An Analysis of Movies based on World War II: A Qualitative Content Analysis of a Romantic-tragedy and a Historical Period Drama

Abstract

The paper aims at understanding two movies rooted in World War II, based on their genre, content, understanding of historical, institutional contexts prevalent in the society during World War II. The details that the paper has aimed at studying pertain to Auschwitz concentration camps. Furthermore, the paper will also try to comprehend the variety of ways in which a film creates meaning. The study takes up a discourse analysis of the two movies- a romantic tragedy Colette and a historical period drama Schindler’s List. What makes it relevant and expedient is the fact that the movies in discussion have both been made out of experiences of the World War and more importantly, Auschwitz (Concentration Camps). This has given a perspective to the analysis and has fittingly created a realm of discussion and discourse on the theme. What is even more significant to note is the fact that both the films are inspired from true events that happened at the concentration camps, in their own time. Colette is inspired from a work of art titled A Girl from Antwerp written by Arnost Lustig, as an autobiographical novel from his experiences in a Nazi Concentration Camp. Lustig was a renowned Czech-Jewish author, and this novel is an important piece of work in the history of Czech literature. Schindler’s List is an American historical period drama, inspired from Thomas Keneally’s novel Schindler’s Ark. The literature is an inspiration from a story of Oskar Schindler, a German businessman who saved the lives of over a thousand Polish-Jewish refugees from frequent genocides at the Nazi concentration camps. The paper aims at studying the content of the two different genres under the same theme and topicality. It aims at coming to an understanding of Auschwitz, the lives therein and the trail it left.