How does the characterization of protagonists in Leyson’s memoir and Spielberg’s film

convey the themes of the Holocaust?

Caitlin Maselli

000250-0057

A1 Language

Ms. Lydia Franzek

Word Count: 3763

Abstract:

My research consists of a comparison of perspective between Leon Leyson’s The Boy on

the Wooden Box: How the impossible became possible…on Schindler’s List and Steven

Spielberg’s 1993 film Schindler’s List. I will be analyzing and evaluating the effect of the

character development between the works. In the development of my essay, I referred directly to

each work, and in addition, to other resources that aided in strengthening my arguments. I used

various websites that explained the in-depth dissection of the cinematic elements of scenes in

film to grasp a better understanding of film analysis. Being extremely interested in film, and

applying my general love of literature, I found that this topic allowed me to exercise my analysis

techniques in both forms. Comparing the two works, I concluded that the contrasting

perspectives and character development techniques offer different interpretations of the war, but

maintain the same themes of the Holocaust. While one work recounts the events experienced by

a young, Jewish boy and the other follows the endeavors of a war profiteering Nazi, both remark

on the importance of Oskar Schindler to history, the essence of Jewish culture and value that was

lost in the war, and the undiscriminating impact the Holocaust had on the world.

In the summer of June 2015, I traveled out to California to attend a film and digital media

course at the University of California, Los Angeles. I took classes on the composition of films,

and even directed a short movie. In the process, I was able to gain an invaluable amount of

information regarding film analysis, which has significantly helped my research and

understanding, as demonstrated throughout the paper.

Word Count: 227

Table of Contents:

Title Page…………………………………………………………………………………………. i

Abstract…………………………………………………………………………………………... ii

Essay………………………………………………………………………………………….. 1-13

Works Cited……………………………………………………………………………………... iv

The artistic portrayals of the Holocaust as presented in Leon Leyson’s and Steven Spielberg’s

respected works, The Boy on the Wooden Box: How the impossible became possible…on

Schindler’s List and Schindler’s List, demonstrate the variance of human nature. Leon Leyson’s

memoir recalls the periods of hope and despair growing up as a Jewish teenager during World

War II. Leyson wrote that his life was saved by Oskar Schindler, an empathetic Nazi who

rescued thousands of Jews from death camps by ‘employing’ them in his factories. Schindler’s

compassionate intentions were hidden by his highly respected Nazi status, and his ability to

connive and convince others using his gregarious personality and character. Schindler’s heroic

qualities, and his less-favored qualities, are also documented in Spielberg’s 1993 film Schindler’s

List. The omniscient perspective of the movie sharply contrasts the naïve point of view in

Leyson’s memoir, and how the audiences see each protagonist. The involvement of the audience,

ranging from personal to detached between the works, yields varying acceptances of the same

events; the juxtaposing innocence and corruption of Leyson and Schindler emphasizes the effect

of perspective on the work. The development of the main characters in both works offer

audiences different interpretations of the Holocaust while maintaining the same truth of human

nature; that good and bad morals exist within everyone, and distressing situations tend to

highlight and accentuate the true disposition of individuals. Despite out efforts to promote peace

and a unified global society, it is important to be reminded of the past, and acknowledge the

struggles faced by entire cultures. In times of despair, there will always be those that need help,

those that offer help, and those who take advantage of the misfortune of others, and demonstrate

their cruelty.

Leib Lejzon, the protagonist of the novel The Boy on the Wooden Box: How the

impossible became possible…on Schindler’s List, is the younger version of the author Leon

Leyson, who acts in the story. Leyson retells his dark adventures with a childlike perspective,

bringing more life to his adolescent-self, Leib. Before the horrors of the Holocaust unfolded, to

Leib “life seemed an endless, carefree journey” (7). An older, wiser Leyson comments on his

own naivety—“not even the scariest of fairy tales could have prepared me for the monsters I

would confront just a few years later, the narrow escapes I would experience, or the hero,

disguised as a monster himself, who would save my life” he claims, referring to Schindler (7).

His matured analysis of his youth demonstrates the true impact of the war. He had no possible

way to neither know nor understand the atrocities that would destroy his innocence and consume

his near and distant futures. Leon’s innocence is a prevalent influence on his interpretation of the

Holocaust.

