The effect of adversity on the human spirit
I chose this theme because of the obvious connotations with the situation in Hiroshima. The bomb not only inflicts pain upon the citizens of the city itself, but the maker of the bomb as well. The effects on Emiko are everlasting and follow her through painful surgeries and recoveries, and even into her everyday life. She is researched like a science experiment continuously. Therefore, she is face to face with adversity daily, slowly breaking down her spirit and building up a strong wall in order to protect herself against the harsh words of the public. On the other end of the spectrum, the creator of the bomb suffers as well, having to deal with the constant weight on his shoulders reminding him that he destroyed a population. The two characters feel immense amounts of adversity following their lives continuously, yet this awful attachment to the bomb surfaces strength within each of them, stemming from opposite ends of the spectrum.
Interplay between fear and foresight when individuals make life altering choices
This topic is focused mainly on the creator of the atomic bomb, Anton. His life-altering choice is the creation and development of this bomb, forcing him to choose between his morality and his obligations to his career. His choice was the latter, forcing him to endlessly prove to himself that the decision was the correct one. His mind is a constant battle between humanity and the advance of technology in order to pursue his career. The fear and hesitance intertwined in his very mind creates a sense of indifference within Anton, resulting in the slow unfolding of his relationship with Sophie, and his denial of doing any wrong in the face of Emiko. This choice is one that has afflicted every aspect of his present life, creating inner-conflict in the face of any situation.
The effect an individuals perspective has on personal beliefs
This topic is mainly focusing on the conflicting ideals of Emiko and Anton, but as well with Anton's relationship with Sophie. Anton's personal beliefs are strong and unchanging, therefore he appears to come off headstrong on multiple occasions. His perspective on the bomb is that "it saved lives" by stopping the Americans from starting a full blown war. Emiko's ideals are clashing. Her beliefs are strong in that the bomb changed her life, and killed her family, therefore cannot be seen as a humanitary movement. The two points are valid, therefore the perspective brought by each character enables the reader to view both sides unbiased. They both have strong fundamental values of family, morals and of following one's goals, therefore the views they each have on the bomb make the novel a thrill to read, and interesting points and perspectives to untangle along the way.
Tuesday, December 16, 2008
Sunday, December 14, 2008
Ash Garden
Top Five Scenes
1- The most interesting scene to me was when the bomb hit Hiroshima. Emiko and her younger brother were playing with their grandfather, drawing faces on each others backs in the water, and it was depicted with beautiful imagery of this tranquil place. The contrast between the calm state of their playing, and the extreme horror of the bombing is incredible. I really liked how the bombing isn't necessarily described, yet more so implied with the last line. It creates a sense of panic and urgency, and it created beautifully into a sentence. "It glistened at his knees in the brilliant morning sun, and suddenly it began to glow and the stone rose up from its mud pocket, which in an instant turned hard-baked and grey, and then I could not breathe and my mouth became a desert and the air jumped alive with objects that never had flown before." The rushed ending with no punctuation creates a sensation of terror arising, ending the scene with suspicion and fear all in one. It's very intense!
2- My second favorite scene is the memory of how Anton and Sophie meet. I really enjoyed the warm sensation Bock creates with his writing in the scene, bringing it to life in so many ways. The scene was very interesting to me because of the opposing lives they lead previous to their encounter. When they meet in the moon light, and enter the water, the scene surfaces a sensation of discovery and curiosity on both ends of the strange lives of each other. I loved the sense of innocence it brings because of the two characters meeting with such awkward first steps, and I found it to be very cute. I love the little blossoming romance going on!
3- Another scene I really enjoyed is when Anton is watching the children sledding in his hometown. I love how Anton analyzes the true meaning of "waiting" while he watches the kids fly by on their toboggans. The passage is very thoughtful, and it was refreshing to read a thought process of this kind without blame. Anton seems to really understand Sophie's justification for her feelings, and he makes an excellent point about their relationship. This scene is very light for the matter of which it is regarding, making it very surprising. The motif of sugar is brought up with the young girl who injures herself, pouring the "pyramid of sugar" on her tongue to soothe the pain. The following flashback to his time in Hiroshima deepens the scene to another level, giving this scene many dimensions.
