In reading VIA Konfidential a variety of insights into Straka’s identity are present.

First of all, we must recognize that Straka wrote this letter in Swedish seemingly from Uppsala University in Uppsala, Sweden, based on the stamp. This can help to date Straka’s location on August 17, 1928 which would be helpful when one strives to compile more information on Straka’s and Straka candidates’ whereabouts.  Also, Uppsala University is actually a real University in Sweden.  While, Grahn and Straka are both fictional, Dorst for some reason choose to use a real university.  Perhaps there is more here than what has come across so far, or perhaps Dorst was simply fond of the school.

However, there is some doubt about whether Straka used this location because he was in Sweeden.  The writing on the inside of the Uppsala University Crest, Gratias Veritas Naturas, translates to “giving the true nature” and that can not be ignored.  Possibly, Straka choose this crest because it matched up with what his letter communicated.

The nature of this letter is not aggressive, but Straka quite concretely delivers his message that Mr. Grahn’s use of his book for his film is not acceptable. Grahn took The Santana March and completely misconstrued Straka’s story of a man’s fight against the evils of capitalism.  Instead, he turned the story into an upbeat film where the main character, Jerry Frost, gets an attractive wife and delicious meals for his refusal and hard work to avoid death.  While, in reality, Frost received “physical injury, public scorn, unjust imprisonment, and alienation from friends and family” (V.I.A Konfidential).  However, Straka’s least favorite part of the film was Grahn’s “homage to greed, exploitation, and complacency” (V.I.A Konfidential).

Straka states that “no one but the writer can understand what his story is or what it requires in the telling” (VIA Konfidnetial).  This comment requires further research throughout the novel and history on Summersby’s screen writings and films.  If Summersby wrote scripts for any books or other author’s works, he would be directly contradicting his statement here, and therefore most likely not the author.

Ultimately, this note offers a few small hints about Straka and his relationship with others, but nothing extremely concrete at the moment.