Transiency vs. Home
Both Hannah and Leo are raised in a comfortable environment in their early childhoods in which they enjoy all the privileges of the aristocratic life. When their lives are torn apart by Nazism, they are forced to leave their homeland of Germany. The experience of travelling aboard the Saint Louis forces both children to challenge their conception of "home." Is it a place? They've been banished from their physical homes, so they must determine whether a return to that physical connection is worthwhile. Since life aboard the ship is so glamorous, they both seem to decide that no, location matters less than comfort. Arriving in Cube and being denied entry, however, Leo reconsiders his hasty conclusion. He must return to Europe (he doesn't have a choice), but through the return he connects with his Jewish heritage. He comes to believe that his family and his people -- cultural heritage -- is what he describes as "home." For Hannah, however, her conclusion about location remains unchallenged in Cuba until she begins a correspondence with Anna. Through Anna's quest for family, Hannah finally comes to understand that transiency does not lead to satisfaction and happiness unless one is travelling with family. She thus decides that family -- people -- really are one's touchstone and retreat.
Impulsiveness as a Result of Instability
As children, Hannah and Leo are ripped from their homeland because of the Nazis. Their formerly reliable, stable lives are completely dissolved by the voyage of the Saint Louis. Aboard the ship, their emotional states are literally reflected in their situation. They've become travelers, without anchor, subject to the wind and the rain. In this unstable environment, the two kids draw increasingly closer to one another for support. Lacking a stable foundation on which to build their conceptions of the world, they turn to each other for stability. This relationship is impulsive, based entirely upon circumstances. There was no previous attraction between the two, just friendship. Through the traumatic experience of the voyage, however, they both decide to rely upon the other for stability. Although this decision does not promise a healthy future relationship, it does provide temporary relief from the overwhelming unknown of their situation, complicated furthermore by news of their lack of clearance in Cuba. In the end, their relationship does not survive the separation of arriving in Cuba -- Hannah being allowed entry and Leo not.
Delusion
Accustomed to her privileged life back in Germany, Hannah is all too eager to accept the seemingly easy time aboard the ship to Cuba. She expected that her life was over when she had to leave Germany, but the ship offers so many amusements -- parties, elegant food, and dancing -- that it's hared to remember that she's lost all of that. Her time aboard the ship sustains the delusion that nothing has changed, an attitude reflected by the adults around her as well. Seemingly everyone agrees to celebrate because it may be their last time to do so, but to a kid this sets up a false expectation. While the adults know that they're entertaining a delusion about the prosperity of their futures in Cuba, their celebrations tell Hannah that the worry has ended. This is why she and Leo are so shocked at the sudden end of their journey in Cuba, when most people are not allowed off the ship. The delusion is shattered so suddenly that Hannah loses hope a second time, having believed that the first time she was wrong to conclude that her life would be forever changed upon leaving Germany.