4-The scene in which Anton and Emiko speak about the bomb is very interesting. This scene sort of, sucked me in, if you will. The feelings on both ends are so intense, while they sit in Anton's lovely home and discuss old, unreleased films of the past. It is more so reminiscent than angry or accusative, making it very easy to follow and intriguing to read. Each point made is valid, allowing the reader to stay neutral instead of choosing sides. The questions and responses are equally difficult to answer, and the author is able to force the reader inside the scene, as if we were sitting in the chair next to them, sipping on some juice and listening closely to the conversation.
5- My last chosen scene was difficult. I'm backtracking to the beginning again, but this time, I chose it because its level of intensity. This was the saddest scene in the novel. The specific moment when Mitsuo dies literally broke my heart. I did not expect him to pass on, therefore the shock factor was strong, and I pined with Emiko while reading. The previous night, she read him stories to make the night seem more gentle, and my heart aches with the fact that he could no longer try and hold her hand. The most impacting moment was when I realized that she was now alone in this process, trying to fight for her life in silence, alone, while doctors poked and prodded at her as if she were a science experiment. This scene deeply saddened me.
1- The most interesting scene to me was when the bomb hit Hiroshima. Emiko and her younger brother were playing with their grandfather, drawing faces on each others backs in the water, and it was depicted with beautiful imagery of this tranquil place. The contrast between the calm state of their playing, and the extreme horror of the bombing is incredible. I really liked how the bombing isn't necessarily described, yet more so implied with the last line. It creates a sense of panic and urgency, and it created beautifully into a sentence. "It glistened at his knees in the brilliant morning sun, and suddenly it began to glow and the stone rose up from its mud pocket, which in an instant turned hard-baked and grey, and then I could not breathe and my mouth became a desert and the air jumped alive with objects that never had flown before." The rushed ending with no punctuation creates a sensation of terror arising, ending the scene with suspicion and fear all in one. It's very intense!
2- My second favorite scene is the memory of how Anton and Sophie meet. I really enjoyed the warm sensation Bock creates with his writing in the scene, bringing it to life in so many ways. The scene was very interesting to me because of the opposing lives they lead previous to their encounter. When they meet in the moon light, and enter the water, the scene surfaces a sensation of discovery and curiosity on both ends of the strange lives of each other. I loved the sense of innocence it brings because of the two characters meeting with such awkward first steps, and I found it to be very cute. I love the little blossoming romance going on!
3- Another scene I really enjoyed is when Anton is watching the children sledding in his hometown. I love how Anton analyzes the true meaning of "waiting" while he watches the kids fly by on their toboggans. The passage is very thoughtful, and it was refreshing to read a thought process of this kind without blame. Anton seems to really understand Sophie's justification for her feelings, and he makes an excellent point about their relationship. This scene is very light for the matter of which it is regarding, making it very surprising. The motif of sugar is brought up with the young girl who injures herself, pouring the "pyramid of sugar" on her tongue to soothe the pain. The following flashback to his time in Hiroshima deepens the scene to another level, giving this scene many dimensions.
4-The scene in which Anton and Emiko speak about the bomb is very interesting. This scene sort of, sucked me in, if you will. The feelings on both ends are so intense, while they sit in Anton's lovely home and discuss old, unreleased films of the past. It is more so reminiscent than angry or accusative, making it very easy to follow and intriguing to read. Each point made is valid, allowing the reader to stay neutral instead of choosing sides. The questions and responses are equally difficult to answer, and the author is able to force the reader inside the scene, as if we were sitting in the chair next to them, sipping on some juice and listening closely to the conversation.
5- My last chosen scene was difficult. I'm backtracking to the beginning again, but this time, I chose it because its level of intensity. This was the saddest scene in the novel. The specific moment when Mitsuo dies literally broke my heart. I did not expect him to pass on, therefore the shock factor was strong, and I pined with Emiko while reading. The previous night, she read him stories to make the night seem more gentle, and my heart aches with the fact that he could no longer try and hold her hand. The most impacting moment was when I realized that she was now alone in this process, trying to fight for her life in silence, alone, while doctors poked and prodded at her as if she were a science experiment. This scene deeply saddened me.
