Holocaust Unit: Key Question and 'Life is Beautiful'

How are victims, villains and heroes of tragedy and trauma valued and given a voice?


We need to apply this key question to Life is Beautiful:

1. What is a tragedy? A tragedy is an event causing great suffering, destruction, and distress, such as a serious accident, crime, or natural catastrophe
2. How is Life is Beautiful a tragedy? Life is Beautiful is a tragedy as it shows the torment that the Holocaust caused the Jews for example splitting up or killing families. an example of this is when we see all the children and elderly people get put into the Gas chambers and at the very end when we see Guido get shot by the soldier.
3. Could it also be a comedy? The movie has some elements of comic relief but with the destruction that is shown in this movie it isn't a comedy.
4. What is a villain? What is a hero? What is a victim? Give examples of each both from real life and from fiction. Villan: 1. A person guilty or capable of a crime or wickedness.                                            Hero:  A person, typically a man, who is admired for courage or noble qualities.                                     Victim: A person harmed, injured, or killed as a result of a crime, accident, or other event or action.        
5. Who are the villains, victims and heroes? The Villains in this movie are all the German soldiers. The Victims here are Guido, Dora, Giosue, and all the Jews. The Hero in this movie is Guido. 
6. What value do each of these characters play in the movie? What role do they play in the plot? What role do they play in connecting the movie to history? What role do they play in evoking a reaction from the audience? (List the important characters in the movie and label them as either villains or heroes. Then, in dot points, list the important role they play in regards to plot, history, and to the audience.)
7. 1. Guido- Hero and Victim, Guido is the main character of the movie and is plays a major role in the story as he tries to keep his son excited about the concentration camp by creating a game. He shows the history of the Holocaust 
   2. The Nazis- Villain, the Nazis' are the evil group of people who are the protagonists of the movie and kill many Jewish people including the hero, Guido the children and elderly as the can not work. The Nazi's play a major role within the movie as the Nazis are the cause for Guido's death.