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Lesson From History: Schindler's List Essay

Decent Essays

Steven Spielberg’s movie Schindler’s List applies to the literary criticism, New Historicism. In many instances, this film portrays historical accuracies. The film compares to World War II history. Adolf Hitler’s extraordinary political power shows in this film. His corrupt and evil leadership and his actions and decisions cannot be rationalized or justified under any political power. Schindler’s List recovers history of a specific World War II place and portrays real events. The Jews, singled out and forced into labor camps, demonstrate a social class conflict, a Marxism criticism. Important points for the New Historicism include the political power focus, recovering history, and Marxism. Steven Spielberg’s movie Schindler’s List …show more content…

In many instances, this film portrays real-life events. Schindler’s List focuses on Schindler’s Jews--the ones he saves. The film’s history chronicles the historical events during this time period. Initially, life seems pretty good for Schindler’s Jews. Eventually, their life worsens. Initially, Schindler worries about his business and making money. Ultimately, he sees the Nazi’s effect on his workers. He wants to save their lives. He asked Hitler’s SS man, Amon Goeth, “What’s a person worth to you?” Goeth replied, “No. What’s one worth to you?” Schindler said, “Every worker that is shot costs me money. I have to find somebody else. I have to train them.” (Spielberg). Schindler buys approximately 1,100 Jews. His accountant, Itzhak Stern, helps him compile his list of Jews. Stern said, “The list is an absolute good. The list is life.” (Spielberg). Today, there are more than 6,000 descendants of the Schindler Jews. Stern said, “There will be generations because of what you did.” (Spielberg). The story of Schindler’s Jews demonstrates the film’s true history discovery. Marxism criticism also plays a part in New Historicism. The Nazis put the Jews and other inferior people into their own social class. The Nazis treat them inhumanely and put them to work for Hitler’s own gain. They punish and murder them. They shoot many of them randomly. The movie shows an SS man randomly shooting Jews

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