Leave Taking: Themes (AQA GCSE English Literature)

Leave Taking: Themes

Although your GCSE English Literature exam could cover a wide range of topics, having a thorough knowledge of the key themes in the play will help you to formulate an effective response to whatever comes up. Here are four major themes in Leave Taking to think about:

• Unbelonging and identity

• Hope and aspiration

• Family 

• Education

Unbelonging and identity

Leave Taking examines the human desire to belong and the impact on identity of not being fully accepted in society; in various ways, all the characters struggle with the tensions of balancing their Jamaican roots with the realities of life in Britain. Through this dynamic, playwright Winsome Pinnock examines the impact of discrimination on shaping identities and the diverse coping mechanisms employed in response.

Knowledge and understanding 

• Characters in the play are presented as being forced to change their ethnic identities:

  • Brod and Gullyman both embrace a sense of British identity, only to have their perceptions shattered by the harsh realities of the discrimination they encounter in Britain:

    • For Brod, the pain of having his sense of belonging stripped away manifests in the form of alcoholism

    • Gullyman went mad with grief after he was racially abused

• Discrimination is shown to be commonplace in Britain, including insidious forms that manifest in everyday interactions: 

  • Del says that her manager talks to her like she does not “speak English” (Scene 2)

  • Del recalls a time when she and Enid attended a party at the hospital; a nurse vomited and Enid was told to clean it up: 

    • These instances highlight microaggressions faced in the workplace

  • Del suggests that the police actively “hunt” Black people (Scene 2):

    • This references the unfairness of racial profiling 

  • The UK government threatens to take away Brod’s right to stay in the UK (Scene 2):

    • His experience of having his right to remain in Britain revoked serves as a reminder of the barriers that can prevent immigrants from achieving a sense of belonging, even after many years 

• Different characters are shown to respond to discrimination in diverse ways:

  • Enid wants to “forget about Jamaica” and tries her hardest to make England her home (Scene 2)

  • Brod embraces his Jamaican identity:

    • This is symbolised by his heavy Jamaican dialect

    • In psychologically rejecting his Britishness, he begins to idealise his country of birth saying, “I dream about a land. Pure rainforest” (Scene 2)

    • He also uses alcohol as a coping mechanism, and is frequently drunk

  • Del rebels against what she perceives to be an unfair society

  • Viv threatens not to attend her English exam because she believes that the education system does not represent the immigrant experience

• The play presents physical spaces as important for obtaining a sense of belonging:

  • Enid needs the Obeah practice to express her worries and connect with her heritage 

  • Del needs time away from her mother to appreciate her efforts and understand her feelings

  • Brod often visits the Matthewses’ flat, placing importance on sharing “rice and peas” with Enid, finding a space where he can belong as a proud Jamaican man (scene 7)

What is Pinnock’s intention? 

• Pinnock critiques discrimination and its harmful effects:

  • She portrays the pervasive discrimination faced by the Black and Caribbean community in Britain through characters' experiences of workplace bias, racial profiling and denial of belonging or citizenship

• Pinnock highlights the profound importance of belonging and its impact on identity

Hope and aspiration

The play explores the hopes and aspirations that fuelled the Windrush generation's migration to Britain, juxtaposing these dreams with the harsh realities they found themselves encountering. Pinnock explores how discrimination and societal barriers can undermine the dreams of a brighter future, highlighting the resilience and determination that drives characters like Enid to seek better futures for their children through education and work.

Knowledge and understanding 

• For many first-generation Jamaican immigrants like Enid and her husband, Britain was portrayed as a land of luxury and opportunity, a place where they could become "big shots in London" 

• This idealised vision of Britain fuelled aspirations, leading some to mimic Englishness and embrace the notion of assimilation, as exemplified by Gullyman's insistence on pronouncing "worter" like the English (Scene 2)

• Enid had hoped to obtain wealth and status by migrating to America:

  • She stole a pair of “stockings” from her uncle’s wife, symbolising her desire for a better life

  • This contrasts with her life in North London where she is presented as consistently cleaning, signalling that she never managed to achieve this

  • She tells Del that her shoes have holes in them because although she works hard, she cannot afford a new pair

  • This dissonance between hope and reality echoes the experiences of many in the Windrush generation whose aspirations were undermined by the pervasive discrimination they faced

• Enid is shown to hope that her daughters’ lives will be better than hers: 

  • She says that she would “chop off her hand” if it would help Del

  • She saves money for Viv to go to university

• Enid's willingness to sacrifice her own dreams, exemplified by her tireless work ethic (and the money she has saved for Viv to go university), symbolises the importance placed on education as a means of upward mobility