Sunday, December 7, 2008
Top scenes!
1- The scene in the play which impacted me the most was when Christian is speaking to Roxanne on her balcony. Cyrano is in the background, reciting each and every word for Christian to recite. This allows him to win the heart of their beloved Roxanne. In turn, Cyrano endsup taking over, and I really loved how she didn't even notice! I love that he felt his passion so strongly that he felt obligated to force Christian to stop talking in order to keep from ruining the moment. He litterally declares his undying love for Roxanne, and she, blindly, doesn't even realize it. Christian is not smart enough to realize what is happening, and Roxanne is blinded by her "love" for Christian, therefore Cyrano's love continues to go unreturned.
2- I really enjoyed the scene where Cyrano forces Montfleury off the stage right at the beginning of the play. He feels so strongly that his acting should go unrecognized that he is willing to return all of the money used to pay for tickets to the play to each audience member- out of his own pocket! I found this guesture as one of great generosity and I saw him as sort of a humbled hero. He acts in such a selfless mannor without even realizing what a helpful thing he's doing.
3- Last but not least, my favorite scene is the scene where Cyrano passes away. Not because he dies (!), but more so that he has finally released all of his passion and love for Roxanne directly to her face. It is such a bittersweet scene. He finally tells the truth, with a good reaction in return from Roxanne, and he then passes. It is full of so much emotion and intensity that one must sympathize greatly for this selfless man. I felt awful watching him die after finally telling the truth! It hit me quite hard though. Cyrano proves himself as a man of dignity and compassion with his final breath: a true hero.
2- I really enjoyed the scene where Cyrano forces Montfleury off the stage right at the beginning of the play. He feels so strongly that his acting should go unrecognized that he is willing to return all of the money used to pay for tickets to the play to each audience member- out of his own pocket! I found this guesture as one of great generosity and I saw him as sort of a humbled hero. He acts in such a selfless mannor without even realizing what a helpful thing he's doing.
3- Last but not least, my favorite scene is the scene where Cyrano passes away. Not because he dies (!), but more so that he has finally released all of his passion and love for Roxanne directly to her face. It is such a bittersweet scene. He finally tells the truth, with a good reaction in return from Roxanne, and he then passes. It is full of so much emotion and intensity that one must sympathize greatly for this selfless man. I felt awful watching him die after finally telling the truth! It hit me quite hard though. Cyrano proves himself as a man of dignity and compassion with his final breath: a true hero.
Sunday, November 30, 2008
The Grand Gesture
Cyrano demonstrates a life filled with "grand gestures", proving to be a selfless and compassionate man. He says that he "wears his adornments upon his soul", meaning that he does not feel the need to impress society with flashy clothing or expensive possesions. He creates his image without thoughts of society's opinions and makes decisions with others always in mind. He has the incredible ability to honestly stop thinking about himself. Cyrano is able to keep his composure at all times and keep confident because of his internal abilities. His ability to believe in himself and put others first make him a selfless and very socially aware individual. I think the biggest "grand gesture" is probably the way he keeps quiet about his love for Roxanne for so long. He continuously visits her, for years as a "news reporter", creating a very difficult situation for himself. He sees her so often, listens to Roxanne gush about the amazing writing abilities of her deseased lover, and still is able to keep his composure. He is too gentle of a man to break her fragile heart. The first gesture that was presented in the play is when he gives away all of his money to pay back the audience of Montfleury's show. He has the compassion of no one else in his time, and although he has a major physical set back, he surely makes up for it with his actions. This is a clear example of "actions speak louder than words" Although Cyrano uses his words and his language to move forward in many situations, the fact that he actually pushes past his own emotions to help out a friend demonstrate the strongest action known: caring. His grand gesture can be debated endlessly about the many actions and sentiments he creates among friends and enemies, yet his one true grand gesture is left undefined. He is an understatement in himself. He is modest and timid in all the right moments, and knows when it is appropriate to seperate his own emotions from real life problems. His gesture is an emotional one : Cyrano knows how to put others first, to keep honesty in mind (slight specific moments) and continuously proves himself a hero without truly acknowledging it.
