Structure
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Eisenstein states: “I am lost in memory. It is not a place that has been mapped, fixed by coordinates of longitude and latitude, whereby I can retrace a step and come to the same place again. Each time is different” (2006, p.19).
Structure was a very compelling and effective aspect of Bernice Eisenstein’s memoir; I was a child of Holocaust Survivors. Throughout her memoir she would often switch between many different perspectives, such as her past and present self, and through the words and voices spoken by her family, friends, and relatives. Eisenstein also beautifully highlights certain events that took place in her life, with connections to the people who served a great impact to her, particularly her father, who’s life and death had a tremendous influence on her writings. We believe that this structure is truly insightful to the way that one remembers.
In an interview with Bernice Eisenstein we were very interested and intrigued by the beautiful and unique structure of this memoir. In question 5, Eisenstein gives us great insight into some of the aspects of her memoirs structure. For example, “…Once understanding that my book was not going to proceed in a chronological, a linear form, with time movement forward, I then found the freedom to move back and forth through time as I needed. This allowed me to sometimes speak through my own voice--and at various ages--and then also integrate and write about someone else. (Eisenstein, personal communication, 2011). Eisenstein also states that
…The book is about a process of memory, so the structure had to be organic. And I wrote and drew those pieces, hoping they would become the shape of that experience I was engaged in. Time fell away, and another flow came forth, following the direction of an inward eye. (Eisenstein, personal communication, 2011).
We also found Eisenstein’s use of illustration to be an important part of her structure and emphasis. For example, often time’s pages of writing would convert to beautiful comic and illustrations, which helped convey to the reader that this aspect of importance’s and or was part of a memory or person she was describing. For example, on page 30 there is an illustration of her father surrounded lovingly by text that speaks about her memories of him, his appearance, and personality. Another aspect of structure that we found to be particularly interesting was the use of three distinctive typefaces, with one being cursive writing, computer generated text, and hand written print.
We found that the cursive writing was often used to illustrate the point of the Adult Bernice Eisenstein, which in many cases seemed to resemble that of a Dairy entry, and always illustrates something intimate or more serious in nature.
Eisenstein, B. (2006). I was a child of Holocaust survivors. Toronto, On: McClelland & Stewart Ltd.
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