In most cases, when both a film version and book version appear of the same title, the book version is far superior. Think The Hobbit, the Harry Potter series, nearly every Stephen King novel. But in the case of Schindler’s List, by Thomas Keneally and film by Steven Spielberg, the film exceeds the book. Why? Because cinematic techniques and visual symbolism enabled Spielberg to make creative choices that would be impossible to achieve in book form. Both the book and film present more-or-less the same story, based on true events, about a member of the Nazi party, who saves the lives of over 1,100 jews by employing them in his factory during World War II. The difference lies in how Keneally and Spielberg tell it. For example, in the first scene …show more content…
In the book, there’s a lot of description and backstory about the pin. As Keneally describes it: ”in the lapel of the dinner jacket -- a large ornamental gold-on-black enamel Swastika emerged from a fashionable apartment building.”(Keneally 13) It’s repeatedly zoomed in on throughout the movie and becomes a very powerful visual symbol. In both the movie and the book, the lapel pin represents Schindler’s maintaining of appearances and his public image, Both to be equally powerful. However, in the film, one can appreciate It’s subtlety, whereas in the book it is more bluntly …show more content…
Most notably, the movie is shot in black and white. Spielberg most likely chose this for several reasons. First of all, to show the time period. Black and white also represents bitterness and hopelessness of the Jews during the Holocaust. In other words, life without color. But black and white is also the “color” of “serious” cinema. Spielberg’s previous movies were Hollywood blockbusters, movies like ET, Indiana Jones, Jurassic Park. Schindler’s List is not a Hollywood blockbuster. It’s a large budget film and features special effects, but it’s primary focus isn’t to entertain, but to educate, and to make you think. In the book, Keneally doesn’t have that option. Books are, by definition, in black and white. The fact that Spielberg chooses to use black and white is a creative
The movie and the book were both appreciable and they illustrated how important remembering is. I personally liked the book better because it had more details and I liked the characters better. I liked Gertrude and Aaron. I would recommend this book to 8th graders around the world because it fits their age. They need to know that remembering the past is essential and that the Holocaust did not just happen to Jews. Always remember, and never, EVER,
Second there is more detail in the book than the movie. Well, I think that more detail is better because the more you know the better you understand the movie or
In the book and in the movie, many aspects showed major similarities and differences. This includes the similarities and differences in location, perspective of the conflict, perspective in conveying the horrors of the genocide, and comparisons in personal conflicts that both characters went through. While the movie made a great attempt to convey the massacre, the book was written in a more common reality from an actual survivor of the genocide compared to the movie, which used actors and centered the events more on Paul as to entertain the audience. The book held a personal account which separates it from the movie, but blends in with some main ideas and messages that the movie tried to express.
Jews, a religious group of people originating from Israel, have lived in Europe, including Germany, for about 1500 years (Carr; Shyovitz). As Jews moved away from Israel, agriculture was no longer their main form of breadwinning. They have become more educated and many acquired skilled professions. In Europe, Christians were not allowed to lend money and the Jews have become the main money lenders. The knowledge, skills, and money lending abilities that Jews possessed allowed them to become extremely prosperous. During 1000-1500, most Rulers in Europe were Christians, who disliked the Jews (Carr). Although they lived peacefully with their neighbors, Christians blamed
There are many examples in both movie and book that compare and contrast to each other. I felt that the book and movie portrayed characters differently. The main character of the book was Jon Krakauer, the book told about the way he felt about people and his struggles and toils. In the movie I felt
...rtrayed differently in the movie. Lennie is shown as being very mentally challenged, whereas in the book he is just a little slow and has a mind of a young child. Although some changes are made in the movie to make it flow better, it is still based on the same story as the book. The movie has the same plot line and characters, and some of the scenes are told in the exact same way as they are in the novel. As well, the movie and the book give out the same themes. This story is about how all the people in the Great Depression were trying to escape their unhappy, lonely lives, but weren’t capable of doing so. The movie stays very true to the book even though some things are removed or added. Everything that is added or changed still works very well and captures the film perfectly.
One of the main differences between the book and movies are how Penn and Krakauer interpret Chris McCandless and his story. In the book the story seems to focus more around examining and understanding Chris and his life, whereas the movie shows his life as more of an
Overall, the movie and book have many differences and similarities, some more important than others. The story still is clear without many scenes from the book, but the movie would have more thought in it.
This list was his way of saving the lives of those affected by the Nazi organization. Although, even though their freedom was still taken away from them, those harbored under the care of Schindler, were well fed and clean. Schindler often referred to them as his "Schindlerjuden" (Schindler Jews). As the crisis grew and more Jews were prosecuted, Schindler began to create more positions within his factory, these positions were fake, so he took a great leap of faith by daring to lie to those within the Nazi party. These fake positions consisted of: typist, toolmaker, and dentist. Things that a factory may have an exact need for without the fear of the Nazi questioning his need. Although despite his best efforts to cover his tracks, the SS began to question Schindler 's motive and began to grow weary of his tales, of the huge need for more workers. He also started to come under much scrutiny by those in the non-Jewish communities, because his views were very much different in comparison to his peers. Schindler had went from a man of greed, to a man of compassion. It began to raise questions but nobody dared to speak out, on their thoughts. The end result of his selfless act being, he saved the lives of over 1,200
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 film that was produced after the novel has a lot of differences and not as
Schindler's List The film Schindler’s List has a tendency to simplify and sentimentalize the character Oskar Schindler compared to the novel Schindler’s Ark in which the film is based on. The film Schindler’s List lacks depth and understanding of the character Oskar Schindler, and tends to over dramatize events within the film in which Oskar Schindler is responsible for. The novel Schindler’s Ark begins its in-depth documentary story with the earlier life of Oskar Schindler.
When a Jewish girl living in Krakow under fabricated papers visits Schindler, and she asks that he hire her parents to work in his factory. He is furious with the girl and she runs from him, fearing for her life and her liberty. Schindler expresses his rage at Stern, whom he accuses of giving refuge to Jews in the "haven" of a factory. Schindler is not angry at the idea ...
feels he must turn his factory into a refuge for Jews. By doing so he
Schindler’s List had a great effect on me personally. I thought that Thomas Keneally did an excellent job in making the reader feel the events of the time. Perhaps what I found to be most interesting in Schindler’s List is a question of morality. I began asking myself the question, would I be as heroic as Oskar Schindler if I were in his shoes? I think that this is exactly what Keneally wanted us to do; he wanted us to look at ourselves and analyze what’s inside. Historically, I find Schindler’s List to be very important not only because it is tells of a shameful time in western civilization, but also because the events that took place in the novel occurred only yesterday. After all fifty years is almost nothing in historical terms. Perhaps the novel’s greatest strength is this feeling that the events that transpired in Schindler’s List are in fact modern history.