1. How are the Germans (and Japanese) portrayed in the opening sequence? How is irony created? They are fat, over fed. The irony is that they don't look like a master race.
2. How is propaganda and the effect of propaganda portrayed with the introduction of Donald Duck? There are lots of Nazi symbols and pictures of Hitler.
3. How is irony continued into the breakfast scene? Even the Nazis have poor food.
4. How is Naxi Germany portrayed in the opening shot at 3:30? Nazi Germany is portrayed as a very dark place.
5. What is ironic about the song lyrics regarding work and what is happening in the scene? They are singing about how good life is but the work is just as bad as the concentration camps.
6. What does the conveyor belt portray regarding the lifestyle of Germans? Its faster than the Germans can cope with.
7. Why do you think that there aren't actually any people that force Donald to work? We only see the ends of bayonets and a speaker. It gives you a feeling that there are more people than it looks. Like all Germans are like this.
8. What is ironic about the vacation? Its not a break and he is forced to exercise.
9. In the dream sequence, how are the Germans portrayed? Why? They are portrayed as missiles and machines. The only thing they do is fight.
10. What do the pajamas when we see Donald in his bed tell us? He is back in america..
11. What is the Statue of Liberty used to convey? It contrasts the Germans as it welcomes other races into the country. 
12. How is Hilter portrayed at the end of the film? What is it about his face that is important? He looks really angry and nothing about him represents a master race.

Why is this a representation of propaganda? Why is it actually ironic considering the way the Nazi's are portrayed? Its a very exaggerated representation of what all Germans are. Its ironic because America is mocking the Germans and in doing so saying they are better. 

Who are the villains, victims, and heroes? The villains are the Germans. The victim is Donald Duck, and the Heroes are the Americans.

How are the portrayed? The Germans are portrayed as everything but the master race.

What can you conclude about how these characters are portrayed knowing that this was produced in 1943 USA? (write a short essay including a discussion of the director's use of film techniques.)

camera angles

key words/focus:
camera angle (low, high, eye-level), vectors, lighting, composition

(4:20) How are camera angles used when Joshua says 'Thank you' (not in German)? Which angles are used to view each of the characters? What does each of these angle signify?


There is a low shot when Joshua says thank you and the German waiter looks down on him. The low shot makes the waiter look more dominating.

(4:45) What shot distance and angle is used to show Guido's concern for Joshua when the German waiter leaves the room? Describe the composition)
There is a close up shot showing his emotions portrayed on his face. 

(4:46) How is shot of Guido contrasted to the shot of the German waiter walking away to tell someone what has just happened? Describe the composition and compare it to the previous shot of a concerned Guido.


He is not geometrical unlike the German. When the German walks down the hall every things is straight, precise and geometrical.

(5:02-05) How is the shot of the German's contrasted to that of Guido teaching the children to say 'Thank You'?
There is a low angle of the Germans and then a high angle of Guido bending down, getting to the kids level, showing the separation between him and the kids and the Germans 

1. Describe what is happening in this scene. -The Germans are describing the rules of being in the camp. Guido translates and tells them the rules for his made up game as he did not understand German.
2. Who are the heroes and villains in this scene? Why are they heroes and villains? -The hero in the scene is Guido, The villains in the scene are the Germans. The Germans are the villains as they are keeping the Jews in prison camps and forcing them to do labor and then killing. Guido is the hero as he is saving his son by resisting the Germans and not showing weakness in front of Joshua.
3. For the hero/es and villain/s, describe techniques used in this shot which highlight their opposing role and how they connect with the audience. - There is a height difference between the Germans and Guido. When you see the Jews, they are standing around in a bunch. The Germans are standing straight with straight symmetrical windows on either side of them. When Guido stands next to the German He is much smaller than him and seem weak next.

Holocaust Unit Key Question and 'Life is Beautiful'

Key Question:

How are victims, villains and heroes of tragedy and trauma valued and given a voice?

We need to apply this key question to Life is Beautiful:

1. What is a tragedy?

A tragedy is a genre which has great suffering, destruction, and distress, such as a serious accident, crime, or natural catastrophe.

2.  How is Life is Beautiful a tragedy?

Life is beautiful is a tragedy because it is about a happy family who get forced apart to do slave work and just before they are free the father dies while trying to save his son and wife.

3.Could it also be a comedy?

Yes it could be considered a comedy as Gueido puts humor into the story with jokes, funny behavior and telling his son that it is all a game that they are competing in against the Germans and other Jews.

