English Literature - Kindertransport

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Themes - identity.

* Eva changes her name to Evelyn. With her adoption by Lil, she regards herself as British; her rejection of her German name symbolises her break with her identity.

Example: when helga returns for Eva.

  • "I'm called Evelyn now...I've changed my name" - "I wanted an English name"
  • "Snake. Slithering out of yourself like it was an unwanted skin."

*Eva disregards her German Jewish heratige and with that see loses a part of her previous identity.

  • "i dont want these on me anymore" - Star of david. 
  • am sandwhiches - "God not like. This is law of jews" - Lil: "Now listen you. Always make time to eat"- "jesus said that we needn't keep to the old laws anymore".

*Lil pushes Eva into forgettin gher past identity, although this may be an act of kindness she may have taken.

  • "Too much...Too much of me"
  • "your not wearing that jewelry are you?...Give it me, ill take it home". 

*Faith also feels that her identity has been comprimised , as she feels that she has a right to know about her mother's past and her German family; she sees them as part of her identity and her history. 

  • Faith- "Please tell me the truth about yourself" 
  • Faith - "it has got something to do ith me"
  • Faith- "my grandparents"
  • Faith - "all youve given me is a pack of lies" 
  • Faith- "a terrible mother...a ******* lying co of a mother"
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Themes- Mother and daughter relationships.

Abandonment 

Helga must send Eva away on the 'Kindertransport', but a sense of abandoment is evoked trough Eva's disapproval.

  • Helga - "Only by sending you away" - "it's for the best". Eva: "will you miss me". 

This is also evdient when Evelyn abanones Helga at the dock:

  • Helga - "get on the boat with me" Evelyn: "i'm not ready yet. Not at all" "weve not been together for too long". 

Lil sends Eva to another park of Britain to escape the possibilty of bombings in Manchester.

  • "dont make me go...i might never come back" Lil replies: "all the children have got to go...Keep still now, i cant get a grip". 
  • "no buts i want you safe and out of it" - "let go now"
  • Lil realises that she abandoned Eva in a time of need - "shouldve realised, shouldnt have made you go"
  • "it isnt what you need most".
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