“People should be allowed to follow the dream”.

Write about a character who wants to

realize his/ her dream.

The message of “people should be allowed to follow the dream” shimmered behind the
incidents in the novel, Dear Mr Kilmer by Anne Scraff. This is relatable to a character who
wants to realize his dream, Richard Knight.
Richard Knight is a teenager gifted with the talent of composing poems. Whenever
something emotional or attractive struck him, he will begin writing poems. However, this
talent of his was kept a secret as he was fear-stricken that others including his family would
oppose him. This lead to the stacking of his written poems over time which eventually taken
3 inches high of his locked drawer. As a secretive and careful person, he neither tell anyone
of his talent and dream nor shared any of his poems. He also locked up his 3 inches high
work under a drawer which the key was kept secure in his wallet. Richard always wanted to
share his poem. However, he could not as fear barriered his approach to tell about his long-
kept secret. The factor of fear was not the only factor that inhibits him from reaching his
dream, the people around too: Gus, his brother who hated poetry and Abner his classmate,
labelling it as a sissy stuff. Richard’s father, Pa as well as Angie were not really supportive to
his dream as well. While Pa was bothered about his dream and Angie being uninterested to
be the first to listen to his poem, Richard was left in a cauldron of despair. His hope of
having at least support towards his dream was scattered, which makes him feel alone and
different who cannot suit in the majority. All he knows was that he is often inspired to pen
down poems, not knowing the full picture of his dream. This aroused his desire to truly
realize his dream. Young talents like Richard should be encouraged and be supported as it
proved nothing can possibly hinder one’s dream as Richard still held on to his dream
although he faces challenges.
As time passes, he finally encountered a person who have the same interest as him, it was
Mr. Joyce Kilmer, a famous poet who was at the New York Armory training to be a soldier.
This was when Mrs. Hansen begin her class by reading a poem which inspired Richard and
thirst him to know more about the poet. Although Mr. Kilmer remained a fresh stranger to
him at the moment, he crowned him a hero to him as Mr. Kilmer felt the way he did about
nature and he was brave enough to venture abroad to fight for his country. Thus, after class,
he went to Mrs. Hansen to lend the poetry book entitled The Trees and Other Poems and
being lucky, he seized the opportunity to peek at The New York Times for the address of the
editor’s office when Mrs. Hansen was conversing with another student. This demeanour of
him marks the spark of a lighted hope when he found a companion who is able to support
him in his calamities on his journey of discovering his dream. As he begins to read the work
of Mr. Kilmer, he discovered that his poems speak directly to him. There, he realized that
Mr. Kilmer is the one who would help him to realize his dream. Prodded by his
uncontainable desire of wanting to know about Mr. Kilmer, he wrote his first letter to him.
This incident marks the change old challenges as Richard waits for the reply from Mr.
Kilmer. Richard’s independent character and robust courage made a breakout to the initial
entanglements as now, he is nearer to the realisation of his dream. These characteristics of
Richard lighted a path to his success through a series of breakthrough of challenges. This
shows that if we are persistent and courageous, we could reach the destination as well,
being able to shake the boulder ahead of our dreams.
As Richard’s letter was finally replied, sheer joy filled him as it marks the bridging between
him and Mr. Kilmer. From that day onwards, Richard would write multiples of letters,
sharing thoughts and poems as well as asking for questions and advice. Mr. Kilmer in return
would give encouragement and helpful suggestions to Richard in enhancing his poem as
well as sharing his personal life to him as well. This aided Richard in realising his dream.
Richard managed to ignore the pressure from his opposing friends: Abner Lewis and Harry
Carver who sneered at him when he presented his poem orally in front of his peers. This
was one of the breakout of his fears, he was able to reveal his secret talent as Mr. Kilmer
gave support and encouragement as well as indirectly piping in bravery in him. Only after
that, Richard realised that the aftermath of the revelation of his secret was not that worse
after all. Blanche, Peggy and several other students respected him and that it turns out well
than he expected. The continuity of Richard writing to Mr. Kilmer proved the manifest of his
desire of wanting to realize his dream. However, this does not last long till Mr. Kilmer who
was promoted to a sergeant lately died at war. Having lost a faithful friend and a hero who
was the source of encouragement to his journey of realising his dream struck him still as he
has lost someone who could support him. He wrote an inspiring poem entitled: In the
Memory of Sergeant Joyce Kilmer. Having still clutching on his dream of wanting his poem
to be shared or published, he did not give up although he lost a friend he succour on all the
time, he looked for an alternative which was the Schermer’s. Mr. Schemer urged him to
publish his poem as it meant a lot for the community during the war era. This eventually
lead his poem to be summitted and be successfully published in The Turtle Lake Weekly. His
poem made a breakthrough in which even his father, Pa was struck emotionally and later on
turn out to be a collaborator with Richard in publishing poems. Richard’s determination
prove that nothing can be a foil to our dreams. His wish to realise his dreams turned out to
be a success as we could observed that the seed of Mr. Kilmer is planted within Richard.
While people have extraordinary and odd dreams like Richard, they proved to be
unstoppable. Anne Scraff through portraying the vivid and awe-inspiring character of
Richard Knight in words have spark a hope and courage that if it is our dream, no one could
possibly hinder us from reaching it. This was also further proven by the success of people
with the courage to pursue their dreams, notably Walt Disney, who was rejected by a
publishing house for lack of imagination from a son of farmer, he made his dream true and
turned out successful. “All our dreams can come true, if we have the courage to pursue
them” – Walt Disney.