Theme

The main theme in the short story “Home Is Not Here” by Laura Blake is immigration. The story explores this in two main ways: first, by showing young Birdie’s arrival in England and her experiences adjusting to that, and then by presenting elderly Birdie’s reaction at the prospect of being forced to leave the country that is now her home. 

The story shows the difficult parts of the immigration process, such as the separation of families and the fact that once Birdie and her family arrived in England, they often had to put up with poor conditions. The house Birdie first lives in is in disrepair, and her family shares it with another person, Birdie is hated at school because she is an immigrant, and she experiences racism for the first time. 

The story also reveals how at...