Wednesday, November 26, 2008
It's time for some lovin'
This is my first attempt (and most likely LAST attempt) at love poetry, based on Cyrano OF COURSE.
My admiring eyes lay upon Roxanne,
As she kisses the cheek of another man.
Her lips, so sweet, linger in my mind,
It's love in front of me, that my heart did find.
Disguising myself in the image of beauty
I use my words and his face, to fulfill my duty.
Christian works as my masquerade,
To fall deeper in love, every single day.
Roxanne makes my heart grow weak,
If only I had the courage to speak!
She's cast a love spell upon my soul
Without her gaze, I cease to feel whole.
My cursèd nose sets back my bravery
In turn, I have resorted to slavery.
This allows me to love, but just from afar,
With my pen I create a letter full of heart.
If only my face could represent my love,
I could show Roxanne what I am truly made of.
With my adornements placed upon my soul,
My tortured heart loses all control.
The day will come where I spill the truth,
After her beauty fades past her youth.
I will love Roxanne until the end
One last letter, I must send...
This lack of talent is not for the lack of trying...
My admiring eyes lay upon Roxanne,
As she kisses the cheek of another man.
Her lips, so sweet, linger in my mind,
It's love in front of me, that my heart did find.
Disguising myself in the image of beauty
I use my words and his face, to fulfill my duty.
Christian works as my masquerade,
To fall deeper in love, every single day.
Roxanne makes my heart grow weak,
If only I had the courage to speak!
She's cast a love spell upon my soul
Without her gaze, I cease to feel whole.
My cursèd nose sets back my bravery
In turn, I have resorted to slavery.
This allows me to love, but just from afar,
With my pen I create a letter full of heart.
If only my face could represent my love,
I could show Roxanne what I am truly made of.
With my adornements placed upon my soul,
My tortured heart loses all control.
The day will come where I spill the truth,
After her beauty fades past her youth.
I will love Roxanne until the end
One last letter, I must send...
This lack of talent is not for the lack of trying...
Monday, November 24, 2008
Cyrano de Bergerac
Christian or Cyrano? Who would I rather be and why?
I find this question to be the most difficulty answered. It requires a strong thought process to decide if you'd rather glide through life superficially and easily, or struggle forward using only profound thought and selfless desire to help others above all else. In simple terms, Christian's life is much easier to live, yet lacks in depth and meaning. Cyrano has a very purposeful life, yet there isn't a single day in which he can effortlessly live independently. He is constantly being tested for his true motivation. The difficulty, however, is rewarded by the strong bonds and immense respect that is returned to Cyrano in the process. His selflessness has many downfalls as well, such as the everlasting love for Roxanne, his poverty and his empty lacking confidence in himself. A day in the life of Christian, in turn, is much easier. His appearance saves his life on multiple occasions, and he has the romantic tendencies of Cyrano protecting him at all times. He has the luxury of having all the "dirty work" done for him. Thus, his life carries no truth and no real definition. He wins women's hearts with a charming look, yet builds his relationship based on lies. Eventually, he won't be able to live up to his created alter-ego's potential, spilling the reality of his dense mind onto his true love. Therefore, he loses his true love after much abused time and effort. In my mind, I'd rather be Cyrano. I chose him because I could get by on life based on truth, and my true identity would eventually come out. This fulfills the desire for appreciation and returned love. In the long run, I find that Cyrano's life is more honest, even with the secrecy used in terms of Roxanne, and proves his ceaseless desire to prove himself as an individual. I find that even though Cyrano lives a much more difficult life, he also in turn gets the most reward. He is recognized and respected by his peers, and the honesty and loyalty he brings socially is more than Christian could even imagine. Cyrano ALL THE WAYYYYYYYY.
