Under a Cruel Star: A Life In Prague, 1941-1968

When Heda is suffering from pain and trauma inflicted by humans, she finds comfort in the natural world. Her attraction to birds, flowers, sunsets, and the forest all reveal her attachment to nature.

Heda is drawn to the movement of birds and the freedom inherent in their movements. As birds fly over the concentration camp, Heda observes their freedom and aspires to a similar freedom of her own. Though she cannot experience the freedom of the birds herself, her spirit lifts when she witnesses birds moving through the sky. Though she is imprisoned, freedom is still accessible to her by the simple act of watching the birds fly. Heda compares her positive emotions of love and hope to a timid bird. This comparison reveals that she believes her emotions, once imprisoned, have the potential to express themselves when the situation is safe.

At various moments in the memoir, Heda uses nature imagery to mark changes in her emotions. For example, the sunset in Chapter 6 symbolizes hope for the future; after the sun sets, night falls, but the darkness of night is alleviated by dawn and the arrival of a new day. Also in Chapter 6, flowers make an appearance during moments of potential celebration.