The Pianist Essay Example for Free

The Pianist Essay The film The Pianist is about a man, Szpilman, living in Poland during the war. It tells his story as one of the themes in the film is clearly the holocaust. The film presents the horrors of the holocaust in the experience of one man, Wladysaw Szpilman as he hides from the Nazis. The film makes an honest approach to the condition of holocaust. It presents the shades of humanity in between the good and the bad. It shows how the war gave people a chance to triumph over the holocaust and their humanity while others to succumb to it and humanity. Circumstances force people to do strange things. The war genre requires a lot of sensitivity to enable the audience to put themselves in the shoes of a character as he interacts with his environment. The point of view is quite important to achieve this. In my analysis I intend to find out if the point of view of Szpilman helps the movie achieve the desired outcome. The film begins with music as Szpilman plays a piano for Polish radio. Even though the scene is interrupted by a bomb, Szpilman remains momentarily caught up in his music. His devotion to music becomes the strength he needs to survive because despite the horrific circumstances, he does not give up playing for the radio again. As he tells the SS officer who helps him, he wants to play for the polish radio. By virtue of his dreams, he believes the war will end even when an SS officer asked him what he wanted to do after the war. Music and all art thus come out in the film as worthy weapons against the struggle. In terms of leading actor the film has Adrien Brody play Szpilman. The actor as the film opens is caught up in fulfilling his dreams of music. He seems a little preoccupied and absorbed. He is a regular guy. The lead actor gives the film its perspective. We see the war through his eyes and his experiences. In the span of the film, contrary to what one would expect from a war film, he remains more alone and does not rise to become an astonishing person who saves the day and lots of human life. Instead his main achievement is that he manages to remain concealed and survives the invasion of the Nazis. The lead actor is not a conventional hero. He is mostly passive trying to understand what is going on in the world around him. As we accompany him in the movie, we get locked up with him in hiding places and watch him ravaged by the war as he loses weight, confused and fall to pieces. Adrien performs his role by being totally immersed in his character. How he moves and talks and acts reveals the transformation he is undergoing including losing weight as his character gets starved and severe malnutrition. He is striking in that he represents the humanity of many and the story of survival is the survival of humanity against ravages of war. The leading actor is not about being a super good character but embodiment of bare human circumstance and the amazing journey of survival during terrible circumstances. The film does not give in to the cultural assumptions that all the Jews were good people and all the Germans bad people. The leading actor as well as other suffering victims are not all of humanity. They too are problematic and are not represented as saints. The suffering they underwent is horrific by virtue of being human despite what kind of people they are. The film represents in addition the reality that some Nazis had humanity too. An SS officer took care of Szpilman for the last stretch of his survival. The mise-en-scene of the film displays great aspects of setting, costumes and make-up and staging. Portions of the film are set and shot in Germany using the old building and barracks that were actually used during the war. Much of the film was filmed in Praga district while some was filmed in Germany’s Babelsberg film studios. Here a recreation of the ghetto was made. The ruins of the ghetto were also filmed inside an army base in the former Soviet. That effectively creates a real feeling to the film. The set creates a backdrop to the life of the prisoners. The costumes clearly identify the time period of changes that were occurring as people lost more and more. In addition the costumes and make-up help set the stage for action character. The point of view used in the film is that of Szpilman the leading actor. While the story begins there are many characters but quickly the point of view of the leading actor takes over. After his escape, Szpilman eyes become what we see the world through. The film unrolls with scenes of Szpilman interacting with his confined world. We see him trying to keep from the Nazis and basically try to survive. In the meantime, the world inside his head comes on and off as he hears music in his head. The director , Roman Polanski, gives a true and brilliant film by being true to the autobiography story of the real life Szphilman. He brings to the film his own past. In his childhood, Roman Polanksi underwent a similar situation. During the war, he escaped Krakow Ghetto. This was after his mother died. He hid for the duration of the war in a Polish farmer’s