Honest Communication In Dear Edward By Ann Maudio

“A mother whose son had aspired to be a stand-up comedian wants Edward to open a comedy club in their small Wisconsin town and name it after the dead young man” (Napolitano 238). Imagine being a twelve-year-old boy, opening up a letter from a mother, telling you to open up a comedy club, and name it after her dead son. In Dear Edward, by Ann Napolitano, Edward Adler, the only survivor of a plane crash, had to change his whole life and move to a different town with his aunt and uncle. He started with only one friend, Shay, but surprisingly opened up and was able to become friends with many other people after dealing with the tragic loss of his whole family. Everyone expected him to become attached to Shay because she was the closest person

This honesty also helps avoid misunderstandings that may result in conflicts. Shay and Edward have a lot of honest communication throughout their relationship. We know this because they learned to grow together through everything. They are very honest with each other which helps them understand what each of them is going through. They also spend a lot of quality time together. Neither of them is ever dependent on the other for anything but is always there for the other in a healthy way. Shay listens to Edward and never fakes listening. She always has her full attention on Edward and supports him no matter what. “Pay attention without distractions (put your phone away) when the other person is talking; listen to what they are saying instead of just thinking about how to respond” (What Does a Healthy Relationship Look Like?). This was exactly what Shay displayed towards Edward which brought their relationship closer together. Moving on to Gene and Finny, their communication was never honest. One example of this is when Gene pushed Finny off the tree which caused him to shatter his leg. "Finny turned toward me. ‘You were down at the bottom, weren't you?’ he asked" (Knowles 92). Gene was not able, to be honest with Finny and tell him what happened during the night of his accident because he was not at

Respect involves treating others with kindness, and understanding. Respect creates a sense of trust and safety. When both parties feel respected, they are more likely to communicate openly and honestly, and to work collaboratively to overcome challenges. Respect ties into both honest communication and trust. Respect also fosters a sense of equality and fairness, ensuring that both parties feel valued and heard. Without respect, relationships can easily devolve into an unhealthy dynamic of manipulation and abuse. “I did not cry then or ever about Finny. I did not cry even when I stood watching him being lowered into his family’s strait-laced burial ground outside of Boston. I could not escape a feeling that this was my funeral, and you do not cry in that case” (Knowles 194). This shows that Gene did not fully respect Finny because he didn’t show any emotion at his funeral. He instead related Finny’s death to the fact that a part of him died that day too. He didn’t fully see the value of Finny and only paid attention to the fact that he died. On the other hand, proper respect is displayed through Shay and Edward. “‘Oh, don’t worry. You can keep sleeping here for as long as you like. I’ll fight them off. I’m good at that. I can be deeply annoying’” (Napolitano 83). Shay respects Edward enough to let him sleep in her room so he can get comfortable after all he has been through. “Respect