Analyzing Beverly Cleary's 'Dear Mr. Hensfield'

Question 1
In what ways does Beverly Cleary help readers identify with the viewpoint of her middle school boy narrator by having the story told through the boy's letters and diary entries? How does his writing develop through the course of these letters and diary entries? Why do you think Cleary uses letter writing and diary entries to convey the intellectual and emotional development of her narrator, Leigh Botts? Why do you think she made Leigh Botts see himself as so “medium”? Be sure to refer to specific details from the story.
Dear Mr. Henshaw a story written by Beverly Cleary help young readers understand their place in the world. The story may appear as a simple letter from adoring young fan to an author, but instead this story shed the lights on a world of a lonely young boy of divorced parents. Beverly Cleary uses the epistolary form that shows the intimate view of the character’s thoughts and feelings through Leigh’s letters and diary entries, revealing the confused feelings of Leighs seeking friendship and advice from an author he greatly admires. …show more content…
The reader can see common misspellings (“keep in tuch” p. 2) and improper usage of word (“I am a great enjoyer of your books” p.3) at once attract the reader and make him interested to know more about the character. The reader can find humor in the closings are sometimes as well: "Your friend," "Your best reader," "Your favorite reader," "Disgusted reader," "Your pooped reader," "Still disgusted," "Pooped writer," and "Fooey on you." Some of the postscripts appeal to young readers too like “De liver or” De better”