Life is Beautiful vs. Night

Prompt: 
Based on the Holocaust literature and poetry we have read, what connections can be made between Life is Beautiful and our reading? What events, scenes, or situations are similar or different? What is similar or different about the mood or tone of the pieces?

How is life shown as beautiful throughout the film. Pull out at least two examples from different parts of the film and explain your rationale.

               After watching Life is Beautiful, you are left with the impression of happiness, not fear or disgust, and in Night was a very different story. Throughout the whole movie, there are little specks of love, hope, happiness, and survival. When we compare Night and the film you can see many similarities. Both of the books are put in a setting of concentration camps. The main characters all have to go through severe treatment and labor in order to survive. Also, there are many times in both the book and film, that you need to worry about your family. Guido and Joshua are a perfect example of caring for one another, and not leaving no matter what. In Night you can see the Elie and his father had a stronger connection because all they could do is stick together. Although, closer to the end of the book Elie did not know what to do to make sure his father is kept safe, so all he could do is leave. Another similarity is the fact the Guido, and Elie's father dies close to the end. Guido, took a risk for his family and all he did was take his life to keep them safe. Elie's father died because he knew that he could not handle anything that was happening anymore. In the film and book, someone dies for the better of someone they are close to. Guido died for his family, and Elie's father died and it helped Elie in the long run. There was still hope in both of the pieces no matter what had occurred at the moment. Guido refused to let his son be hindered or scared from all of the things that were going on in the camp. Elie refused to give up his life for a terrible place that should not even exist. 

               There were obvious differences between the book and the film. Night and Life is Beautiful have two different tones and moods. The tone in the film is always happy or humorous, nothing really is so melancholy or terrible. In Night, you can see that there wasn't much happiness or giddiness that was shown in the film. Even though both of these pieces are about the Holocaust, it is clear to see that they both tell a different situation, and the moods are shifted. No matter what happened in the book, Elie still had to stay in the concentration camp, and he was not happy at all. He nothing that kept him living,after his father had died. In the film, you were not really exposed to the gas chambers or any murdering at all. You can tell that people would get killed, but in the book it is a lot more explicitly stated. Elie tells about how people would be killed or taken, or how the people would be chosen to live or to die. In Life is Beautiful things like that are never stated, they are usually just implied. When Guido goes to hide Jonathan, he only does it to make sure he stays alive. When Elie was asked his age, he lied just so he could save himself from being killed. If someone wouldn't have told him about what was going to happen, he wouldn't have written the book. 

               Throughout the film, you are able to see how hope and happiness are carried through at all times. Life is the most beautiful thing about the film, and it creates a very positive feeling. When the family was home, everything was perfect. Even when they went to the concentration camp, the relationships between the people were beautiful Guido and Dora had a very hard time keeping their relationship while being separated, but they still managed to make it work. These types of things had the film staying beautiful. Even if they were in the worst place in the whole entire world, they would still know how to cherish each other no matter what. When Guido saw his son for the last time, he made sure to let his son know that he will be okay. He tried to keep him safe, and it was just astounding how he still managed to keep that love strong. The love and compassion in this movie keep the whole thing beautiful.