preview

Racism In Schindler�s List, And Schindler's List

Good Essays

Markus Zusak, author of The Book Thief (2005), and Steven Spielberg, director of Schindler’s List (1993), both use their works to portray the theme of racism in Nazi-era Germany. Racism today affects millions of people daily, with 4.6 million people being racial discrimination in Australia alone. However, in Nazi-era Germany, the Jewish people were discriminated because they weren’t part of the ‘master race’, causing millions to suffer and be killed. The text creators use the techniques of setting, characters, conflicts and symbols to explore the theme of Nazi-era Germany.

The setting is extremely important in both text, as it can have immense effects on the plot and characters, establishing the atmosphere or mood of a story or a specific scene. The Book Thief is set in a fictional town called Molching, where it’s stated that, “The book thief … travelling down towards Munich … Fuhrer … January 1939.” [Page 19-21, Part 1]. Germany in 1939 prepares the reader for Nazi and anti-Jewish sentiments and the racism that is explored later in the novel. Although Schindler’s List takes place in Krakow, Poland, mostly in a Jewish ghetto, Krakow was part of German territory during 1939. This is shown when text appears at the beginning of the film stating, “September 1939 … German forces defeated the Polish Army … Jews were ordered to … relocate to major cities. More than 10,000 Jews … arrived in Krakow daily.” [1:47-2:02]. The word ‘ordered’ implies the Jews had no choice in the matter and were forced to move. The setting of both text paints the scene for audiences of wartime and racism aimed at Jews.

Characters are important elements in novels and films as the types of characters involved create different types of conflicts and tensions, as well as different types of resolutions. Liesel Meminger, the main character of The Book Thief, is a young teenage German girl. While Schindler’s List is set in occupied Poland, the main character, Oskar Schindler, is a middle-aged Czechoslovakian, who works as a German industrialist and is also a member of the Nazi Party. This is shown with a close up shot, as Oskar places a pin with a swastika on his jacket coat [4:15-4:22]. At the beginning of The Book Thief, Liesel is portrayed

Get Access