Theme and message

The most important theme of the short story “Departure Time” by Tessa Green is cultural differences and the way they affect relationships. The message behind the story is that sometimes cultural differences are stronger than love. In Samantha’s case, her only option is to leave Greece, and Nikos and his family, to regain her freedom.

Cultural differences

The story explores the cultural differences between Greek and English people, from the perspective of an English female character, Samantha.

Samantha falls in love with a Greek man named Nikos while on holiday in Greece. Initially, their cultural differences are what brings them together. Nikos does not feel attracted to Greek women, and Samantha does not feel attracted to English men:  

He meant the Greek girls his mother had got lined up, and she felt superior and sophisticated and thought “Why not?” Nikos is very, very good looking, everybody said so. He’s in a different league to the lads back home though he wears the same clothes and likes the same films. (ll. 81-83)

But being so young and in love, Samantha does not foresee that her future problems will stem from the cultural differences between her and Nikos. She marries him, but as he loses two jobs, they have to move in with Nikos’ family. It is from this point onwards that Samantha realises that the English and the Greek have different lifestyles and ways of thinking.

Back in England, Samantha had a loving family, worked in a supermarket and would go out with her friends. ...