Schindler's List Scene Analysis

In Steven Spielberg's Schindler's List one of the final scenes stood out more than the others; the scene in which Oskar Schindler completely breaks down in tears thinking of all the Jews that he could have saved. Throughout this whole film Schindler was only concerned with making profit and pleasing his own needs, however in this final scenes his desire for money was not selfish but selfless. I was shocked at Schindler's overwhelming change, he was actually shaking and sobbing on the ground in front of a crowd repeating how he could have saved more. During this scene when Schindler received a ring from some of those Jews that he rescued he begins yet again to think of profit. This ring symbolizes his connection that the Jews he saved had with him, he was no longer their owner or a danger, he was their friend and savior. However this connection is quickly overcome by his desire to almost pawn of the ring so that he would have money to go and save more Jews; he keeps going back to how he could have saved more. Schindler's vulnerability and inability to help anymore Jews is shown through the higher camera angle looking down on him as he sobs making this a truly unforgettable an absolutely moving moment in this whole film. Now even though this is the scene that depicts his change the most, there are other subtle hints throughout the film that show his hidden compassion on the Jews that he is holding on his concentration camp. The one that stands out most, probably because it is the only color in a black and white film aside from a candle, is the little girl in a red coat that is seen running through the streets. When Spielberg shows Schindler and his mistress looking down from the hill on their horses to that little lost and probably very frightened girl, the camera zooms in on his face to which shows his intense attraction to the girl and there is even slight distress; Schindler starts to doubt his money driven actions. Although this scene does prove to be a very important scene in the film because it shows hints of Schindler's change of heart, it differs from certain concrete evidence in Schindler's readings such as Oskar Schindler and his mistress were probably never watching from Lasota Hill (Oskar). These readings also share that there were certain circumstances that prove to have made it impossible for Oskar Schindler to have rescued anymore Jews; he had already been such a huge help in his attempt to right his wrong and stop the mass murders (Oskar). All in all Schindler's List was a wonderfully crafted film done by Spielberg and even though it is impossible to capture all the devastation and pain of this time, Spielberg does sufficiently show a glimpse of this pain with that final scene being a well made depiction of Schindler's personal conflict with himself and the mass murders in front of him.

traditional thanksgiving

So yesterday was my first traditional thanksgiving in about eight years. By traditional I mean a thanksgiving filled with turkey, stuffing, potatoes and pumpkin pie. Yes it is true my family does not do the turkey thing like most; those crazy italians. Hahaha. We usually have lasagna, meatballs, breadsticks, salad, and birthday cake with ice cream. My guess right now is that anyone reading this is thinking why in the world that. Well this unusal tradition started when my Uncle Lee (RIP) was diagnosed with liver cancer and began to be too ill to leave the house more than once in a blue moon. Since Thanksgiving, my brother, and myselfs birthday were all in the same general area (mine being December 8th and his being December 2nd) we decided to put them all together, henceforth the birthday cake and ice cream. The lasagna, well if your going for nontraditional and you're italian, what other option is there honestly. Who doesn't love lasagna? This tradition always makes me laugh because it reminds me of how crazy and ridiculous my family is and how much I absolutely love them for it! Yesterday however we had Thanksgiving at my Aunt Mary's house instead of mine and since my mom is the lasagna cook we decided that Mary would just have to make turkey and be traditional. The most ironic part was that I didn't eat lasagna over there, I ate lasagna at Tim's house. Maybe one day I will eat turkey with my own family and be traditional, we will have to see. :)

Pop Culture

So this past week I have made the realization that I need to take a pop culture 101 class. Just last month I learned who Tom Hanks was when I watched Forrest Gump for the first time last month. Then to top it off, my senior year was the first time that I found out who Tom Cruise was and who Leonardo Dicaprio was. Yes, I am a disgrace to all teenage girls. My junior year was my first time to see Grease and the summer before my senior year was the first time I watched Titanic. Oh, and I still have not seen Dirty Dancing. Well I tried to watch it but Patrick Swayze was just too smelly to me, he just seemed like he had the worst odor ever. I blame my mother for sheltering me as a child.

