Browse Items (50 total)
- Collection: After the First Death
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Kristy Luzar's letter to Robert Cormier
In Kristy Luzar's typed but very faded letter to Robert Cormier dated 15 May 1989 she shares her engagement with the novel, After the First Death, and asks him key questions about the characters and plot structure of the novel.
Luke Kenzel's letter to Robert Cormier
In this hand-written letter, Luke Kenzel, a student from Hudson High School, shares his experience of reading After the First Death. He states how moved he was by the realism and the explicit events that come to pass. Luke goes on to ask questions…
Maxine Shosto's letter to Robert Cormier
Maxine Shosto was a high school student in England when she wrote this one-page, handwritten letter. She explains that she had been "set to write an essay" and then included several interviews and plot questions concerning After the First Death.
Michael Ryan letter to Robert Cormier
Michael mentions that his class read After the First Death for their summer reading and asks Robert Cormier if he is able to come to their class. He would like to ask Cormier about the inspiration for the novel and what he deems appropriate material…
Mrs. Anti's Class Project, Hallowell Highlights
Hallowell Highlights is a student-generated newspaper for the fictional Hallowell, Massachusetts with mock interviews of characters from After the First Death, along with news reports covering the terrorist attack and Ben Marchand's shooting. Other…
Mrs. Barbara Anti letter to Robert Cormier
Mrs. Anti writes of her students' interest and enthusiasm for Robert Cormier's book After the First Death. She invites him to speak to the class, promising a captivated audience, gas mileage, and school lunch.
Pamela Carpenter letter to Robert Cormier
Pamela writes about how Robert Cormier's After the First Death was the best of the four summer novels assigned by Mrs. Anti. She mentions the newspaper project and despite their roles as investigative journalists, they still had points of confusion…
Rachel Flynn letter to Robert Cormier
Rachel shares her enthusiasm for After the First Death and her curiosity regarding points of confusion in the novel, which she hopes he will discuss in a class visit. She mentions the fun the class had producing the newspaper project.
Robert Cormier on After the First Death
In this piece, Robert Cormier reflects on the influences at work in After the First Death. He discusses the type of person who could commit a terrorist act, and yet who could still see himself or herself as a hero or a patriot. In such a case,…
Robert Cormier's draft response to Hugh Agee
In this drafted letter, Robert Cormier responds to Agee's correspondence. He opens by sharing how impressed he is with the students' insights and interpretations. In a section that is largely penciled out and re-written, Cormier shares his…
Robert Cormier's draft response to Maxine Shosto
Robert Cormier's hand revised draft of his letter to Maxine Shosto addresses her questions regarding After the First Death. In particular, he talks about the ambiguity in the book and says that it is because life is ambiguous. He had mislaid the…
Robert Cormier's draft response to Rebecca Pace
In this drafted letter, Robert Cormier thanks Rebecca for her correspondence. He shares how glad he is that the novel has helped her to understand different viewpoints and perspectives. He explains how seeing something from another person's point of…
Robert Cormier's letter to Kevin Prentice
Robert Cormier responds to Kevin's inquiries regarding the ideas for the novel, After the First Death. He cites three main sources of interest: 1) his home near Fort Devens and the possibility of a terrorist attack, 2) the Abraham-Isaac Bible story,…
Robert Cormier's response to Jennifer Cowan
In his two-page "random" response to Jennifer Cowan, as one of several (or more) classmates who wrote, Robert Cormier reveals that After the First Death is told from the point of view of Ben's father. He refers to a pamphlet he enclosed and hoped…
Robert Cormier's response to Mrs. Anti's class
In this letter to Mrs. Anti's class, Cormier answers many questions posed by the students. First, he outlines how he got the idea for the novel. As in other letters, Cormier cites his life as a news reporter and his proximity to Fort Devens - as…