Reference no: EM133820426 , Length: 3 pages
Assignment:
PART A
In the chapters of Maus I and II that we have read so far, discuss the following questions:
- To what degree was Vladek's survival based on luck, and to what degree was his survival based on his considerable resourcefulness?
- Why are these questions vital to keep in mind as we study the Holocaust?
PART B
FILM REVIEW ASSIGNMENT
For this assignment, you will need to select a film (not a documentary one) that concerns the Holocaust, or has some other relevance to the issues that we are studying in this course. You need to view the film, then write a short paper (at least 2 to 3 pages, double spaced, about 500 to 750 words) about the film. Very important: do not simply give a plot summary. Your paper will need to deal seriously with issues we consider in this class in order to receive a top grade for this assignment. Remember: do not select a documentary film. A documentary film is a non-fiction film intended to "document reality, primarily for the purposes of instruction, education, or maintaining a historical record." Please check with me if you have questions about whether a film is a documentary.
Find a film that deals with some issue that is related to the Holocaust and watch it (all of it). You should be able to locate some relevant films from Netflix, and there might be some on YouTube, Amazon Prime, or other online source, as well. You can search for the ones I list below or find one that suits your particular tastes in movies. However, if you select your own film, please let me know before you start writing your paper so that I can approve your selection.
The paper should discuss how the film illustrates an aspect of the Holocaust. As we continue reading in our textbook, you should be able to determine some appropriate themes to write about. In discussing the film you select, you may want to consider questions such as how the film portrays the principal antagonists, how the underlying issues are presented in relation to the immediate narrative of the film, how the "message" of the film relates to historical knowledge of the Holocaust, your thoughts on what the message of the film is, and how this film corresponds to what you have read in the textbook. Please note that you do not need to consider all of these themes - I am just giving you some suggestions. Some issues that you might want to discuss depending on the film: What perspective does the film present (for example, a Jewish victim, like in The Pianist or a Holocaust survivor like in The Pawnbroker)? How does the film portray the main characters? Do you think the film uses stereotypes or not? Are there ethical issues raised in the film?
The Zookeeper's Wife (2017). This is a biopic about the efforts of the director of the Warsaw Zoo and his wife to hide Jews during WWII.
PART C
FOR CHAPTER SEVEN:
- As Bergen notes, many people have a mistaken view of what was the significance of the Wannsee Conference. Why is it important for the timing and the course of the Holocaust?
- How did the overall German plan for the east mesh with the Holocaust?
- While the Nazis had set up concentration camps from 1933, the camps grew in number and size during 1942 and 1943. Who was put in the camps? How did the camps work in conjunction with the Holocaust?
- What impact on the Jews did the events in 1942-1943 make? How was the treatment of the Jews linked to the war?