The White Rose-Sophie's Outstanding Bravery

After I was finished reading The White Rose: Long Live Freedom I realized that Sophie Scholl was a young woman of outstanding courage and bravery; she was braver that Hans Scholl or Christoph Probst. Sophie was the youngest of the three, only 21, yet she took part in an organization, The White Rose, that she knew to some extent could cost her her life. Her whole life was ahead of her, the second she agreed to take a stand and pass out these leaflets was the moment she risked everything, her future, her career, her chance of marriage, everything. Not only was Sophie the youngest rebel against the Nazi regime, but she was also female. She was anything but the stereotypical female of the time, she did not let men control her life and she did not back down in dangerous times, she stood strong in her belief, something most men at this time could not even vow that they did. When Sophie was standing her trial and facing death she proved her bravery in saying, in front of a whole courtroom of people that disagreed with her, that:

"Somebody, after all, had to make a start.

What we wrote and said is also believed

bymany others. They just don't dare to

expressthemselves as we did".

When Sophie said this, I can only imagine the shock and outrage on the faces of the audience. Who was this young and naive college girl that had the audacity to speak this blasphemy? She was facing death and yet she still stands by the very action that brought her to death. Sophie knew death was coming for her yet she refused to take anything she did back. How many people in the 1930's could say that they did the same? How many males could say that they refused to let Hitler push them around?

After the trial was finished and both Sophie and her brother Hans were found guilty of treason and sentenced to death, Sophie did not waiver. Her display of bravery and courage in front of her parents during their last visit together was beyond selfless. Sophie, even with death staring her in the face, refused to cry; in fact she smiled. She would not let her parents see her fear, she would not let fear control her just like she would not let Hitler control her. Hans Scholl, while brave, did not possess the courage that Sophie did during that last visit; he waivered, he had to turn away. It is written about Hans that

"Here for a moment, tears threatened,

and he turned away to spare his

parents the pain of seeing them".

Hans may have had courage, but his courage waivered unlike his sister. Sophie tells her mother, knowing that she will never see her again that, "What we did caused waves." Sophie does not regret what she did, she knew that something had to be done and she possessed the bravery to take it upon herself. When she left her parents for the last time her face still had a smile, the smile that her parents loved but would never be able to see again, she kept her composure as she walked away from her parents for the last time.

Her final act of bravery that shows her fearless nature was shown when she was led first to the guillotine. She was even described later as she was walking to the guillotine, as she knew that she would be viciously killed, by a bystander. This bystander reported that,"Without turning a hair, without flinching". How could you walk to your death and not even flinch? Bravery and courage is the only solution. Sophie Scholl is an inspiration to everyone with her fearless nature, with her refusal to backdown.

my brother's class

So like I stated in one of my last blogs, Charlie Cox, (one of my brother's classmates) was killed in a hunting accident. Well another young boy was killed, he OD'd. If this isn't tragic enough, his friends, who they say were high at the time too, freaked out and dumped his body in the park. I believe my brother said it took then two days before they found it. The kid was just 17, I can't comprehend how this sort of thing happens. I mean his friends are in a world of trouble and that doesn't make anything any easier. I didn't know Josh, but I knew his older brother Joey. I don't know, I'm just at a lost for words.

hmm fatherly love?

So I was watching the news today and heard about a father who called the cops on his own daughter because she was growing a marijuana plant in her closet. Now I personally think that this is horrible. I mean what parent would want to send their daughter to juvi with a police record. Why didn't he get rid of the plant and talk to her and punish her. He needed to be a father to her and not toss her mistake to the police. I mean as her father it is his job to raise her and teach her how wrong and dangerous her actions were. To me this father was lazy and did not do his parental duty. It makes me actually furious because no father should do that to his daughter. Yes she was wrong and more than one level but it's his job to raise her not the police.

RIP Charlie Cox =(

About four days ago I heard some of the most devastating news, one of my brothers 17 year old classmates and friends was killed in a hunting accident. Charlie Cox was only 17 when he died. I guess that his best friend and him were hunting by themselves and when they were riding their four wheelers through the woods, his friends safety came off of his gun and was accidently fired. That accidental shot hit and killed Charlie. I can not imagine how horrible his friend must feel. He knew that his gun should have never been loaded when he was riding is four wheeler and now his best friend is gone. I can't even imagine the pain that both families are enduring. They need all the prayers that can be given their ways. RIP Charlie Cox. =(