Bridging the Gap: Comparing "Letters from My Father" and "The Writer" Anonymous 10th Grade

The short story “Letters from My Father”, written by Robert Olen Butler, and the poem “The Writer”, written by Richard Wilbur, both depict family struggles. “Letters from My Father” is about a Vietnamese girl who grew up without a father because of troubles with immigration and when she is finally reunited with her father she debates if he truly loves her. In “The Writer” the narrator is worried about his daughter’s depression, but she does not want to talk to him about it because of an inferred weak connection between the two. In “The Writer” and “Letters from My Father” both narrators have a poor connection with an important family member; however, the two try to understand what has happened and want to bridge the gaps in their relationships.

In both accounts, the narrators face an internal issue of where they have let too much come between themselves and a close family member, and they are now wondering whether they should interfere in order to improve their relationships. In “The Writer”, the narrator has to decide if he would like to go into his daughter’s room when she pauses typing because he never knows the outcome of the pauses. When his daughter types, she is expressing her feelings and thoughts; however, when she...