As described in his novel, Leon affiliates Oskar Schindler and his factory with hope—an

incredibly rare place of compassion strongly juxtaposing the despair that filled the death camps.

Leon’s interpretation of events is arguably clouded by his overwhelming sense of fear, which

makes positive interactions during the Holocaust, including his encounters with Schindler,

amplified when compared to the other brutalities he experienced. Schindler, who was not directly

exposed to these horrors had a less dynamic understanding and appreciation for the compassion

and sense of hope he offered, as captured in the film. One particular passage in Leyson’s memoir

highlights the character behind Schindler.

It was on the “Jewish shift,” as the night shift came to be called, that I began to

know Schindler personally…When he entered our work area, I would smell his

cigarettes and cologne before I saw him. Always elegantly dressed, he would

meander around the room, stopping to chat with men working at different stations.

He had an uncanny ability to remember names. I had grown used to the fact that

to the Nazis, I was just another Jew; my name didn’t matter. But Schindler was

different.

Here, Leyson’s characterization of Schindler stands in stark contrast to the film’s.

He clearly wanted to know who we were. He acted like he cared about us as

individuals… Tall and hefty, with a booming voice, he would ask me how I was

doing, how many pieces I made that night… He looked at me in the eye, not with

the blank, unseeing stare of the Nazis, but with genuine interest and even a glint

of humor. I was so small that I had to stand on an overturned wooden box to reach

the controls of the machine. Schindler seemed to get a kick out of that.

Not only does this passage demonstrate the significant difference between Schindler and other

Nazis, but it highlights Leyson’s direct involvement with Schindler and remarks on the character

of Schindler and the true nature of human compassion he portrays. In addition, this passage even

notes the purpose of the title of the novel, The Boy on the Wooden Box, with an appreciative

comment towards Schindler’s humor. Leyson explains that “such acts may seem insignificant

given the scale of evil in those years, but, in fact, they were anything but” (141). He continues to

recall how “Schindler dared to rebel against the law of the land, which was to torture and

exterminate Jews, not to treat [them] as fellow human beings” (141). Leyson addresses his

relationship with Schindler,

I must admit his attention frightened me at first. Schindler was a Nazi, after all,

and he had enourmous power. When push came to shove, I reminded myself, he

would side with his fellow Germans. That was to be expected. Furthermore,

Schindler had our lives in his hands and could dispose of us at any moment…

[Eventually] I felt proud when Schindler talked with me, although my pride was

tinged with anxiety.

With the power, status and wealth Schindler possesses, it would be expected that he acts in

accordance to societal conditions and regulations. However, Leyson makes a distinguished effort

to emphasize the compassion shown by Schindler. He also adds that being “weak, malnourished,

and sleep-deprived, [he] wasn’t much help to the Nazi war effort, but Schindler didn’t seem to

care” (140). The unconventional disposition of Schindler provided hope, and “by treating [Jews]

with respect, [he] was resisting the Nazi racist ideal that constructed a hierarchy of humanity in

which Jews were at the bottom” (142).

As documented in his memoir, Leon Leyson was barely a teenager when he was thrust

into the horrors surrounding the genocide of thousands of Jews throughout Europe, later known

as the Holocaust. Complex and confusing, Leyson often looked to others in attempt to

understand the events transpiring around him. His parents and other Jewish citizens thought that

the Germans occupying their country “would be like the Germans in the first World War…that

they would be people like themselves, men doing their military duty, anxious to return to their

wives and children, and appreciative of any hospitality and kindness” (28). “Logically,” Leon

explains, “there was no reason to think otherwise. After all, what can we trust if not our own

experience?” (28). Leon and thousands of other Jews understandably underestimated the extent

of violence and tragedy that would consume and characterize the Holocaust.

Leon recalls a Jewish tradition practiced in his culture before the war—a Yiddish song

called “Oyfn Pripetchik”, or “On the Hearth”. The song is translated as follows:

When you grow older, children,

You will understand,

How many tears lie in these letters

And how much lament.

