Ten Letters: Chapter 1 Summary
In the first chapter of Ten Letters by Eli Saslow, tells the story of two american citizens, Jen and Jay, who are below the poverty line. Both Jay and Jen owe lots of money and have to use food stamps. They are also filing for bankruptcy. After flipping through the channels late at night, Jen comes across a speech from the president, Barak Obama. She decides to write him a letter telling him her story and how she is living. After reading the letter, Obama discuss’s how he would like to communicate to the citizens without his personal space being taken up by the guards. He wants them to know that he understands their problems.
Ten Letters: Chapter 2 Summary
In chapter two of Ten Letters by Eli Saslow the story of Stefan, a graduating high school student, and his mother Monica, a hard working citizen who is struggling with poverty, is told. Stefan starts to look up to Obama and become encouraged by him. His mother, though, is not such a big fan of him. Monica struggles with poverty and is always trying to find a way to pay for Stefan's education. She is always overdue on at least two bills but finds a way to pay them off. Stefan decides to run for president of Student Council, making his nickname "Obama" because he has the same facial features as him and is president like him. Stefan finally graduates and picks the college which happens to be the closest to home and offers him a scholarship and tuition help. Monica stills has to pay about five grand for his college education but she works twice as hard to earn the money. At the same time, Obama is just starting his presidency. Towards the end of the chapter, Stefan and Monica take a tour of the White House. Stefan stands up on the podium it grabs him in a special way, like he belonged there.