I find this question to be the most difficulty answered. It requires a strong thought process to decide if you'd rather glide through life superficially and easily, or struggle forward using only profound thought and selfless desire to help others above all else. In simple terms, Christian's life is much easier to live, yet lacks in depth and meaning. Cyrano has a very purposeful life, yet there isn't a single day in which he can effortlessly live independently. He is constantly being tested for his true motivation. The difficulty, however, is rewarded by the strong bonds and immense respect that is returned to Cyrano in the process. His selflessness has many downfalls as well, such as the everlasting love for Roxanne, his poverty and his empty lacking confidence in himself. A day in the life of Christian, in turn, is much easier. His appearance saves his life on multiple occasions, and he has the romantic tendencies of Cyrano protecting him at all times. He has the luxury of having all the "dirty work" done for him. Thus, his life carries no truth and no real definition. He wins women's hearts with a charming look, yet builds his relationship based on lies. Eventually, he won't be able to live up to his created alter-ego's potential, spilling the reality of his dense mind onto his true love. Therefore, he loses his true love after much abused time and effort. In my mind, I'd rather be Cyrano. I chose him because I could get by on life based on truth, and my true identity would eventually come out. This fulfills the desire for appreciation and returned love. In the long run, I find that Cyrano's life is more honest, even with the secrecy used in terms of Roxanne, and proves his ceaseless desire to prove himself as an individual. I find that even though Cyrano lives a much more difficult life, he also in turn gets the most reward. He is recognized and respected by his peers, and the honesty and loyalty he brings socially is more than Christian could even imagine. Cyrano ALL THE WAYYYYYYYY.
Friday, November 7, 2008
Pianist
Top 5 themes
"Role self respect plays when an idividual responds to injustice"
The first scene that comes to mind within this theme is in the beginning, with Szpilman's father walking on the sidewalk with his armband (of the star of David) visible to the Nazi police. He gets struck by a policeman, and forced to walk in the gutter. This represents self respect because he shows constraint to react naturally, knowing if he does, he will potentially be killed. Another scene that creates this image is the scene in the piano bar, when Szpilman is forced to stop playing because the two Aryan men want to check their coins for fakes. His dignity could have been shattered, but he stops and waits politely, without causing a scene, knowing his limits. His ability to constrain allows him the keep his job for the time being, demonstrating self respect, and the respect for his family's well being while proving income. The final scene that represents this theme is when the Nazi police find Szpilman in the abandonned house in the old Jewish ghetto. He is told to play the piano, to prove his profession. He plays with grace and dignity, not only proving his respect, but also his determination to push away his fear. He sticks to his religion throughout the film, never cracking and pretending to be Aryan, proving his respect towards himself and his religion.
"The influence of ideals on an individual's behavior."
Technically, this theme is completely relevant to every scene in the film. The scenes I chose were the one's that arguably stuck out the most in my own opinion. The first is the mouvement into the Jewish ghetto. The family is forced into a way of life that was surrounded by anti-semistism, creating the image of "enemy" on all Jews alike. Their move is a representation of power over their people, and their response is fear, confusion and frustration. Another scene is when the entire Szpilman family is forced onto the cattle train towards the concentration camps; a train towards their death. Fortunately, Wladyslaw is saved by a Jewish officer (a friend of the family) allowing him to wander the empty ghetto alone. He walks along the murdered streets and weeps. This alone represents the theme to an extreme I could never relate to. The last scene that comes to mind is the scene where Szpilman is hiding outside of the ghetto in an apartment, and his plates shelf falls to the ground and shatters. His neighbour comes running, and screams to alert the building that he is a Jew. She is so brainwashed that Jews are the answer to all of society's problems, that she is dehumanized in the process.
"Personal Resourcefulness"
Wladyslaw is extremely resourceful in order to survive. The first scene is when he smuggles weapons in order to gain some money for food through potato sacks. He is able to smuggle in dozens of weapons for the Jews to rebel against the Nazi's if necessary. Another scene that represents the theme is when Wladyslaw plays dead on the street when the Nazi's are murdering the Jews. He lays face down, completely still, faking a shot wound and "dead". This way, he is not truly killed and he can save himself from the awful murder the Nazi's would have committed. The last scene that comes to mind is when he is living in the destroyed ghetto, in hiding, and he must find food. He finds a can of pickles after long searches, and finds numerous ways in order to open the can. In the end, he opens the can, but spills most of the juice, and uses personal resourcefulness to feed his everlasting hunger.
