Schindler's List The Movie

             After watching the lengthy but stunning story of the Holocaust and the needless discrimination and extermination of the Jewish race, I had many immediate emotional responses during and after completing a movie that was rather hard to sit through, but which has now become my favorite movie. What strikes me most is the loss of innocence, such as the girl in the red coat. When her color was first shown in was in the ghetto and she was walking through the streets, not bothering anybody. She actually seemed happy and care-free, however, Oscar knew what was in for her and he despaired to think of what would happen to her. To him she represents the entire Jewish race, she represents a people that have done nothing to harm anyone. And then later, when Schindler sees her for the second time on a wheel barrow, being brought to the conveyer belt which leads to a mass of burning Jewish corpses, he realizes that if nothing is done to prevent this needless loss of innocence, the entire Jewish race will be wiped out from the face of the planet. At this point in the movie we begin to see how Oscar Schindler's attitude towards what is going on changes. At first he is simply a Nazi who wants to take advantage of war. He is seeking to make a fortune and as he says in the movie, war is all he needs to prosper. His factory at first his money maker which provides the army with pots and pans and which becomes one of the most efficient factories in all of Europe. However, from the time that he sees the girl in the red coat his feelings change and the needless killings along with the horrible treatment the Jews receive motivates him to take action and prevent the deaths of some of the Jews. Towards the second half of the film he becomes determined to save hundreds of innocent lives. To the Jews, Oscar is a God and his factory is viewed as a haven where Jews are treated well and can seek refuge.

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