Letters to the Editor
To understand how people viewed someone in their life we can put obituaries and compare them against accounts of the person when they were still alive. For Robinson, the best way to do that is by looking at the letters to the editor (9)(10)(11), a variety of letters sent to her to give praise and thanks or to curse her out for the content she is reporting on. This is an important step in understanding obituaries since many people are not all too willing to talk ill of the dead despite and disposition they had with the person when they were alive.
These three letters build the idea required to understand the real feelings about Robinson and her work. More than this these letters would help us understand the type of person Robinson was in her writing and how it was received. Knowing this assists us when looking at obituaries as we can create a bigger picture of the kind of person Judith Robinson really was.
The first letter is written to Robinson during her time reporting on the Munich agreement and the hard stance she took on the issue. The author of the letter appreciated Robinson's use of comedic yet hard-hitting utterances within her articles. The reader also valued Robinson’s reporting on the truth and not bending to the whims of any authority.
The second letter is one that becomes much more personal and touching as the author of it is recalling the many times, he has read Robinson’s articles. While the author is writing this paper reflecting on the nostalgia of Robinson’s works, he keeps in mind to wish her well as it is known by the public of Robinson’s health. It is a touching piece meant to show Robinson the positive impact she has had and allows us an insight into how viewers had appreciated Robinson before her passing.
The third letter is page one of a thirteen-page document that outlines what seems to be a frustrated politician. The document contains an endless onslaught of insults and anger over an article that Robinson had published in April of 1961 presumably discussing the author of the letter in a not-so-favourable light. His description of Robinson as a “Literary thug” is one that could very well exemplify her time as a political commentator. This letter allows us to understand the other aspect of Robinson’s writings, those who were the targets of her takedowns. The importance of a letter like this is to allow for a more candid look into the thoughts of people as words like these often do not make it into the pages of obituaries. An important thing to note about this paper is that while it was sent to Robinson in May of the year she passed away it had not been published until after her death.