"The desire to escape"
The desire to escape is demonstrated endlessly throughout the film. Wladyslaw's family is forced into the Jewish ghetto, creating an enormous desire to escape the situation, shown in the scene of "where to hide the money". They have troubles finding a place to keep their valubles secure, yet they are forced to leave everything behind. Another scene would be when the family is forced onto the cattle trains towards the concentration camps. Wladyslaw says to his sister "I wish I knew you better", demonstrating a desire to escape the situation and live life normally, with a loving family to "get to know". People are pushing and screaming to get out of the trains. The last scene I noticed was at the very end of the film, where Wladyslaw exits the abbandonned ghetto in a German officer's jacket, yet he cries "DON'T SHOOT, I'M POLISH" demonstrating his immense desire to escape his hiding, back into the real world.
"Adaptation"
This theme is universal for the entire film, every scene. The first, and most obvious scene is when the newsletter comes in the mail and the Szpilman family must now wear the Star Of David visibly at all times. This requires adaptation the the Nazi rules, forcing them to loose all rights as people. Another scene is when the are forced into the ghetto. They must only have a certain amount of money and valubles, therefore adapting to a lower quality of life. The Nazi's take all their belongings, forcing them to adapt to the new circumstances. The final scene I chose was when Wladyslaw escapes the labour work station and goes to find his Aryan friend in the city. Hethen realizes that he must live in complete hiding from here until the end of the war. His life was in secret, proving his ability to adapt to any given situation.
Motifs
-The first motif present is the most obvious: music. The piano is Wladyslaw's passion and completely represents his purpose in life. In the first scene, when the studio is bombed, and he continues to play, Wladyslaw demonstrates his dedication to his music. This continues throughout the entire film, showing how important music is in terms of his personal survival. When he is hiding in the apartment outside of the ghetto, he plays overtop of the keys and listens in his mind, feeding his desire to hear the music again. Then, when he is forced to save his own life by playing for the German officer, he leaves the spectator speechless. He proves that his passion is his reason for survival and the only thing that keeps him motivated to live through these hard times.
-Another motif present is the motif of hope. The hope for a better life is repeated throughout all the hard (and harder) times. The Szpilman's decide on hiding their money in certain places in their home before moving to the ghetto because the feel hopeful on returning home. The are optimistic and determined to believe that God could not harm them any more than last time. This repeated hope represents more than religion, but returns to the first motif mentioned :music. Wladyslaw's hope to return to play freely again is his motivation. The sentiment of hope is universal within the Jewish community, continuously hoping for a better tomorrow.
-The last motif that I observed was that of family. When the Szpilman's must leave for the concentration camps in the cattle train, Wladyslaw's comment of "I wish I knew you better" to his sister represents his desire to feel love and continous interest in his family, knowing that he will lose them. Once he is saved, he walks in the empty ghetto and weeps, because he has said his last goodbye to his family. This is a continuous motivation for him, to survive to show his family's memories a better future. He proves that he can outlast the war, keeping his family name alive.
Top 5 scenes
- The scene where the Spilman family shares a caramel before boarding the cattle trains to the concentration camps. This is the last moment they have to share and value their family as one, and they'll soon be seperated forever. This is significant because the scene demonstrates the value they hold in one another, and the importance of family.
-The scene where Wladyslaw is alone and weeping in the empty ghetto. I've mentioned this scene multiple times because it had the most impact on me. I felt as if he was spiritually abandonned at this point. He feels the loss of his closest loved ones, and questions why he is saved. This is important because it is the scene that shows the murdered and destroyed ghetto, and the significance of each deseased Jew in the community.