barn. He survived the war along with his father. He therefore draws from his personal experience as well as his experience with other film that have similar themes. In addition Polanski has had experience with films that deal with confinement and its disturbing effects on people. This is in his movies The Tenant, Repulsion and Bitter Moon. Long shots characterize the movie. In several scenes Szphilman looks at the outside world as we look at him. Through the shots the audience gets to see him processing the world. He stares at people being hunted down and killed. He gets little glimpses of the world and his numbness easily comes out through the long shots. Aspects of technical elements in the film are used to highlight the themes. Low lighting and shadows create a feeling of limited vision. When Szpilman is in hiding, we see him covered in darkness. The indignity of living in subhuman condition underscore the humiliation many holocaust victims were exposed to. As he moves from hiding place and scavenges for food the flooding of light highlight how deserted he is. It is all bright and empty around him and no matter which way he looks he is met with emptiness. Dialogue in the film especially as Szpilman interacts with others show the effect of the long suffering on the victims. Forced to be quiet for long periods of time and unable to fully understand what is happening, dialogue is kept at minimal and no revealing. The characters can not express the depth of their experiences and they preserve themselves though direct dialogue. The sound in the film is kept at bare and music at minimal. There are no swelling scores allowing for the audience to stay with their bare emotions. The piano even when ‘silent’ is a beautiful addition to the film. When Szpilman comes across a piano in his hiding place he finds he can not play lest he will be discovered. However, he moves him fingers over the keys and the audience hears the music he is playing in his mind. The nostalgia and hope that Szpilman harbors comes through. The audience glimpses the source of strength for Szpilman’s survival. In comparing this film to others in the same genre some differences can be seen. One of the differences with another movie in the genre, Schindler’s List, is that the pianist is a film that is based on one person. Schindler’s List is broader in dealing with the holocaust in terms of the point of view. The pianist narrows down the holocaust by concentration on one man’s story. From him the audience can understand the holocaust and not the other way round. Schindler’s list has the story of two people; Schindler and Goeth. The cast in The Pianist is also heavily European while Schindler’s List is not. Another difference in that while the hero clearly comes out in Schindler’s List The Pianist does not give to the leading actor the usual hero traits. While Schindler is clearly a hero Szpilman is not a hero by overt means. He is a hero in choosing to survive and simply not giving up despite the difficulties. In addition, The Pianist does not draw clear lines between the good and the bad or assign blame. While it is clear there are bad people killing and hurting others, the film is largely non judgmental. Having watched the film, I feel that The Pianist is a great film. It lives up to its potential because one is completely caught up in Szpilman’s story and begins to understand the holocaust in that light. While other movies show the great suffering and heroes of the war, this film shows the quiet heroism that might go unnoticed by many, yet it is this sort of heroism that was more rampant than the celebrated one. The film is also capturing in the use of elements. The shooting and the delivery come together and the audience gets lost in the film without getting caught up in the ‘vehicle’ that is the technicalities of the film. The film deeply touched me and made me realize that war is terrible not just in what it physically does to people but also because of the psychological and traumatic effects. One of its effects is that it created a disturbance in me. I did not feel that someone came and rescued the day because for many holocaust victims their day was not saved. The realism of the film was quite refreshing. At the same time the film restores hope in humanity. Despite all the horrific events during the war, there were ample cases of people risking life to protect others. Many people helped Szpilman including the SS officer who was taking a great risk. Just as some people can stoop low beyond belief, so can others rise above expectations. In the end, the human spirit rises up against its adversity and that is the best effect of the film considering its genre. Szpilman’s point of view enables the audience to see the holocaust keenly without getting carried away by too much information or characters. References. Bordwell David and Thomson Kristin, Film Art: An introduction. 8 ed. (New York: McGraw- Hill Higher education, 2006). ‘Schindler’s List’: Internet Movie Data Base. 1990-2010. Web. 16 July 2010. ‘The Pianist’: Internet Movie Data base. 1990-2010. Web. 17 July 2010.

