“But the world of intellectual talk and scientific study exploded. He fled from western Poland not in an airplane, defying the old laws of gravity, but crawling along in a peasant’s cart pulled by a spavined horse bought with all the silver spoons his wife owned.”

The Mechanik’s thoughts reveal that precaution and safety are illusions under Nazi rule. His dedication to scientific progress and intellectual advancement could not save him from debasement. On a larger scale, the Mechanik’s thoughts suggest the waste that World War II made of man’s achievements.

“‘All right. I’m Hansel.’ He smiled. He was not himself anymore. He was not the little Jew who hid in the grease pit. He wondered if he could change his stomach to a stomach full of food. He tried to imagine it but couldn’t.” 

Hansel welcomes the opportunity to begin a new life with his new name. He remembers the tragedies of his recent life and smiles to think that they could cease to be part of his life story. Still, the reality of his hunger tempers Hansel’s optimism. He can gain a degree of solace by pretending to be someone new but pretending has its limits.

“It would have been wonderful to sit down and think for an hour about the past, but there was no way to think about the good parts without having her mind drift to the terrible things.” 

The Stepmother articulates the fraught role of memory as a means of comfort. The past and the present are in conversation with one another, and awful experiences in the present can cast a shadow over even the most positive memories. The Stepmother’s thoughts exemplify her stern approach to managing emotion. If she believes that a memory will negatively impact her ability to function, she is willing to push it aside.