- The scene where Wladyslaw tries to save the little boy who is being pulled under the wall by the German police. His back is broken for trying to take food to cease his neverending hunger, and Wladyslaw pulls and pulls to try and save him. Once he is free, the boy dies. This is significant because of the true brutality of the Nazi's and the inhuman ways they treat people.
-The scene where Wladyslaw plays piano for the first time in years for the Nazi. He playswith such passion and devotion to his music, and even after such a long period without his piano, he can still connect and feel the music. He saves his own life with the beautiful music he's been anticipating since he began hiding.
-The very last scene before the Russian's have taken over. Wladyslaw leaves his hiding place wearing a German officer's jacket, and almost loses his life to someone on his own side! It brings a sort of irony that he would survive all these awful incidents, and the one person that could save him almost kills him! Fortunately, he saves himself once again by explaing that he is Polish, and the jacket was only useful because he was cold. =)
"Role self respect plays when an idividual responds to injustice"
The first scene that comes to mind within this theme is in the beginning, with Szpilman's father walking on the sidewalk with his armband (of the star of David) visible to the Nazi police. He gets struck by a policeman, and forced to walk in the gutter. This represents self respect because he shows constraint to react naturally, knowing if he does, he will potentially be killed. Another scene that creates this image is the scene in the piano bar, when Szpilman is forced to stop playing because the two Aryan men want to check their coins for fakes. His dignity could have been shattered, but he stops and waits politely, without causing a scene, knowing his limits. His ability to constrain allows him the keep his job for the time being, demonstrating self respect, and the respect for his family's well being while proving income. The final scene that represents this theme is when the Nazi police find Szpilman in the abandonned house in the old Jewish ghetto. He is told to play the piano, to prove his profession. He plays with grace and dignity, not only proving his respect, but also his determination to push away his fear. He sticks to his religion throughout the film, never cracking and pretending to be Aryan, proving his respect towards himself and his religion.
"The influence of ideals on an individual's behavior."
Technically, this theme is completely relevant to every scene in the film. The scenes I chose were the one's that arguably stuck out the most in my own opinion. The first is the mouvement into the Jewish ghetto. The family is forced into a way of life that was surrounded by anti-semistism, creating the image of "enemy" on all Jews alike. Their move is a representation of power over their people, and their response is fear, confusion and frustration. Another scene is when the entire Szpilman family is forced onto the cattle train towards the concentration camps; a train towards their death. Fortunately, Wladyslaw is saved by a Jewish officer (a friend of the family) allowing him to wander the empty ghetto alone. He walks along the murdered streets and weeps. This alone represents the theme to an extreme I could never relate to. The last scene that comes to mind is the scene where Szpilman is hiding outside of the ghetto in an apartment, and his plates shelf falls to the ground and shatters. His neighbour comes running, and screams to alert the building that he is a Jew. She is so brainwashed that Jews are the answer to all of society's problems, that she is dehumanized in the process.
"Personal Resourcefulness"
Wladyslaw is extremely resourceful in order to survive. The first scene is when he smuggles weapons in order to gain some money for food through potato sacks. He is able to smuggle in dozens of weapons for the Jews to rebel against the Nazi's if necessary. Another scene that represents the theme is when Wladyslaw plays dead on the street when the Nazi's are murdering the Jews. He lays face down, completely still, faking a shot wound and "dead". This way, he is not truly killed and he can save himself from the awful murder the Nazi's would have committed. The last scene that comes to mind is when he is living in the destroyed ghetto, in hiding, and he must find food. He finds a can of pickles after long searches, and finds numerous ways in order to open the can. In the end, he opens the can, but spills most of the juice, and uses personal resourcefulness to feed his everlasting hunger.
"The desire to escape"
The desire to escape is demonstrated endlessly throughout the film. Wladyslaw's family is forced into the Jewish ghetto, creating an enormous desire to escape the situation, shown in the scene of "where to hide the money". They have troubles finding a place to keep their valubles secure, yet they are forced to leave everything behind. Another scene would be when the family is forced onto the cattle trains towards the concentration camps. Wladyslaw says to his sister "I wish I knew you better", demonstrating a desire to escape the situation and live life normally, with a loving family to "get to know". People are pushing and screaming to get out of the trains. The last scene I noticed was at the very end of the film, where Wladyslaw exits the abbandonned ghetto in a German officer's jacket, yet he cries "DON'T SHOOT, I'M POLISH" demonstrating his immense desire to escape his hiding, back into the real world.