• Brod's observation that Enid works "so hard" for her children highlights her willingness to sacrifice her own dreams to help realise her children’s aspirations: 

  • The pressure Enid places on Viv to do well in school is shown to be overwhelming:

    • Viv says, “what if I fail at my exams? What will she do?” showing that she feels immense pressure from her mother to do well (Scene 2)

• Discrimination is presented as limiting the aspirations of young people:

  • Del's experience of being treated as if she “doesn't speak English” at work not only dehumanises her but also leads to her decision to leave her job

  • Del’s dyslexia was not diagnosed at school, and her teachers just assumed that she was “slow” (Scene 5)

• Enid’s hopes for a better life in England have not come to fruition:

  • She repeatedly feels nostalgic for Jamaica, saying that she “wants to go home” (Scene 4):

    • This highlights the importance of belonging in order to achieve happiness 

What is Pinnock’s intention?

• Pinnock shows that discrimination leads to hopelessness

• Aspiration is not always the route towards happiness; the implication is that feeling comfortable with one’s identity and achieving a sense of belonging are more important

Family

Leave Taking portrays the complexities of family relationships and the pain that can be caused by unresolved conflicts. However, it also highlights the importance of togetherness through family ties and how these can create a sense of belonging and solace. 

Knowledge and understanding

• Family members are presented as supporting each other:

  • Del makes sure that Viv goes to her English exam, even when she tries to miss it

  • Enid saves money for Viv to go to university

• Familial relationships are shown to break down when people are not open with one another:

  • Del thinks that her mother does not understand the discrimination she faces in England:

    • In Scene 8, Enid reveals that she was always painfully aware of how her daughters were treated

• Fractious family relationships are portrayed as deeply impacting those involved: 

  • In the last scene, Enid's retelling of her departure from Jamaica is rendered incomplete by the overwhelming emotions surrounding her mother's reaction:

    • Her inability to fully articulate the story lays bare the enduring anguish caused by the fracture in their relationship (Scene 4)

• Families, both blood and non-blood related, are shown make people feel protected:

  • In the final scene, Del describes how her mother used to wish her goodnight and it felt like “light” came off her, alluding to the idea of her as a guardian angel

  • Brod is shown to visit the family often, helping to make him feel protected, secure and reinvigorated:

    • In Scene 2, his tie hangs loosely around his neck, suggesting his low mood; however, he begins to laugh when talking to the family, indicating comfort and renewed energy

    • This highlights that family does not have to be based on blood, something which is also suggested by the relationship between Mai and Del

• Family breakdowns are presented as being somewhat caused by society:

  • Enid’s mother refused to speak with her after Enid chose to move to England (Scene 4)

  • Enid left her husband after he became abusive in response to the racism that he endured (Scene 7) 

What is Pinnock’s intention?

• Pinnock highlights the importance of family members in supporting each other and making each other feel a sense of belonging, especially in a setting where family members suffer from discrimination

• She suggests that family is not about blood but about who makes you feel at home

• She portrays the fact that society can often lead to family breakdown 

Education

Leave Taking explores the significance of formal education as a means of upward mobility and a way to realise aspirations. However, Pinnock critiques the rigidity and limitations of educational systems by demonstrating that while they have the potential to empower all people, they can in fact further constrain marginalised communities.

Knowledge and understanding

• Formal education is presented as important to immigrants in the play:

  • Del worries about her sister when Viv tries to skip her English exam: “are you trying to ruin your life?” (Scene 5):

    • Del’s anger implies that she understands how important education is, even though her own education was spoiled by discrimination and a lack of support

• Society is depicted as stifling the education of those who need extra support:

  • Del has dyslexia but it is undiagnosed, and she has had no additional support:

    • This implies that the education system lacks compassion

• Viv is portrayed as lamenting the fact that she never learns about people like her: “No matter how hard I search for myself in those books, I’m never there” (Scene 5):

  • This could be seen as an attack on the way that the English curriculum focuses on white male perspectives rather than exploring diverse experiences: 

    • However, this changes at university where Viv reads Black Studies 

• Formal education is not the only way that people can learn:

  • Del is presented as learning how to become an Obeah under Mai’s tutelage 

• The tendency of immigrants to place weight on their children’s education may have negative effects on those children:

  • This is shown by Viv’s fear of failing her exams (Scene 2)

What is Pinnock’s intention?

• Pinnock attacks the lack of support for people with neurodivergence

• She critiques the education system, suggesting that it places too much weight on the white male experience

Source

Pinnock, W. (2018). Leave Taking. NHB Modern Plays.