College Admissions Essay: A Higher Understanding of Science :: College Admissions Essays

Achieving a Higher Understanding of Science    Surrounded by thousands of stars, complete silence, and spectacular mountains, I stood atop the Colorado Mountain Peak awestruck by nature's beauty. Immediately, I realized that I must dedicate my life to understanding the causes of the universe's beauty. In addition, the hike taught me several valuable lessons that will allow me to increase my understanding through scientific research.    Although the first few miles of the hike up the mountain did not offer fantastic views, the vistas became spectacular once I climbed above tree line. Immediately, I sensed that understanding the natural world parallels climbing a mountain. To reach my goal of total comprehension of natural phenomena, I realized that I must begin with knowledge that may be uninteresting by itself. However, this knowledge will form the foundation of an accurate view of the universe. Much like every step while hiking leads the hiker nearer the mountain peak, all knowledge leads the scientist nearer total understanding.    Above tree line, the barrenness and silence of the hike taught me that individuals must have their own direction. All hikers know that they must carry complete maps to reach their destinations; they do not allow others to hold their maps for them. Similarly, surrounded only by mountaintops, sky, and silence, I recognized the need to remain individually focused on my life's goal of understanding the physical universe.    At the summit, the view of the surrounding mountain range is spectacular. The panorama offers a view of hills and smaller mountains. Some people during their lives climb many small hills. However, to have the most accurate view of the world, I must be dedicated to climbing the biggest mountains I can find. Too often people simply hike across a flat valley without ascending because they content themselves with the scenery. The mountain showed me that I cannot content myself with the scenery. When night fell upon the summit, I stared at the slowly appearing stars until they completely filled the night sky. Despite the windy conditions and below freezing temperatures, I could not tear myself away from the awe-inspiring beauty of the cosmos. Similarly, despite the frustration and difficulties inherent in scientific study, I cannot retreat from my goal of universal understanding.

Christianity and Buddhism

Two different faiths; Christianity and Buddhism. These two religions that have pillars centered on Jesus Christ and Gautama Buddha respectively. Christianity has had a wide influence, stretching across the world and with leading figures like President George Bush (USA), Senator Hillary Clinton, and even the Pope, a spiritual leader of the Catholic Church and head of the Vatican sate. Buddhism, though mostly predominant in the orient world, has penetrated the Western cultures, Hollywood’s Richard Gere, Tina Turner, and L. A Lakers coach, Phil Jackson have identified with the Buddhists Faith through its spiritual leader the Dalai Lama.These two faiths have parallels. In contrast or comparison the two faiths meet and also depart at the foundational level of the very pillars of Jesus Christ and Gautama Buddha. The Differences At the very moment of birth Jesus Christ was born in a manger in the midst of want and desolation. According to biblical scriptures he was born among the poo r. Gautama Buddha on the other hand, was born in a palace where his father who was the ruler of a region within present day Nepal, made sure that he lived within the pleasures and wealth of his empire.In addition, Buddha lived as a prince, as royalty whereas Christ was born into a family where the father figure was a carpenter and he had to learn the skills of carpentry. The divinity of Jesus Christ has a divergence from that of Buddha. Jesus Christ claimed that he was the only Son of God. The bible in many of its texts reaffirms this divinity; to a tune of calling Jesus Christ, the â€Å"presence of God† as man. Buddha However, claimed no divinity in person. Only that about 700 years after Buddha passed on, Mahayana Buddhism attached divinity to the character of Gautama. .Buddha worked out no miracles, signs or wonders. The bible however, in the New Testament is wrought with events of miracles of Jesus Christ. From the beginning of the synoptic Gospel or Matthew, through Mar k, Luke and John, the Lord Jesus Christ healed the afflicted stopped and calmed a raging sea among other miracles. Jesus Christ, speaking on the mount espoused and blessed â€Å"those who hunger and thirst for righteousness for they shall be satisfied†. He encouraged his followers to â€Å"seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness and all other things would be added unto them (who believed)†.However Buddha saw the need of eliminating craving and desire and as such attains enlightment. Jesus Christ said â€Å"I am the Way, the Truth and the Life†. Buddha however, took the role of a guide, a religious â€Å"Way Shower†. Buddha had a means to the nirvana for the believer, but each believer had to find his or her own path Buddha is buried in the Himalaya Mountains, at Kusinara. He never resurrected. After crucifixion and death, Christ resurrected on the third day triumphing over death and sin. The SimilaritiesThe Buddhist scriptures tell of Buddhaâ €™s mother, Mahamaya, being made