Schindlers List

PLOT SUMMARY

The movie “Schindler’s list” is a compelling, real-life depiction of the events that occurred during the 1940’s. It illustrates the persecution and horrific killings of the Jewish people. It also exemplifies the hope and will of the Jewish people, which undoubtedly is a factor in the survival of their race. The most important factor however is because of the willingness of one man, Oskar Schindler, to stand out and make a difference.

The movie starts out in a Jewish home, where a Jewish family is celebrating the Sabbath. Candles are lit while songs are sung, and when the Jews leave the house, the candles slowly burn out. The German forces have just defeated the Polish, and now the Jews are being forced out of their homes. They are reporting to the train station where they register their names, and then are shipped off to Krakow. In Krakow the Jews are gathered together in the ghetto where they are forced to live in overcrowded conditions. The Judenrat, a Jewish council, organizes the Jews into working groups according to their abilities. Oskar Schindler, a German business man, visits the ghetto to talk to Itzhak Stern, a Jew who owns a pot-making factory. Oskar and Itzhak make a deal in which Schindler will take over the factory but Stern will be the plant manager. The Jews are once again sorted according to their education and working ability, those who cannot work are sent to extermination camps while some of those who are able to, reported to Schindler’s factory. The Nazi’s decide that all of the Jews should be confined in forced labor camps. Schindler, who is now starting to feel some empathy and responsibility towards his workers, volunteers to confine his workers in his factory.

In the next part of the film, thousands of Jews are shipped off to concentration camps. Their luggage is stolen and sorted through for valuables. Stern is mistakenly put on one of those trains, but Schindler quickly comes to his rescue. Amon Goeth is now in charge of the new labor camp in Plaszow. The Jews not only build the camp, but Goeth’s immense house as well.

In the second half of the film, it is now March 13th, 1943, and the liquidation of the ghetto is taking place. Many Jews are unjustly killed as they are pulled from their houses or did not co-operate. Those who tried to hide are found and kill...

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...l of the Nazi Party.

Denial is another theme in this film which helped to save the Jewish race. Even as they are forced into the ghetto and later into labor camps they are in denial of their real situation. When they are in the ghetto they are optimistic and believe that the bad times will pass, and even when killing surrounds them they won’t let themselves believe the worst.

There are certain groups of people that cause these events to happen. Because of them there are people living in denial and people that are being ostracized every day. They do this because they are afraid that if they do not go along with what the majority does their will be reprisal. Everyone wants to believe that people are basically good in nature. But with the events that occurred in the film it is easy to see that people are easily influenced and would rather go along with the group then stand out and make a difference. Most people think that one person cannot make a difference. If more people would have taken a stand, then quite possibly more Jewish people would have been saved. One person does make a difference, Oskar Schindler proved that.