The Pianist

The movie was very hard to watch.  There were many emotional and traumatic scenes in the movie and it was filled a lot of heavy and heart wrenching material.  This movie will have a lasting impression on me.  Not only because it was so inspiring to watch his story and have him survive but because this is apart of my background.  I know that sounds kinda emotional, but I have family and family friends who have personally lived through this and watching what happens makes it more real to me.  

I think that Hosenfeld saw faith in Szpilman.  He survived over two years in hiding when so many people were being found, tortured, and killed every day.  There is something admirable about what he accomplished.  He never gave up and he always kept fighting.  Szpilman lost everything and Hosenfeld was aware of that.  I think the piece he chose to play spoke to Hosenfeld making him want to see Szpilman survive.  There are many people who were apart of the Nazi party.  Some joined because they didn't want to be ridiculed, ohers for work, and some because they genuinely did not like the jews.  I think that deep down, Hosenfeld felt that what they were doing was wrong and never really had a chance to show his true feelings until he found Szpilman on his own.  If he was followed by others, I don't think Szpilman would have survived that day by the piano.  I think that Szpilman realized that there was something different with Hosenfeld because unlike many others, he didn't kill or harm him right then and there.  He allowed Szpilman to show him what he was capable of and prove that he was not a waste of breath.  

Defiance

I LOVED Defiance.  I thought the entire movie was so inspiring and so interesting to watch.  The entire film was filled with emotion and I couldn't look away.  My favorite character was scholarly man.  He unfortunately died at the end of the movie while trying to throw a bomb but he attacked my interest the most. I learned that nothing is more important than helping those in need and doing whatever it takes to succeed and end up victorious.  Although there were many lives lost along the way, 1200 Jews were saved and hundreds of thousands were born as a result.  

Nazi Germany at the time was set out to kill every Jew.  What Tuvia means by "our revenge is to live" is that if they live and aren't killed, they overcame what the Nazis were trying to do.  Their revenge is to live because all the Nazi's wanted to do was to torture them and put them through hell.  Having them live, causes the Nazi's to fail. 

I do think that humanity and revenge can coexist.  It is only human to want revenge.  If harm is inflicted on you or those you love, it is only natural to want to get back at them.  People have weaknesses and if they are emotionally or physically harmed, they will want to inflict the same pain on the people who did the same to them. Revenge is an act of humanity.  Sometimes its good and sometimes its bad.  It really depends on what kind of revenge a person is trying to take.  The best revenge, in my opinion, is proving someone wrong and that is exactly what the brothers did.  They proved to the Nazis  that they aren't weak and that they can rise above.