to carry child Buddha in her womb through the power of the â€Å"holy Spirit†. Also a â€Å"heavenly messenger’ informed Mahamaya of the way she was to bear the â€Å"son of the highest kings. † Many other events followed the birth of Buddha like the appearance of the â€Å"flower Star† in the East, and also a group of angelic messengers celebrated the birth of Buddha. The birth of Christ is foretold in the scriptures of the bible as the mother Mary was made to conceive through the â€Å"immaculate conception† of the Holy Spirit.Angels also ministered unto Mary telling her that she would bear a son who would redeem the world. In addition the star of the east shone bright and did guide the three Magi to see and proclaim the birth of the â€Å"king of Kings†At the birth of Jesus Christ King Herod set out to kill all the male firstborns with a view of eliminating any possible challenger to his throne. Not f orgetting that Virgin Mary Mother of Jesus had to run and hide the kid Jesus from the executioners. For the case of Buddha he was born of a Virgin called Maya. King Bimbasara wanted him dead as he thought that Buddha would one day ascend the throne.Buddha amazed the wizened old men and priests of the temple just as Jesus Christ did to the Pharisees and teachers of the Mosaic Law; both achieved this at the age of 12. James Hastings, in the book encyclopedia of religion and ethics page 883 tells of Buddha demanding of his disciples that they renounce all forms of worldly possessions. â€Å"The number of the disciples increased rapidly, and Gautama sent forth his monks on missionary tours hither and thither, bidding them wonder everywhere, preaching the doctrine, and teaching them to order their lives with self restraints, simplicity and charity†.On the other hand Jesus Christ called â€Å"to himself the twelve disciples sending them out two by two. So they went out and preache d that men should repent Mark 6:7-12†. According to the book of Mathew 28:19, Jesus Christ was part of a trinity. The Chinese (1836) alludes to the fact that Buddha is part of trinity. Indeed the two are part of trinities expressed in both religions. At birth Buddha was declared divine as was Jesus Christ. The book of Mathew, tells of the Magi who came to present Jesus with gifts and worshipping him as divine.On the other hand the divinity of Buddha was bestowed on him according to the Buddhist faith. The book of Matthew 2:2 has an angel announcing the birth of Jesus Christ. Buddha’s birth was also foretold by a celestial body. They both claimed to be royal descent. Jesus Christ traced his bloodline to that of King David. Buddha, whose father is Sodhodana, has the royalty also traced to the first dynasty of Maha Sammata. At the birth Christ was presented with gifts of myrrh, frankincense and gold. On the other hand, Buddha received precious substances and priceless Jewe ls.The synoptic gospel of Matthew tails of the transfiguration of Jesus Christ on the mountain. For Buddha, it also happened on a mountain where â€Å"A flame of light engulfed his head, shining as the sun or moon†. The scriptures tell of the â€Å"angels† praising in heaven at their birth. For Jesus, the bible records, â€Å"Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace, goodwill among men†. For Buddha it is written â€Å"Today, Bodhisattva is born on earth, to give joy and peace to men and Devas (angels), to shed light on the dark places, and to give sight to the blind†.De Bunsen, in page 45 notes that Buddha was baptized in the presence of the spirit of God. Jesus Christ in Matthew 3:16 is baptized in the presence of the spirit of God. According to Max. Muller in the book ‘Introduction to the Science of Religion’, two very similar incidences happened in the lives of Jesus and Buddha. Muller explains â€Å"Ananda, the disciple of Buddha, after a long walk in the country, meets with Matangi, a woman of the low caste of the Kandalas, near a well and asks her for some waters. She tells him what she is and that she must not come near him.Ananda replies â€Å"my sister, I ask not for your caste or family, I ask only for a drought of water. She afterwards becomes a disciple of Buddha. † The bible on the other hand tells the story of the Samaritan woman. According to the book of John 4:7-9 â€Å"there came a woman of Samaria to draw water Jesus said to her; â€Å"give me a drink† for his disciples had gone to the city to buy food. The Samaritan woman said to him â€Å"how is it that you, a Jew, ask a drink of me, a woman of Samaria? † for Jews have no dealing with Samaritans, They launched their careers at an almost similar age.It’s at age 29 that Buddha â€Å"went to the garden, saw a monk who was calm, tranquil, self possessed, serene and dignified. The prince, (Buddha, determined to become such a monk†. The Christian book says â€Å"Jesus, when he begun his ministry, was about 30 years of age†. Both were tempted by the devil. In Matthew 4:10, â€Å"All these I will give you if you worship me† Christ was told. And Buddha was told† go not forth to adopt a religious life but return to your kingdom and in seven days you shall become emperor of the world, riding over four continents†.Both celebrated overcoming evil, for Jesus, according to Matthew 4:11 the â€Å"angels come and ministered to him†. For Buddha, â€Å"The skies rained flowers, as delicious odors prevailed in the air† EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Perhaps the best conclusion to these differences and similarities are the actions made in the lives and times of these men. And this has to do with expressing faith where skepticism abounds. So another similarity among the two men is; â€Å"come†, so Peter got out of the boat and walked on the water and came to Jesus, but when he saw the wind he was afraid, and beginning to sink he cried out.