1. Analyse how language features were used to reveal the true nature of one or more characters in the visual or oral text(s)

The film ‘Schindler’ List’, directed by Steven Speilberg displays the candid truth about World War II and its effect on the Jews and Nazi’s. Throughout this film, the idea of racism of the Jews being inferior to the Nazi’s was emphasized and can be seen through the killings of the innocent people. Many techniques were used to reveal the true nature of Oskar Schindler, including camera works and camera angles  These features continue to re-occur until us as the viewers begin the notice Oskar’s sympathy for the Jews.

The turning point from when Oskar Schindler was a proud Nazi to a humanitarian in the film is in the liquidation phase in the Final Solution. While Oskar is out horse riding with his mistress he over sees the liquidation of Krakow. He is viewed as a dominant character as he is looking down from above on the horrible event. Steven Speilberg uses the technique of color to emotionally effect Schindler and his thoughts on being a Jew. A little girl, probably around the age of 6 wonders the street crying and screaming while the Nazi’s are killing and forcing the Jews to leave. This young girl is wearing a dark red coat, almost the color of blood, this is one of the only scenes with color in it, which means that Speilberg is trying the get a message across to us about the scene. The message that the red girl represents the innocence and the brutality that humans reveal to reach a goal. Schindler is horrified by this movement and this is why he and played the world so they thought that he loved money, woman, and alcohol, but he was very clever to never be caught by his fellow Nazi’s and to never be thought of as a person who actually loved and had sympathy for the Jews.

The first technique shown to us was the camera work. This camera work was used to expose the truth of Oskar Schindler.   Oskar Schindler is a high classed Nazi and is a man of power, influence, and wealth should be on board with the execution of unwanted race of the Jews. In this case, he isn’t, he despises the idea so instead of killing the jews he saves hundreds of their lives, by employing them in his factory. We are able to see Oskar Schindlers raw emotion a sympathy of the Jews in a specific scene. In this scene, all the Jewish males and females are stuffed in train carriages on a sweltering day. Oskar sees the Jews struggling to gain consciousness and to stay awake from the immense heat so Oskar grabs a hose a tries to cool them off. Amon Goeth believes he is just tempting and giving them hope when there is none, but the truth is that he has turned sides and unnoticeably dis-obeying Amon Goeth’s orders. The camera captures the scene and allows us the gain a full insight on the entire scene to the characters being played, to the setting and environment of the scene.

Throughout ‘Schindler’s List,’ the use of the camera angle of either a close-up or extreme close-up allowed us the view the true and raw emotion Oskar had for the Jews. Also, his strong stance and body posture towards the Jews showed us as the viewers that he’s just trying to protect the Jews and, is standing up for what he believes is right. With the many close ups we see that his lips become (pursed)  his face goes blank with despair and disbelief that the Nazi has come up with these ideas to execute the Jews, his eyes narrow down on the heartless humans that cause all of the deaths and he creates wrinkles with confusion as to why this has to happen. This facial expression is especially seen when the train takes the Jewish workers to the concentration camp of Auschwitz instead of Shindler’s factory. As soon an Oskar realized they have taken the Jews to be executed he rushed to the Auschwitz concentration camp and angrily tells then the stop and give his working Jews back to him. This, being close up shows us his expression and his true nature of helping the Jewish. He sees them as a human wanted race instead of a useless unwanted race. Without Oskar, the 1100 Jews that he saved would have all been killed resulting in the end of the Jewish race.

To conclude the use of camera angles and its work it allows us the see that Oskar Schindler was not a drinker, or a womanizer, or a gambler and neither a person who had greed for high living. This is what made if life a mystery to many, but in fact, he was compassionate, considerate and merciful towards the Jews. we are allowed to see this through the many techniques that the wonderful Steven Speilberg uses. We need to understand this film so we are knowable to never let, this horrific event reoccur in the future. 

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