War Horse Essay

Over centuries of evolution, humans have thought of animals or the “beasts of nature” as nothing more than just “tools” that assist us in our daily lives. But has this mentality become more compelling in terms of the value of life between species in the 21st century that is today ? It says so otherwise in Steven Spielberg’s The War Horse, as he starts the film off with the birth of a magnificent, thoroughbred horse named Joey and the appearance of a bright, young man named Albert Narracott. We follow the lives of these two characters and observe all the hardships and intricate relationships made , while frequently glancing at the strength of the bonds created between man and horse in the film. We soon learn that the horses in the story resemble more than just a tool/weapon, but also symbolize more of the humanity of humans and the way humans thought, acted, and felt during World War I.

Firstly , Spielberg starts off the film with elegant and open scenery of wide open fields with green grass and tall hills in the beginning scene to symbolize a sense of freedom to the audience. This way of using the setting, allows viewers to have a glimpse at one of the meanings/roles that horses in the film played, which was to symbolize freedom . The main horses, Joey and Topthorne, played several major parts roles in helping humans escape the reality of the a situation. An example of this is during the scene where Michael Schröder was beingis separated from his brother Gunther Schröder in the army, which prevents either of them from protecting each other and coming home both alive to their mother, as they promised to her . Michael, at the time, had only one way of escapinge to freedom, and that was the horses. He did not care about the con...

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...ful horse returning from no-man’s land. Albert immediately knew who the horse was showing how close his bond was with Joey and thus, further supporting how strong his hope and determination was, to be able to meet the horse that was separated from him years ago.

In conclusion, The War Horse, directed by Steven Spielberg, was a film that portrayed many of the intricate relationships between a human and horse during the time of World War I by showing how horses in the film represented more than just tools but symbolized the humanity of humans as they relate to the freedom humans wished for in WWI, the power of humans and the tactics used to achieve that strength, and finally the determination and hope one had to hold onto in order for one to hold onto their humanity. As a result from this film, it shows the audience that beasts and humans can relate on the same terms