Susan Klebold Letter for "O"

Oprah commented that Susan Klebold's letter was chilling. I would add that as much as it is chilling it is complex and confusing at times.

Right from the beginning Susan strikes an emotional chord. She describes the paralyzing panic and fear that can encompass a parent when they believe their child is in trouble. She paints a vivid picture of her and her family's anguish before they knew what had happened. Her letter is filled with strong emotion and personal confusion. I believe that many readers would sympathize with her initial feelings because of the shock of such a terrible massacre.

Unfortunately, as the letter progresses and Susan describes Dylan's childhood, adolescence and what she perceived to be his "home life," it seems as though a large part of her is still in denial about him. She writes for pages, narrating her journey of discovery, but I think what is frustrating and where she begins to lose authority is when she begins drawing seemingly shallow conclusions about her obviously very deeply disturbed teenager. This is reflected in her skirting of blame for not seeing some of the red flags about Dylan, such as his tortuous and morbid writings. I found this incredibly frustrating. Yes, she may have not seen his school essay that drew attention from faculty, but if a person in your home is writing things like that, public or private, chances are there are blaring behavioral signs to be discussed. She says he was mopey, awkward, and didn't like high school. I find these conclusions to be incredibly shallow and generic. Many teenagers feel awkward and confused. These behaviors and feelings are not unique.

She then abruptly makes a jump to discussing what she believes to be the root of the issue: suicide prevention. I believe that this is an integral part of the massacre, but there is still something, something huge, missing from her letter. I think this is summed up in her statement, "In loving memory of Dylan." To me, that statement reflects a deep denial that she still has yet to reconcile.