"Adaptation"
This theme is universal for the entire film, every scene. The first, and most obvious scene is when the newsletter comes in the mail and the Szpilman family must now wear the Star Of David visibly at all times. This requires adaptation the the Nazi rules, forcing them to loose all rights as people. Another scene is when the are forced into the ghetto. They must only have a certain amount of money and valubles, therefore adapting to a lower quality of life. The Nazi's take all their belongings, forcing them to adapt to the new circumstances. The final scene I chose was when Wladyslaw escapes the labour work station and goes to find his Aryan friend in the city. Hethen realizes that he must live in complete hiding from here until the end of the war. His life was in secret, proving his ability to adapt to any given situation.
Motifs
-The first motif present is the most obvious: music. The piano is Wladyslaw's passion and completely represents his purpose in life. In the first scene, when the studio is bombed, and he continues to play, Wladyslaw demonstrates his dedication to his music. This continues throughout the entire film, showing how important music is in terms of his personal survival. When he is hiding in the apartment outside of the ghetto, he plays overtop of the keys and listens in his mind, feeding his desire to hear the music again. Then, when he is forced to save his own life by playing for the German officer, he leaves the spectator speechless. He proves that his passion is his reason for survival and the only thing that keeps him motivated to live through these hard times.
-Another motif present is the motif of hope. The hope for a better life is repeated throughout all the hard (and harder) times. The Szpilman's decide on hiding their money in certain places in their home before moving to the ghetto because the feel hopeful on returning home. The are optimistic and determined to believe that God could not harm them any more than last time. This repeated hope represents more than religion, but returns to the first motif mentioned :music. Wladyslaw's hope to return to play freely again is his motivation. The sentiment of hope is universal within the Jewish community, continuously hoping for a better tomorrow.
-The last motif that I observed was that of family. When the Szpilman's must leave for the concentration camps in the cattle train, Wladyslaw's comment of "I wish I knew you better" to his sister represents his desire to feel love and continous interest in his family, knowing that he will lose them. Once he is saved, he walks in the empty ghetto and weeps, because he has said his last goodbye to his family. This is a continuous motivation for him, to survive to show his family's memories a better future. He proves that he can outlast the war, keeping his family name alive.
Top 5 scenes
- The scene where the Spilman family shares a caramel before boarding the cattle trains to the concentration camps. This is the last moment they have to share and value their family as one, and they'll soon be seperated forever. This is significant because the scene demonstrates the value they hold in one another, and the importance of family.
-The scene where Wladyslaw is alone and weeping in the empty ghetto. I've mentioned this scene multiple times because it had the most impact on me. I felt as if he was spiritually abandonned at this point. He feels the loss of his closest loved ones, and questions why he is saved. This is important because it is the scene that shows the murdered and destroyed ghetto, and the significance of each deseased Jew in the community.
- The scene where Wladyslaw tries to save the little boy who is being pulled under the wall by the German police. His back is broken for trying to take food to cease his neverending hunger, and Wladyslaw pulls and pulls to try and save him. Once he is free, the boy dies. This is significant because of the true brutality of the Nazi's and the inhuman ways they treat people.
-The scene where Wladyslaw plays piano for the first time in years for the Nazi. He playswith such passion and devotion to his music, and even after such a long period without his piano, he can still connect and feel the music. He saves his own life with the beautiful music he's been anticipating since he began hiding.
-The very last scene before the Russian's have taken over. Wladyslaw leaves his hiding place wearing a German officer's jacket, and almost loses his life to someone on his own side! It brings a sort of irony that he would survive all these awful incidents, and the one person that could save him almost kills him! Fortunately, he saves himself once again by explaing that he is Polish, and the jacket was only useful because he was cold. =)
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