Leon explains how the joyous, childhood melody of his people “[was] forecasting [his, and

thousands of others’] imminent and terrifying future” (29). The portrayals of Jewish citizens and

their culture are in-depth throughout the novel, given the narrator’s religious affiliations. Leyson

depicts a vivacious, educated, prosperous Jewish community as his home with his parents,

brothers, sisters, friends, and neighbors sharing his appreciation of life. Readers, however, are

exposed to the harsh change in Jewish people—weak, malnourished, sleep-deprived, and above

all, terrified. This demonstrates the all too blatant impact of the Holocaust on the Jewish

community through cultural characterization.

Steven Spielberg’s 1993 film Schindler’s List highlights the same components of human

nature—the essence of attacking or being attacked—with an altered perspective. The movie

follows protagonist Oskar Schindler, portrayed by Liam Neeson. The International Movie

Database writes that “Oskar Schindler is a vainglorious and greedy German businessman who

becomes an unlikely humanitarian amid the barbaric Nazi reign when he feels compelled to turn

his factory into a refuge for Jews.” The film is “based on the true story of Oskar Schindler who

managed to save about 1100 Jews from being gassed at the Auschwitz concentration camp, it is a

testament for the good in all of us.” In the opening of the film, Schindler is seen in his luxurious

home, preparing for his day. His immense wealth is made clear by his excessive collection of

ties, watches, coats, and other expensive possessions. He finishes his morning routine by

adjusting a Nazi Swastika pin on his jacket, making his power and authority apparent to the

audience.

A highly important characteristic of Schindler, which is made clear in the opening scenes

of the film and is maintained through its duration, is his connections and relations to high

authority figures. In the use of bribes and other forms of allurement, he is able to convince other

Nazis of the significance of his company, and the value the Jew workers have to his success.

While some Nazis doubt the legitimacy of his business, Schindler reassures them that the profit

of the factories is substantial, forcing the other Nazis to overlook the protection that Schindler

indirectly offers his workers.

This is demonstrated in one particular scene, as an elderly disabled worker insists on

personally thanking Schindler for employing him, claiming he saved his life, and repeating “God

bless you.” Minutes later in the film, during the daily commute of the factory workers, Nazis

aggressively and unjustifiably demand the Jews shovel snow. A few SS officers single out the

same gentleman that thanked Schindler the previous day, noting that he is unable to shovel the

snow because he is disabled. “A one armed Jew”, one Nazi laughs, “twice as useless”. The

elderly man insists he is an essential worker to Schindler’s factory, but the officers continue to

laugh, and eventually shoot him in the forehead. The camera pans the man’s corpse and the

audience is forced to watch the gradual dispersion of his blood from his head through the snow,

as seen in Figure 1. Once the blood reaches the Jewish identification band on the mans arm, a

graphic but important image for audiences to view, the camera shifts to a different scene.

Figure 1

Schindler argues with the head Nazi who ordered the Jews to be stopped, claiming the man who

was shot was “quite skilled” in his field. He demands compensation for the loss of the worker,

and the decline of productivity the loss yielded. In doing so, Schindler is indirectly promoting the

value of Jews, hiding his true intentions behind the shield of war profiteering.

Another scene demonstrating the authority of Schindler takes place on a train platform.

Itzhak Stern, the Jewish accountant behind Schindler’s operations, is trapped in a cattle car with

hundreds of other Jews who are to be deported to concentration camps. Although Stern is ‘on the

list’ to be deported, Schindler is able to manipulate the Nazi officers into his release. Using

empty threats, Schindler convinces the officers that he is a man of high power, and will ensure

their punishment if he does not receive his Jew. As he walks the length of the train, yelling for

Stern, the two officers he threatened moments ago join him in his search, offering a brief

moment of comic relief in an otherwise intense and dark scene. Schindler ultimately retrieves

Stern, who is essential to his business endeavors. Leon Leyson commented on this scene,

claiming that,

In the film Schindler’s List, there is a scene where Oskar Schindler rushes to the

train station to save his accountant, Itzhak Stern, who had been seized in a

roundup. Schindler reaches the depot barely in time to yell Stern’s name and pull

him off the train just as it starts to move. What the film doesn’t show is another

scene that Schindler told my father about afterward. As he was frantically

searching the cattle cars filled with people, looking for Stern, Schindler spotted

Tsalig [Leon’s brother] and recognized him as his worker Moshe’s son. He called

out to him and told him that he would get him off the train, but Tslaig was there

with his girlfriend Miriam. Since no one in Miriam’s family was working for

Schindler, there was nothing he could do to save her. Tsalig told Schindler that he

couldn’t leave Miriam. That is the kind of young man he was. He wouldn’t desert

his girlfriend even when it would have secured his own safety.

