On the Virtues of Letter Writing

I reckon I oughta start blogging now as I need one every two weeks, I sure hope that this works.

Recently for my Middle Level Learners class (BEDUC 480) I was informed that I was required to read a young adult novel and do an assignment related to said novel. After consulting one of the lists provided for choosing the novel, I decided upon The Princess Bride by William Goldman. There is a movie, you may be familiar. The book is really quite good, Goldman has an engaging writing style and the whole novel has an interesting framing device. Long story short, Goldman presents the book as his abridged, as he calls it the "good parts version," of a longer novel by S. Morgenstern, a fictional author from the fictional country of Florin. In one particular section, Goldman writes, as himself commenting on the "original" Morgenstern text, that at one point he wishes that Morgenstern had written more on a particular scene, namely the re-unification of Wesley and Princess Buttercup. Rather than change the original text by inserting the scene, he instead tells the reader that if they want to read the scene they can write in to his publisher who will send a copy of the text.

The address listed is:

Jelenka Harvey
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
222 Berkeley Street
Boston, MA 02116

I wrote in to see if this would still work, the novel was originally published in 1973, and there is a website listed in the newer edition that I have but I have two education related reasons for writing in instead.

1. It is important to always be curious, and this means nothing if that curiosity is never followed through with. I was curious if this would actually work, the address is 40 years and I don't even know if it ever worked. I want to find out though, and I think that it's worth a stamp and an envelop to find out. If I think that it's important for children to remain curious, who would I be if I did not follow through on my own curiosity. It may get me nothing, but that's not the point.

2. Despite the fact that it is being used less and less these days, I think that there is still value in letter writing, and it's a skill that I like to keep fresh, and think is important to cultivate in our children. Some would say that this skill is irrelevant what with all the modern technology that there is today. But I disagree whole-heartedly, for a few reasons. While not as many letters are written in these days, the skills needed to write letters well will always be relevant. Firstly, is the ability to politely and clearly communicate ideas with someone who will not respond immediately. Even with instant messaging, texting, and the other available resources available, clear communication is key, and a letter trains this skill, and without the ability to instantly clarify, a letter requires one to communicate clearly the first time. Secondly, letters require one to learn how a bureaucratic system like the post office works and gives a view into the workings of the government. The fact that this system is not always efficient, and often requires some problem solving on the part of the citizen helps teach problem solving skills. Thirdly, it teaches patience, which is a virtue regardless of time and place, and the feeling of surprise and delight when one receives a nice letter is much greater than from any form of instant communication.

So there you have it, I'll be sure to put on my blog when I get a response, if I ever get a response. Please find attached a scanned copy of the letter I sent.