Historical Story

By Anna Berbert and Myself

Artist Statement:

            The main character, Eva, is a character of our own creation. She symbolizes the women who were left at home during World War II and the various struggles they faced. Her story represents a culmination of these stories of women of the 1940s. For example, many women lost loved ones in battle. Others had to pick up jobs left vacant by the soldiers. Many films portray the hard-hitting events of the battlefront during the war, and while this is respectable and important, we can’t overlook those who fought their own battles at home.

            The 1940s were a time of optimism despite rampant struggles. In this screenplay, the shimmer of hope and optimism is given by Dave’s character. He adds the wit and comic relief needed to balance this piece. On a broader human theme, war is not just about the human casualties, but the emotional casualties. In class we discussed how history is formed by those who tell it. The most prominent stories about World War II focus on the overseas combat instead of the war of the heart and mind. In this story, the characters are sharing some of the lesser-told accounts of the same conflict.

 We did some research on the vernacular and etiquette of the 1940s and it aided us in the development of our characters and screenplay. Dave shows respect to Eva because she is a woman, but at the same time playfully blurs the line as he flirts with her. Eva is respectful and proper, as women were expected to be. We also tried to incorporate props and costumes that were appropriate to our time frame.

            We wanted to address themes such as: dealing with loss, the comfort of friends and forgiveness, and how many hide their emotions behind masks of complacency. Instead of explicitly dictating our thoughts on these topics, we demonstrated our convictions through the actions and interactions between our characters. Though the story is historical, the issues dealt with are relevant and relatable to any time period.