I Remember Mama Is Remembered For Its Moral Themes
...s something to the effect. These two incidences make clear the value that Van Druten and Forbes place on good manners. Contrarily to the passing reference to the value of good manners, the importance of family values is clearly the central theme in I Remember Mama. In all of the little episodes the family encounters, themes of togetherness, reliance on one another, sacrifice for each other, and caring abound. The very opening of the play is a scene in which the family gathers to count out and budget Papa’s pay for the week. Mama feels it is important for the children to learn about money and calls them all together to share in the little ritual. Another mention of the importance of this family togetherness is stated when Mama speaks of her immigration to America. “We come to America because they are all here – all the others. Is goot for families to be together,” she says simply. One might say that this statement sums up the whole theme of the show, though its many aspects can be discussed. Reliance and sacrifice go together frequently in the play, and also tie very closely into caring about one another. An instance of reliance on one another is seen when Aunt Trina comes to Mama to ask her for help in breaking the news of her engagement to the other two, less understanding sisters. Even before that, just after the budgeting ritual, reliance and sacrifice are presented when Nels brings up the idea of going on to high school. The cost of sending him presents a problem for the poor family, but they rise to the occasion, each offering to work harder or to give up an extra expense, and showing also how much they care for one another. This level of caring and willingness to sacrifice is also demonstrated in the matter of Katrin’s graduation gift. When Mama realizes that Katrin would like nothing more than to have a dresser set in a friend’s shop window, she is willing to give up the precious heirloom silver brooch she got from her mother, which she planned to pass on to Katrin, in trade for the item and Katrin’s happiness. When Katrin finds out, however, she is remorseful and gives up the dresser set in order to get back the brooch she never liked in order to make her mother happy. This is an ironic little circle of sacrifice, but it very poignantly demonstrates how much the family cares for one another and is willing to sacrifice for each other’s happiness. Yet another instance of the family concern for each member’s happiness is another demonstration of Mama’s concern for Katrin. When Katrin resigns to say farewell to her beloved art of writing after repeated rejection by publishers, Mama seeks out Katrin’s hero, a famous female author who is in town, in order to get advice about Katrin’s writing. She very persuasively bargains her secret Norwegian recipes to the ample woman in exchange for constructive criticism of Katrin’s work, and ultimately sparks the idea for her first successful story. An ironic place for the value of simply caring for each other to show up is in Uncle Chris’ actions. When this gruff character is confronted by Trina’s bumbling, timid fiancé, he responds harshly, as expected, but cunningly searches for the only information he really wants: “…If I do not give dowry, will you still marry Trina?...You think I let Trina marry a man who will not take her without dowry?!” By playing up his persona non grata, he is able to get out of paying her fiancé a dowry (for the majority of his fortune has in fact been spent on curing lame children), as well as cover up the fact that he really does care to look out for Trina. Uncle Chris also lets his true colors show through a bit when he waits in the hospital with Cousin Arne and sings the boy a lullaby, as well as when he insists on taking sick little sister Dagmar to the hospital in his automobile. Another theme of lesser notability than those of family values is that of good conscience in decisions. This is most distinctly portrayed in Mama’s conclusion about what to do with Dagmar’s gravely injured cat. She decides that it is best to quietly put the cat to sleep while Dagmar is in bed, and to tell her of its death in the morning. Another display of conscientious reasoning is Katrin’s decision to repurchase Mama’s precious family b...