Tragedy In Life Is Beautiful And This Way For The Gas Ladies And Gentlemen

3 Pages 859 Words

Tragedy is a reappearing character throughout “Life is beautiful” and “This way for the gas, ladies and gentlemen.” Even though both Benigni, and Borowski use their own diverse style to approach the issue of the holocaust. In “life is beautiful” Benigni uses Guidos family to represent values and how they are represented during the holocaust. He does not use vivid images nor do you see any grotesque images. One can beven suggest that he eased the events in his film. While Borowski uses his vivid descriptions to animate the story and capture the reader with his powerful use of imagery. A clear and powerful description of the holocaust and concentration camps could be established from the story. It is not unusual to say that both works deal with the same issue from two totally different sides.

“This way for the gas, ladies and gentlemen” offers vivid descriptions of conditions in the concentration camps during the holocaust; the brutality towards the Jews can be conceived throughout the whole story. “Heads push though the windows, mouths gasp frantically for air. They draw a few breaths, then disappear; others come in their place, then also disappear. The cries and moans grow louder.” Death is another tragic character in the story; its presence is constantly felt throughout the scenery. “We climb inside. In the corners amid human excrement and abandoned wrist-watches lie squatted, trampled infants, naked little monsters with enormous heads and bloated bellies. We carry them out like chickens, holding several in each hand” This horrible scene of the narrator carrying out the children further succumbs the horrible atmosphere of the story. This story uses its gory description to capture the audience’s attention, not to keep the reader enthusiastic about reading the story but to enlighten him/her of the situation that went on during those times. We do not see the narrator ease at anytime with his accurate descri...