Life is Beautiful: Response

Engaging:

• Guido makes the movie feel less like a dark and depressing tragedy movie 
• The audience grows a powerful connection towards Joshua because of his innocence of being a young boy and Guido because of his courage throughout the movie to protect Joshua
• Having Joshua in the movie ads an innocence to the movie
• Dora has so much compassion that she goes to the concentration camp just to be with her family

Unique:

• Although the movie is suppose to be a tragedy there is an element of comedy throughout the movie
• There is a love story at the beginning of the movie with Guido and Dora
• We are watching the movie from a Jewish perspective
• There is dramatic irony in the movie as the viewer has more knowledge than Joshua
• Guido doesn't take things seriously and takes people with a lot of respect

Guido and Joshua, in "Life is Beautiful" represent an engaging and unique representation of the Holocaust experience by do many things that would usually not have been used in a Holocaust or tragedy movie. 

The innocence that is portrayed by Joshua and more or less Guido helps you grow a powerful and strong connection with the characters that is unique to a tragedy type of movie. Because of Joshua's innocence throughout the movie and Guido's efforts to try and keep him blinded makes this movie even more of a tragedy.

This movie is classified as a tragedy but throughout the movie there are elements of comedy which lighten the movies darkness and sadness. It helps the viewer take a "breather" from the movie and relax and have a laugh with Guido and the characters having slapstick comedy. This is unique in the fact that tragedies are just that, they are tragedies and do not have any other elements to them especially comedy.

Heroes and Villains in Life is Beautiful

1. In this scene, the Nazis come into one of the rooms that is holding Guido, Joshua and some of the Jews. One of the Nazis soldiers asks if there is anyone who can speak German so he can explain the rules at the concentration camp. Guido puts up his hand, even though he can't speak German and explains the rules of the game to the rest of the group and Joshua so Joshua will believe that the game is actually real.

2. The hero in the scene is Guido because he is the one brave enough to translate the words 

The villains of the scene is the Nazis as they are in front of everyone and separated from the rest of the group, they are higher up, they have weapons and organised together. They are yelling at everyone, ordering and controlling everyone.

3. The techniques that are used to separate the heroes to the villains are they separate the Germans to Guido by a crack in the door to shows good and evil and the strength and power compared to the weak and smallness of Guido. 

They also show Joshua elevated of the floor while the rules are being spoken which shows how important Joshua is to Guido and the innocence that the children had throughout the holocaust.

Through the scene the shots get closer and closer between Guido and Joshua showing that Guido is talking directly to Joshua.

Holocaust Unit: Key Question and "Life is Beautiful"

1. What is a tragedy? A tragedy is something that goes horribly wrong and/or someone who dies and has a great effect on other people, a story. 
2. How is Life is Beautiful a tragedy? It is a tragedy because Guido dies trying to protect his son who we grow a powerful connection with. 
3. Could it also be a comedy? I believe that it could be a comedy because Guido makes a lot of funny comments and does many funny things that.
4. What is a villain? What is a hero? What is a victim? Give examples of each both from real life and from fiction. A villain who is the protagonists throughout a movie or book for e.g. Voldemort would be a fiction villain and Adolf Hitler would be a real life villain, a hero is someone who has courage and noble qualities for e.g. Harry Potter would be a fictional hero and Nelson Mandela is a real life hero and a victim is a person who is killed, harmed or injured thanks to a crime, accident or other events or action for e.g. Dobby would be a fictional victim and African Americans are real life victims.
5. Who are the villains, victims and heroes? The villains are the Nazis soldiers, the victims are the Jews and Joshua and the heroes are the Americans and 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 76klplot, history, and to the audience.)  
7. Guido- Hero, Guido is the main character of the movie and is plays a major role within the story as he tries to keep his son enthusiastic and alive at the concentration camp. As this movie is based on a true story he plays a major role in the movie as he is Jewish and is placed in a concentration camp which are real life events. 
8. The Nazis- Villain, the Nazis' are the evil group of people who are the antagonists of the movie and kill many Jewish people including the hero, Guido. They play a major role within the movie as the Nazis are the cause for Guido's death and provide the main complication of the movie.
9. Joshua- Victim, Joshua is the complication of the movie and you feel a sympathy towards Joshua who has know recognition of what is happening.