Writing Letters as Activism

A whole raft of letters lies at the heart of Children Under Fire. The most prolific letter writer by far is Ava Olsen. Even in the midst of severe PTSD, Ava is able to pick up her pencil and write letters both encouraging and empathetic. Her letters to Rosey Colautti are especially full of energy and questions: "Was it fun teaching? My brother wants to teach one day" (218) Her questions reflect her curiosity about the outside world that she hopes to reenter as her symptoms become more manageable.

Rosey Colautti's letters to Ava were likewise touching and encouraging. She had her own unique perspective on the importance of writing letters. She had been through chemotherapy for stage-four Hodgkin's lymphoma and had received some ridiculous and thoughtless advice as she battled the disease. In the aftermath of her battle, she decided that she would send letters...