Not only is this a direct connection between he two works, but it is yet another example of

Leyson’s connection to Schindler, and an instance of genuine humanity demonstrated by him.

Another scene that highlights the genuine disposition of Schindler is arguably the climax

of the movie. Spielberg’s award-winning scene depicts the liquidation of the Kraków ghetto.

Chaos unfolds as Jewish citizens are forcibly removed from their homes. SS officers oversee

their removal, many taking pleasure in the control and force they hold over the defenseless Jews.

Some take advantage of this power, shooting random people in the street, screaming at the Jews

just to evoke fear—the response they receive from their brutality ultimately encourages their

unjustified violence. In this scene, Schindler is posed on top of a hill as he watches the horrors

below. His position demonstrates not only his removal of the situation, but also his position in

the war. He is different than the other Nazis, who choose to attack and brutalize the Jews in the

streets, as demonstrated by his removal. In addition, he is positioned on a hill above the

unfolding scene, symbolizing not only his Nazi status and power over the Jews, but also his

knowledge of the war, and his ability to choose his involvement in it. The one of few instances of

color in the otherwise completely black and white film occurs in this scene. A young Jewish girl

walks through the streets in a red coat. She is seemingly oblivious to the atrocities occurring

around her. Her innocence and youth grasps the attention of Schindler as he watches from above.

The red of her coat symbolizes the bloodshed and blaring atrocities of the Holocaust, and when

compared to its monochromic surroundings, is apparent to not only the audience, but Schindler

as well, as seen in Figure 2.

Spielberg claims that “[the horrors of the Holocaust were] as obvious as a little girl wearing a red

coat walking down the street”, yet very few political figures were willing to go against the Nazi

ideals to the extent that Schindler did. This scene acts as a turning point in the disposition of

Schindler; it is documented by various sources that Schindler was initially interested in the

monetary gain the war had to offer him, but he now realizes his moral and ethical obligations

given his power and status. Spielberg explains that he has “never had a survivor say,

categorically, [Schindler] planned to save the Jews from the first day.” He has, however, “had

many survivors say he planned to make a lot of money off of all of [them] and off the Nazi party

since the first day, and then something happened that changed him.” Spielberg explains that this

scene demonstrates and depicts the point of change in Schindler during the war. In the analysis of

the scene, it is easy to understand the true disposition of Schindler. The absence of verbal

exchange is amplified by music, and the emotional response portrayed by Schindler. The horror

on his face is apparent, and the audiences can expect this to be the inciting incident, the peak of

the film.

As far as Jewish characterization in the film, there is significant resemblance to that in

Leyson’s memoir. Despite the audience receiving more Nazi insight on the war than in the novel,

Spielberg is able to maintain the Jewish culture and community presented in the memoir. The

opening scene of the movie begins with the typing of names onto a list. While the list is not

‘Schindler’s List,’ it emphasizes the involvement of names on lists early in the film. The Jewish

citizens are being added to the list for their enlistment into the ghettos. Many Jews attempt to

explain their societal status, some claiming they are doctors, or lawyers, or that they have a

college education, in attempt to convince the SS officers that they are of value, and should not be

transferred to the ghetto. Unknown to them, their education, wealth, and social connections are

of no interest to the Nazis, who have been trained to dehumanize Jews. The security they had in

their prewar life is strongly contrasted to their uncertainty and fear that consumes their lives in

the ghettos. One notable scene that captures Jewish lives involves working Jewish citizens

sorting through the possessions of other Jews who were, unbeknownst to them, being deported to

concentration camps. Assuming they were being moved to a different location, the Jews on the

train packed their valuables and belongings for their travels, which is to be dumped and sorted by

other Jews. The contents of the luggage reveal a glimpse of Jewish culture—many packed

pictures, clothes, religious artifacts, jewelry, and more. It is at this point that audiences realize the

actual fate awaiting the Jewish citizens on the train, creating a dark dramatic irony.

