Pen Pal Letter

703 Churchville Road

Bel Air, MD 21014

September 3, 2010

Dear Demi,

            My name is Amanda, and I enjoyed reading about your summer camp adventures in Dramarama by E. Lockhart.  I live in Bel Air, MD, and I am a freshman at John Carroll School.  Besides hearing from you about summer camp this summer, I spent a lot of time at my neighbors’ houses.  In the picture on the right, I am in the middle of my neighbors and cousins.  I am the girl in the blue shirt.  I was having my middle school graduation party. I also went to Ocean City, MD, with my family and volunteered at the library with my brother.  It was a pretty fun summer, and it was almost as great as yours.

            I thought Dramarama was very fun to read.  I have always been interested in the theatre, and you helped me to love it even more.  The way you and Sayde can be best friends, even with all your differences, is amazing.  I liked the idea you and Sayde had to use a recorder to keep track of everything that happened to you during camp.  I think you handled all your new friends well, but I wish you and Sayde could have spent more time together.  You took the trip with her, and you were going to try out for the same plays.  I know you two had only known each other for a few weeks, but a friendship like that should be kept first compared to all the time you spent with your boyfriend who ended up cheating on you.  I am glad in the end you found a guy you really loved, and you spent time with Sayde.  I wish you guys hadn’t gotten caught with the beer on the roof so Sayde could have stayed.  I was shocked when she said it was her fault when it was really yours.  Your friendship must be more important to her than the camp, and I am really happy that it is.  She is a good friend to have.

I liked how E. Lockhart had the idea to use your conversation over the recorder as part of the book.  I liked the way he wrote a flashback in the beginning because it helped me learn a little more about how you got into camp.   E. Lockhart made it seem like everything was real, and I felt like I was right there next to you at camp.  I liked how he talked about your feelings and thoughts, not just the dialogue of the story.  I felt like I saw things through your eyes.

I think the major turning point for you was when Sayde took the blame for the beer.  Sayde understood you didn’t want to leave.  She wasn’t enjoying herself as much as she thought she would, so she decided to let you stay where you truly belong.  I would do the same thing for my friend.  What I want to know is, would you have taken the blame if your situations were different?  Would you have said it was your fault completely, or pointed the blame on Sayde so you could stay?  Would you have been willing to leave Lyle like Sayde left Theo?

I think one of the most important social issues in this story is the underage drinking.  If you hadn’t taken the beer up every night, you and Sayde would have never been caught, and she would still be at camp. Many teens probably do not understand that drinking young can cause a lot of problems later in life.  Teens become addicted to the alcohol, and it messes up their lives.  If more teens knew the effects of drinking on their bodies, maybe you and Sayde would still be up on that roof together talking, and Sayde wouldn’t have had to leave.

I hope you are still having fun at camp since you are staying year round now.  I would love to get information on how to enroll in the camp for the summer.  Please stay in touch with Sayde. You are one of her only friends, and I hope that you can find ways to stay her best friend for your entire life.  Break a leg next performance.

Sincerely,

Amanda