Examples Of Discussion Questions For Schindler's List
Study/Discussion Questions for Spielberg’s Schindler’s List My first question is Question #3 about the alternating scenes that are presented during the Krakow liquidation. The liquidation of the ghetto included so many powerful snapshots. It started with scenes of the military mapping out their strategy on March 13, 1943. The movie cuts to families realizing what is happening and going through measures of either hiding jewels (eating them in bread) or trying to find hiding locations such as under floor boards, ceilings, even in a piano. Families being removed from their homes and apartments leads to a man being shot in a hallway and civilians having to trample over him to leave due to military force. Belongings being thrown over balconies and more Jews being shot or dragged are in the next scenes. The movie cuts to the separation of males and females and the agony and torture shown in their face. There is a scene of a few men trying to escape through the sewer, but are stopped when the military enter and shoot them down. Poldek Pfefferberg is one of the men, but lags behind and actually escapes being unnoticed. He is also the same gentleman who the military come upon in the street and he thinks fast and acts as though he is clearing the luggage from the streets. The movie then cuts to the gruesome scenes of families and individuals who tried to hide, being eventually found by the military and being shot right as they are
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found. This scene ends with Amon Goeth cleaning his face. A pretty bold statement is made by that closing scene.
My second question is Question #5 about the SS officer playing the piano.
To me the SS officer playing the piano during the Krakow raid was a way for Spielberg to portray the soldiers as monsters. For them, playing a beautiful piece of music such as Mozart (but really Bach) is the same to them as shooting Jews. So playing the piano is equivalent to shooting innocent lives. The two military personnel, who are then discussing the composer of the music, show how routine it was for them to be doing what it was that they were
doing.
My last question is Question #9 about the boxcars and Schindler. Schindler starts by asking Goeth to hose down the cattle cars. These cars were transporting the Jews, and they were stuffed in the sweltering heat without water or food. It seems at first that Goeth is humored by Schindler’s request. Goeth obliges and the soldiers start hosing the cars…but only trickles of water get through. It is as though the soldiers are teasing the Jews with little water. Schindler then demands that the soldiers spend more time increasing the water at each of the cars so that every person in the car can receive some sort of water relief. Schindler even asks the soldiers to make sure they get the back of the cars (on the other side of the tracks). When the hoses do not make it to the end cars, Schindler says he has longer hoses that could be connected to reach them. Goeth and the soldiers laugh. The next clip though, has the attached hoses and the end cars receiving water. Schindler provides water and food through bribery for the Jews every time the boxcars stop. This scene truly demonstrates Schindler’s care for humanity. It is interesting to see how Spielberg portrays the contrast of Goeth, the pure evil, and Schindler, the opportunist and “savior”, through the use of water and boxcars.
found. This scene ends with Amon Goeth cleaning his face. A pretty bold statement is made by that closing scene.
My second question is Question #5 about the SS officer playing the piano.
To me the SS officer playing the piano during the Krakow raid was a way for Spielberg to portray the soldiers as monsters. For them, playing a beautiful piece of music such as Mozart (but really Bach) is the same to them as shooting Jews. So playing the piano is equivalent to shooting innocent lives. The two military personnel, who are then discussing the composer of the music, show how routine it was for them to be doing what it was that they were
doing.
My last question is Question #9 about the boxcars and Schindler. Schindler starts by asking Goeth to hose down the cattle cars. These cars were transporting the Jews, and they were stuffed in the sweltering heat without water or food. It seems at first that Goeth is humored by Schindler’s request. Goeth obliges and the soldiers start hosing the cars…but only trickles of water get through. It is as though the soldiers are teasing the Jews with little water. Schindler then demands that the soldiers spend more time increasing the water at each of the cars so that every person in the car can receive some sort of water relief. Schindler even asks the soldiers to make sure they get the back of the cars (on the other side of the tracks). When the hoses do not make it to the end cars, Schindler says he has longer hoses that could be connected to reach them. Goeth and the soldiers laugh. The next clip though, has the attached hoses and the end cars receiving water. Schindler provides water and food through bribery for the Jews every time the boxcars stop. This scene truly demonstrates Schindler’s care for humanity. It is interesting to see how Spielberg portrays the contrast of Goeth, the pure evil, and Schindler, the opportunist and “savior”, through the use of water and boxcars.