Spielberg employs countless techniques in the film to capture the characterization of

Schindler, the essence of Jewish culture, and other important themes of the Holocaust; themes

that Leyson remarked on in his own memoir. The elaborate mis-en-scene components of the film

play an essential role in the contrast between various juxtapositions in the film, such as Nazis

and Jews and hope and despair. The costumes, props, settings, and the thousands of extras used

in the film all contribute to the realistic approach of the film. In is also important to consider the

quality of the scenes. Spielberg employed the intentional black and white effect to make the film

seem like old war footage, rather than a cinematic production. He believes that in applying these

techniques, the more realistic approach would evoke a more emotional and disturbing response

and reaction from the audience. To further support this concept, Schindler’s List was developed

without story boards to make the footage seem more like a documentary, emphasizing

spontaneity and edge. He also shot forty percent of the movie using steady cameras, which was a

decision made part by movie budget, and part by effect of reality.

One particularly impressive scene of cinematic methods is in the Kraków liquidation

sequence. When the audience is not observing the steady evaluation of Schindler watching the

scene from above, they are thrust into the action occurring on the streets. The utilization of

canted framing exaggerates the chaos and madness unfolding. The audience feels as if they are

part of the crowds of terrified and helpless Jews. This technique ultimately evokes the same fear,

anxiety, and emotion experienced by the Jews from the audience. In addition, the auditory

enhancements of the scene aid in its dynamic development. The music behind the screams and

gunshots in the streets is sung by a children’s choir, giving an eerie effect to the scene. The song

the children sing is Oyfn Pripetshik, the same melody mentioned by Leyson in his memoir. The

children sing the grotesque song with enthusiasm and innocence, creating a dark irony given the

harrowing visual images of the scene.

The tagline from Schindler’s List, “Whoever saves one life saves the world entire” is in

fact a quotation from the Talmud, the Jewish law. It captures the essence of Schindler’s story and

the significance is posed to history. Schindler’s heroics are documented in countless works,

ranging in various artistic fields. The memoir The Boy on the Wooden Box: How the impossible

became possible…on Schindler’s List and the film Schindler’s List offer two of the most direct

recollections of events demonstrating Schindler’s value. Although the audience witnesses the war

through two very different perspectives—one being a young Jewish boy and the other being a

highly respected member of the Nazi party—both works are ultimately able to convey the same

themes of the Holocaust, addressing the characterization of Schindler, the essence of Jewish

survival and persistence, and the spectrum of human nature. The development of characters

permits audiences to collect different interpretations and experiences of the Holocaust, and both

portray the value of human life. Leyon’s memoir and Spielberg’s film demonstrate the

significance and impact of the Holocaust on the world, whether the victim is a Jewish teenager or

a Nazi businessman, we are forced to conquer and overcome hate in even the most extreme

cases.

Works Cited:

"Film Analysis." Film Analysis. N.p., 27 Aug. 2002. Web. 12 Apr. 2015.

Leyson, Leon, Marilyn J. Harran, and Elisabeth B. Leyson. The Boy on the Wooden Box: How

the Impossible Became Possible... on Schindler's List. New York: Simon & Schuster

Children's Division, 2013. Print.

"Part 3: Cinematography." Part 3: Cinematography. N.p., 27 Aug. 2002. Web. 12 Apr. 2015.

Schindler's List. Dir. Steven Spielberg. Prod. Steven Spielberg. By Steven Zaillian. Perf. Liam

Neeson, Ben Kingsley, and Ralph Fiennes. Universal Pictures, 1993. DVD.

"Schindler's List." IMDb. IMDb.com, n.d. Web. 12 Apr. 2015.

Spielberg on Spielberg. Dir. Richard Schickel. Perf. Steven Spielberg. 2007. DVD.

Visual Rhetoric/Visual Literacy: Writing About Film (n.d.): n. pag. Duke.edu. Web. 12 Apr. 2015.