The Theme Of Identity In Kinder-Transport By Diane Samuels
‘Kinder-transport’ is a play written by Diane Samuels. It is about a girls journey and transfer from one culture to another and the affects it has on her life. Set in a World War Two background, it explores one aspect of how Hitlers horrific action affected and harmed generations of families into the future with Samuels contrasting the use of past and present to show this, specifically pre-war and post-war. This again is to show the not all Hitlers damage was done during the duration of the war. The themes discussed in the play centre around mother-daughter relationships, different types of loss and fundamentally identity and what aspects of it define someone.
Identity is explored through the use of Eva’s heritage, her alienation from British culture which then turns into the opposite her German Jewish identity. From the very beginning of the play - Act One Scene One, Samuels immediately displays that Eva is losing her heritage as she sews the buttons onto the coat. Helga says “you have to be able to manage on your own” which with the use of the present tense rather than in the future. This implies that the idea and preparation of Eva leaving is also the beginning of her loosing some of her heritage - being her parents as she has to begin to care for herself which is essentially the role of a parent as well as to support a child. Helga shows that she is indirectly losing her daughter and arguably an aspect of identity is family.
Samuel’s use of time indicates how quickly Eva is forced to become ‘self-sufficient’ and able to ‘manage on her own’ and shows how unnatural a process it is. Samuels indicates that parental support should be a consistent part of childhood and growing up and that becoming independent is a delicate and gradual process. This pre-war part of the scene compares to the post-war where Samuels heavily emphasises that Faith had more of a consistent upbringing and has a choice on whether she leaves or not rather than Eva. The phrase “Are you intending to change your mind again?” From Evelyn to Faith clearly implicates choice. A
nother cross parallel example between the two time periods is the concept and the symbolism of belongings. Faith moving out of her mothers home also includes her packing away items she ‘may’ need. Evelyn consistently offers different choices to her accommodating her pasts ‘lack of choice’ when leaving, pushing her to take them. “You should take them”, “Will eleven glasses be enough”. Psychologically, Evelyn forces the idea of taking belongings and possessions (reminders of identity) with Faith which contrasts with the idea of the play - that Evelyn concealed her true identity which presents to different ideas to Faith, even after she finds the truth about her mother. Evas parallel of leaving completely differs to that of her future daughters. With Evelyn asking the question of ‘how much do you need - do you need more’ compared to Helga’s ‘this is too much’ in reference to a small suitcases which symbolises Evas childhood. When Helga says “The case is too full” she indirectly tells Eva to remove more items which Kindertransport her childhood - implying her loss of identity and memories even without leaving her home in Germany. Samuels explores the theme of identity in ‘Kindertransport’ through Eva’s loss and detachment from her heritage.
Once arriving in Britain in Act One Scene Two, Eva is immediately called out on her nationality and language which alienates her from British culture emphasising that at this moment she has no belonging. The concept of Eva speaking German to the English speaking organiser shows her separation, in that the conversation is mindless - Eva is not understood and it is procedure for the organiser to speak to her. “I can’t understand a word you’re saying”. Samuels uses the English responses to contextualise the German and gives the impression to the audience as it is being performed that the only reason the organiser knows the gist of what Eva is trying to say is because there have been many refugees before her, so his responses are generic. He proceeds to dehumanise her after struggling to sympathise with her “What is it about me that gets them all crying” - the organiser does not try to understand the emotional trauma associated with leaving a war torn country at a very young age and being alone without parents. He says a self centred, mocking remark which presents itself to be very insensitive. In terms of stage directions, Samuels helps readers to visualise the play as it would be performed ‘Organiser makes to exit. Eva makes to follow … Eva looks perplexed’. This helps present the fact that with Eva's loss of belonging and no permanent aspects, she tries to replace the attachment she once had with her identity, her home in Germany and her parents with any slight emotional connection she has with anyone. The idea that she begins to follow the organiser shows she sees some form of comfort. “Sit! Stay!” Is the organisers response to this - treating her like a dog implying cruelty and no sympathy towards her.
Lil plays a huge part in Evas loss of identity. She discursively influences her to dishrag it. As soon as Eva comes to Britain and meets Lil - her adoptive mother one of the first things she says after she lets Eva smoke a cigarette completely disregards the jewish religion in her life. “If it’s God you’re worried about, the Lord Jesus said that we needn’t keep to the old ways anymore. They had their day years ago. ” Judaism is the foundation of Christianity so when Lil says this she implies that the 'old ways’ is Judaism and the ‘new way’ is Christianity. So from the very beginning Lil tries to eradicate Evas German identity in order to conform with Britains culture. As well as this, Lil insists on taking off Evas star of David “you don’t need this anymore” again showing Lil stripping away her religion. The idea that when Helga writes to Eva about performing the seder in Act two Scene one, Helga mentions how it “falls apart” without the presence of the youngest child - being Eva. Eva does not feel comfortable about her identity or secure about it to even ask Lil if she would be able to do it in her Christian household - not upholding her Jewish religion. Lil does not even try to support Evas jewish traditions and policies another example of this being “I not to eat ham…new things come to place … especially for jews”. Lil does not accommodate for Evas needs. Throughout the play Evelyn tries to deny her identity and cannot cope when it is revealed by her daughter. When Faith first uncovers it, Evelyn cannot cope with it and begins to blame Lil for being a ‘Murderer’ and a ‘Child Stealer’ as well as running away from Faith in terms of avoiding the truth, avoiding her daughter as a result of her loss of identity as her daughter carries the traits she tried to forget. Even with Faith using “I've got proof. Look. Evidence”. Samuels uses the setting to continuously display this point - with the post war setting being the attic. Evelyn is shown to be a hoarder keeping all the possessions she has rom her past but never uncovering the secrets which lie within the boxes she has in storage. Lil tries to protect and defend Evelyn whenever Faith attempts to plead her case on how her identity was also concealed not just Evelyn's. “I’ll bloody kill you” Samuels uses Lil's frustration through the language used to show how defensive she is of Evelyn in terms of her life - almost as if she feels the need to defend herself in partially hiding away Evas true identity.
In conclusion, Identity is. Persistent theme throughout the play. Samuels uses these techniques to portray the idea that identity should not always be concealed and explore the fact that the process of Kindertransport affected future generations, clearly suggested by Samuels’ characters.
