Welcome to your "Leave Taking" Study Guide!
Hi there! If you are studying Winsome Pinnock’s play Leave Taking for your AQA GCSE, you’ve come to the right place. This play is a beautiful and sometimes heartbreaking look at family, moving to a new country, and figuring out who you really are.
Whether you love reading plays or find English Literature a bit of a struggle, these notes are designed to help you understand the "big ideas" and the small details that will help you ace your exam. Don't worry if it seems tricky at first—we're going to break it down step-by-step!
What is "Leave Taking" about?
The play follows a Jamaican family living in London in the 1980s. Enid, the mother, moved to England for a "better life." She has two daughters: Del, who is a bit of a rebel, and Viv, who is a high-achieving student.
Think of it like this: Enid has tried to build a "British" life for her kids, but the kids feel like they don't quite fit into Britain, and they don't quite know their Jamaican heritage either. It's like trying to fit into a pair of shoes that are too small—it’s uncomfortable and someone is bound to get hurt!
Meet the Characters
Enid: The "Anchor." She is a single mother who works incredibly hard. She wants her daughters to be "proper" and successful in British society. She often hides her past to protect them.
Del: The "Seeker." She is the older daughter. She rebels against her mum and feels a strong pull toward her Caribbean roots. She’s looking for her identity outside of school and work.
Viv: The "Perfectionist." She is the younger daughter. She studies all the time because she wants to make her mum proud, but the pressure is making her feel trapped.
Brod: The "Voice of the Past." He is a family friend (Uncle figure) who reminds them of Jamaica. He represents the struggle of the Windrush generation—people who moved to the UK but didn't always find the "gold-paved streets" they were promised.
Mai: The "Healer." She is an Obeah woman (a spiritual healer). She helps the characters connect with their culture and their secrets.
Quick Review: The play is a Drama, which means it is written to be performed. Pay attention to how the characters talk to each other and what they don't say!
Key Themes: The "Big Ideas"
When you write your exam, you need to talk about themes. Here are the most important ones:
1. Identity and Belonging
The characters are "between two worlds." They aren't fully accepted as British because of racism, but they haven't lived in Jamaica for a long time (or ever).
Analogy: Imagine being a fan of a football team, but the team doesn't recognize you as a fan, and you've forgotten the songs the other fans sing. You’d feel pretty lost, right?
2. Family and Generational Conflict
Enid and her daughters have very different views. Enid believes in assimilation (trying to fit in perfectly), while her daughters are trying to find their own path. This creates a lot of "friction" or arguments in the house.
3. The "Windrush" Experience
The play explores what it was like for Caribbean people who moved to Britain in the 1950s and 60s. They expected a warm welcome but often faced prejudice and hardship. Enid’s strictness comes from a place of fear—she knows how hard the world can be.
Did you know? Winsome Pinnock is often called the "godmother of Black British playwriting" because she was one of the first Black British women to have her plays produced in major theaters!
Understanding the Context (AQA AO3)
To get top marks, you need to show you understand the world the play was written in.
1. The 1980s: This was a time of high unemployment and racial tension in the UK (like the Brixton Riots). This explains why Enid is so worried about her daughters having good jobs.
2. Caribbean Culture: Things like Patois (Jamaican dialect) and Obeah (spiritual beliefs) are important. Enid tries to move away from these to seem "British," while Del moves toward them to find herself.
Key Takeaway: The play isn't just about one family; it's about a whole generation of people trying to find a home in a country that doesn't always want them.
Writer's Techniques: How it’s Written
Winsome Pinnock uses specific tools to tell her story. Here are a few to look out for:
Language and Dialect: Notice how Brod and Mai speak with more of a Jamaican lilt, while Viv speaks "Standard English." This shows the divide between the generations.
Symbolism:
- Schoolbooks: These represent Viv’s burden and the pressure to succeed.
- The Letters: Letters from home (Jamaica) represent the secrets and the past that Enid tries to hide.
Setting: Most of the play happens inside the family home. This can feel claustrophobic (tight and cramped), mirroring how the characters feel trapped by their circumstances.
Memory Aid: The "TRIP" Mnemonic
Use this to remember the main struggles the family faces:
T - Tension (between mother and daughters)
R - Roots (finding where they come from)
I - Identity (who am I?)
P - Prejudice (the outside world being unfair)
Common Mistakes to Avoid
1. Don't just summarize the plot: The examiner knows what happens. They want to know why it happens and how Pinnock shows it.
2. Don't ignore Brod or Mai: While the story is about the sisters, Brod and Mai provide the cultural "weight" of the play.
3. Don't forget it's a play: Use words like "audience," "stage directions," and "dialogue."
Quick Review Box
Play: Leave Taking
Writer: Winsome Pinnock
Genre: Modern Drama
Core Conflict: Enid’s desire for her daughters to "fit in" vs. their need to find their own cultural identity.
Ending: A sense of "leave taking" (moving on), where the characters finally start to understand each other and their past.
Don't worry if this seems like a lot to take in! Start by reading the play and thinking about which character you relate to most. Once you understand their feelings, the themes and "big ideas" will start to make perfect sense. You've got this!