REACTION PAPER ON “LIFE IS BEAUTIFUL”

The movie “Life is Beautiful” is a pretty funny movie, but still very touching
since it deals with the Holocaust and takes place in a concentration camp.
The main message is still clear even though the Holocaust is being depicted
in a comedic way, which is to “never give up”. Guido, a Jewish waiter in the
WWII era, is going at all lengths to win the heart of Dora, a non-Jewish
school teacher. Although polite about it, she does not welcome his attempts
at first that is until she gets to know him. She soon realizes that she returns
his love for her, and they get married. They soon have a son, Giosue.
Throughout the movie, you can see how big the love between Guido, Dora
and Joshua is. They would do anything for each other. For instance, Dora
gets on the train to the concentration camp to be with her husband and son
knowing that the destination is horrible. She uses her freedom of choice to
follow her heart at any cost and displays bravery and determination. She
does not see any sense in her life without her family even though she could
be safe if she had not joined the train. Guido decides to do “bad” by lying to
his son about the events that have been happening in the concentration
camp. He is telling his son that those Holocaust events are some sort of
games. The reason why he is lying is to protect his son.

Ariel Josef A. Arroyo

 REACTION PAPER ON “SCHINDLER’S LIST”

I think one of the most interesting things about this story and this
movie is the way that Oscar changes throughout the film. From
the beginning he did not hate the Jews, but he used them as a
means to a profit. He exploited their cheap labor and the war to
make himself wealthy while others were growing poor. Keeping
this in mind his transition is nothing less than a miracle, to have
someone with so much power and influence begin to nurture and
protect the Jews. Oscar eventually comes around and begins to
help the Jews about the time they are moved from the ghettos.
From that point on he uses his own money to support and pay for
them. In the end he saves eleven hundred Jews. This movie is one
that shows the epitome of humanism. Schindler's List" is
described as a film about the Holocaust, but the Holocaust
supplies the field for the story, rather than the subject. The film is
really two parallel character studies--one of a con man, the other
of a psychopath. Oskar Schindler, who swindles the Third Reich,
and Amon Goeth, who represents its pure evil, are men created by
the opportunities of war.

Ariel Josef A. Arroyo