4.What is a villain? What is a hero? What is a victim? Give examples of each both from real life and from fiction.

A villain in this case is a a person who causes panic, disaster, damage and despair to the protagonists in the story. He does evil things with the purpose of hurting someone or something.
e.g Terrorists 
A hero is a person who shows great courage and is admired by his brave deeds.
e.g Bill gates, war heroes.
A victim is someone who suffers from someone else without having any control over the situation.
e.g holocaust victims,


5. Who are the villains, victims and heroes?.
Guido is the hero in the story, The villains are the Nazis. The victims are the Jews and Joshua, Dora.


6. What value do each of these characters play in the movie? What role do they play in the plot? What role do they play in connecting the movie to history? What role do they play in evoking a reaction from the audience? (List the important characters in the movie and label them as either villains or heroes. Then, in dot points, list the important role they play in regards to plot, history, and to the audience.)




The Nazis are the antagonists, Guido is the protagonist. The victims are part of the complication.


The Nazis and Jews in the story are based on the history of the holocaust. The Nazis are cold hearted and only care for themselves. The Jews are innocent.


Guido mocks the Germans and has a quirky sense of humor.
The Nazis are very cold and they have no mercy or compassion
The victims draw empathy from the audience. At the start of the movie the Jews are having a good life and then it gets ripped away from them.

Auschwitz 65 Years Later

This is an image of Auschwitz taken 65 years after the closing of the camp. Take a moment to look at this photo and consider that approximately 1 million people were killed at this camp (that would be 1 out of every four people living in Sydney).

Key Visual Techniques

There are some powerful visual techniques being used in this photo. Take 5 minutes to point out at least 5 aspects of the photo which stand out to you and how they relate to the great anguish that was experienced at this site (create a post on your blog with the photo - don't try to copy and paste photo it won't work).

• Consider the use of vectors, line, contrast, composition, colour, and perspective (there are more techniques) The barb wire fence and the long building makes the camp long endlessly long. It makes you feel that is was hopeless for the Jews to escape. The contrast of the snow and the dark buildings is very bland. The wire fence looks very dark and menacing. In the distance you can see the watch tower and with the fence looming over you it gives you the Jews perspective, It makes you feel small and powerless. There is an absence of life.
• How can the visual elements in the photo evoke empathy and reverence from a viewer? The barb wire fence makes you feel empathy for the Jews and the buildings look very cold and uncomfortable.
• How is Auschwitz represented in this photo? Very cold and dark.
• Find another photo of Auschwitz that you feel has an important representation of this place that caused so much pain and destruction. Analyse the use of visual techniques which make it particularly engaging. How does it represent this location?

This gas chamber is a representation of how Auschwitz caused so much pain and destruction. The chamber is very cold and dark. The low ceiling gives a sense of claustrophobia. The walls are vector lines and make the chamber seem much longer and darker. 

Enders game

Science fiction
conventions
specific genre
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Progress
technological
knowledge
human capabilities/health
Societal
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- Social skills
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Propelled
pushing forward
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Fear
failure
like is brother (who he is becoming
to being advanced enough to get through
acceptance
death Buggers
loss of control

Locke and Demosthenes

Locke and Demosthenes

Who is John Locke and Demothenes?

John Locke was a English philosopher and physician in the 17th century.i

Demothenes was a Greek statesman and orator of ancient Athens. He was radical. He opposed the rule of Athens by macedonia

Give a summary of each (2-3 sent) and describe how they are related to Valentine and Peter (2-3 sent).

Demosthenes used fear to get his way. This is similar to Peter who can manipulate people with fear.

Locke is more like Valentine who can persuade people in a compassionate way.
Summarize Peter and Valentine's position that they take on the nets.

Valentine is the radical Demosthenes who was trying to disband the Warsaw pact, and peter is the moderate Locke. "Social contract" who believed  there should be a balance stuck between individual rights + What is best for the greater good.

Peter thought Demosthenes would not win public favor and that they would look to Locke. He thought the Russians would brake the Warsaw pact. Demosthenes used fear which is much stronger than reason to persuade people.

What role does fear play into how successful Valentine and Peter are?

The Warsaw pact was important as it kept the world together so the buggers could be fought as one united planet. The thought of disbanding the Warsaw was fearful as Russia would be able to invade America as the're fighting the buggers and the fear of buggers coming to earth exaggerates the fear of the disbanding of the Warsaw pact.