We Were the Lucky Ones

Addy’s handkerchief is a symbol of his connection to his family, and particularly his mother, as well as of the strong bond of love between them. Nechuma sewed this handkerchief and embroidered Addy’s initials onto it and gave it to him at his last visit home before the war. At the time, they had no way of knowing that it would be almost a decade before they would see each other again. Throughout the story, in times of despair, Addy reaches into his pocket and runs his fingers over the handkerchief. When his eyes fill with tears, from worrying and missing his family, he pulls out the handkerchief to dry his eyes and feels a connection to them all.

When Addy becomes close to Caroline, he shows her the handkerchief and the initials his mother embroidered. He shows her how his middle name is the same as her late father’s, providing another sense of connection. Addy thinks that perhaps he and Caroline are woven from the same thread, meaning that they are similar and belong together.

At the end of the story, Addy hands the handkerchief to Nechuma for her to dry her tears of joy. She recognizes it and remembers the day she gave it to him, so long ago. The handkerchief has come full circle, as Addy and his mother were together, then separated, then reunited again.

Nechuma owns an expensive amethyst necklace, with a large center stone, that she purchased years ago in Vienna on a fabric shopping trip. She considered the necklace an extravagance and never wore it, but it was precious to her, as buying it was the first time in her life that she felt able to splurge on herself. The necklace symbolizes the prosperous days before the war.

Throughout the story, all the money and other valuable possessions that Nechuma was able to bring with them when they were forced out of their home in Radom are used to buy food, one by one, or are used as bribes to get loved ones out of dangerous situations. Porcelain cups and Nechuma’s grandmother’s silver are handed off to keep them alive. The amethyst necklace is always held in reserve, symbolizing the last bit of hope for safety and security the family possesses.

In the end, Halina uses the amethyst necklace to bribe a factory guard to release Nechuma and Sol. Halina’s parents then go to the Górskis’ home, where they remain safe for the remainder of the war. What Nechuma originally bought as a splurge for herself ends up saving her and Sol’s lives, so the necklace also symbolizes salvation.

Music is a motif throughout the story, as music reminds the Kurc family of the days before the war devastated their lives and separated their family members. Many of the Kurcs are musically talented. Addy is a composer and he, Halina, and Mila are accomplished pianists. At many points during the war, when any of the characters reflect back on happier times, they remember the family gathered around the piano, singing and dancing.

When Addy is in the Polish contingent of the French Army, he hears a soldier whistle a tune he himself composed, which reminds him of his previous life and the hopes and dreams he once held. On the ship to Brazil, Addy’s musical talent earns him acceptance in the first-class cabin and allows him to meet Eliska. Music is a part of Addy’s dreams of both the past and the future as well as a comfort to him in the present.

At the end of the story, the family reunites and celebrates Passover together. It is only natural for them to spend the time after dinner around the piano—singing, dancing, and basking in the happiness of being together again. Music is intrinsically a part of the family’s life together.

A recurring musical choice throughout the book is Chopin, who is Poland’s most beloved classical composer, so this symbolizes Polish culture and identity. At the end of the story, Mila chooses a Chopin piece that reminds the family of their old home. However, when Halina and Addy are selecting a record to play before the Passover Seder, Addy chooses a local artist, symbolizing their acceptance of their new home in Brazil.