â€Å"Lord, save me! † as shown in Matthew 14:29-30. Buddha showed skeptical villagers his disciple walking across a river without sinking†. In addition some incidences attest to the similarity of their situation like the time that Buddha took a purifying birth in the river Nerajara, just as Christ Jesus too was baptized in the river Jordan. The bible recounts the journey of Christ riding on a donkey with fronds of palm spread out for him on the way. Though slightly different the story of Buddha is centered on his riding a horse, with flowers being tossed by angels.Jesus Christ was poor, lacking in earthly possessions and encouraging the wealthy to â€Å"sell all they had and follow him. † Buddha was no different; he took an oath of embracing poverty and even wondered home Less, advising his disciples, who were 12 as those of Jesus, â€Å"to travel without money, trusting to the aid of providence †. 1. http://www. probe. org 2. http://www. lucidcafe. com 3. http://www. encyclopedia. farlex. com/buddhist. 4. http://www. moonpointer. com 5. http://www. songha. org/index. html

Issue Summary - Geneva Conventions POW Treatment

The Geneva Conventions (1949) and the two Additional Protocols (1977) form the foundation for international humanitarian law in times of war. The treaty focuses on the treatment of enemy forces as well as civilians living in occupied territories. These international treaties are intended to limit the barbarity of war by protecting non-combatants—civilians, medics and aid workers—and combatants who are no longer able to take part in battle— wounded, sick and shipwrecked troops, and all persons held as prisoners of war. The Conventions and their Protocols provide measures for preventing all violations and contain strict rules for dealing with the perpetrators of war crime atrocities known in the treaties as â€Å"grave breaches.† Under these rules, war criminals are to be investigated, sought, extradited if necessary, and tried, regardless of their nationality.   History and Background of Limiting War As long as there has been armed conflict, man has tried to devise ways to limit wartime behavior, from the sixth century BCE Chinese warrior Sun Tzu to the 19th century American Civil War. The founder of the International Red Cross, Henri Dunant, inspired the first Geneva Convention, which was designed to protect the sick and wounded. Pioneer nurse Clara Barton was instrumental in U.S. ratification of that First Convention in 1882. Subsequent conventions addressed asphyxiating gases, expanding bullets, the treatment of prisoners of war, and treatment of civilians. Nearly 200 countries—including the United States—are signatory nations and have ratified these Conventions. Treatment of Combatants, Civilians, and Terrorists The treaties were initially written with state-sponsored military conflicts in mind and emphasize that combatants must be clearly distinguishable from civilians. Combatants who fall within the guidelines and who become prisoners of war must be treated humanely. According to the International Red Cross: Captured combatants and civilians who find themselves under the authority of the adverse party are entitled to respect for their lives, their dignity, their personal rights and their political, religious and other convictions. They must be protected against all acts of violence or reprisal. They are entitled to exchange news with their families and receive aid. They must enjoy basic judicial guarantees. Enemy Combatant Habeas Corpus Under these rules, captured enemy combatants, whether soldiers or saboteurs, may be detained for the duration of hostilities. They need not be guilty of anything; they are detained simply by virtue of their status as enemy combatants in war. The challenge in wars like those Afghanistan and Iraq is determining which persons who have been captured are terrorists and which are innocent civilians. The Geneva Conventions protect civilians from being tortured, raped or enslaved as well as from being subjected to attacks. However, Geneva Conventions also protect the uncharged terrorist, noting that anyone who has been captured is entitled to protection until their status has been determined by a competent tribunal. Military lawyers (Judge Advocate Generals Corps - JAG) reportedly have petitioned the Bush Administration for prisoner protection for two years—long before Iraqs Abu Ghraib prison became a household word around the world. Supreme Court Ruling The Bush Administration held hundreds of people at the Guantanamo Bay naval base on Cuba, for two years or longer, without charge and without redress. Many were subjected to actions that have been characterized as abuse or torture. In June 2004, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that habeas corpus applies to detainees at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, as well as to citizen enemy combatants held in continental U.S. facilities. Therefore, according to the Court, these detainees have the right to file a petition asking that a court determine if they are being held lawfully.