TWO LETTERS

In Chapter IV of “Just David” titled “Two Letters,” David, a young boy, wakes up in unfamiliar surroundings, realizing the permanence of his father’s absence. In his confusion and distress, David encounters Perry Larson, who attempts to sympathize with David’s situation. Unable to understand the fate of his father fully or the adults around him, David declines an invitation to breakfast and plans to return to his mountain home, believing it to be where he belongs and where his father would find him if he ever returned.

Failing to get substantial information from David about his identity or his father, the adults, including Mr. and Mrs. Holly and Mr. Higgins, the coroner, are left puzzled. Higgins reveals he has a letter found on David’s father, hoping it might provide some clues. The letter, however, proves to be as enigmatic as David’s own words, filled with cryptic messages about leaving David to the world’s care.

As the adults discuss what might be done about David and how to manage the situation, including the looming responsibility for David’s father’s burial, David, unbeknownst to them, decides to leave, longing for his home. His departure prompts further confusion and a concerted effort to bring him back using another letter Higgins has, which was intended for David from his father.

David, overwhelmed with a mix of joy and sadness upon receiving the letter, reads it as a directive from his father guiding him on how to perceive and navigate the world without him. His response to the letter underscores his innocence and inability to grasp adult concerns, focusing instead on the message of hope and continuity his father left him.

This chapter paints a poignant picture of loss, innocence, and the struggle to comprehend adult complexities through a child’s eyes. It sets a narrative of David’s journey towards understanding and accepting his new reality while holding onto the memories and teachings of his father.