Stands up against the antics of troublemakers in class ge
25
-Reprimands Abner when he says that poets are sissies
-Teaches moral values when she talks of poets who had principles and beliefs and did
national service.
Has a sense of homour
-Tells off Abner that a lot of poets have been even bigger troublemakers than him
Pa
ge
21
8
JOYCE Sensitive and observant
KILMER -Loves nature and all living things-wrote many poems on nature-trees and other
-American poet poems Pa
whose poem ge
Trees inspires
-Writes poems which are simple and celebrate lifes ordinary joys 22
Richard to write to
him and continue
writing poetry (26)
-Richards kindred Pa
spirit, friend, ge
mentor and hero 26
with his simple
poems that
celebrate the
simple joys of
ordinary life (26)

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HANNAH SCHERMER
-Pretty blue-eyed girl (22)
-has blonde hair that look like corn silk (22)
-Has German roots with her parents run the local tavern (23)(24)

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 setting
SETTING OF SETTING OF
PLACE TIME

farmhouse in Turtle World War 1 since

Lake County,Iowa 1914-1918

Richard's school Year 1917

April
11
 M o ra l v a l u e s
We must Courage and resilience
Joyce kilmer volunteers to serve in WW1 (20)

We must Diligence and perseverance

Richard is dedicated student who worked hard and got excellent grades. (18)
He does more amount of farmwork compared to Gus (25)
We must believe in ourselves
Richard initially hides his poems because of fear of ridicule and rejection. His family is not
interested in his talent (27)
many in society consider poets to be sissies (20)
We must not be blinded by prejudices
the ongoing WW1 between the allies and Germany evokes fear, prejudice, mistrust and
judgmental attitudes. This passes down to the children who take it out on their American
German classmate, Hannah and her family. (23-25)
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 exercise
What secret that Richard
Who was crying in the
keeps for himself and why he
hallway and why?
keeps it?

In your opinion, why Richard

fascinated by the beauty and
What make Richard decide to
the serenity of the poem
write a letter to Joyce Kilmer?
entitled Trees by Joyce
Kilmer?

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The end

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