Life+is+Beautiful+-+Character+notes+Y12

Recently we discussed character in the film.
 We used adjectives as a starting point and then moved onto teasing these out. This included adding detail from the text where we could...

__Description __

Good. Eccentric. Joker. Jewish. Loyal. Positive. Creative. Romantic. Quick witted. Optimistic. Selfless. Determined. Is a caring, intelligent man who is always thinking on the bright side. Never let’s bad nature stop him. Willing to save the day. Cares for and loves his family so much that he risked, and lost his life for them. Strong willed. Respectful. Caring. A fighter. Funny. Doesn’t care what others think of him. Family man. Loves his wife and son. At the beginning of the film we don’t believe he’d make a good dad.

__Challenge or Problem __ · When Rodolfo wouldn’t give him the permit for his bookstore · Being sent to the concentration camp · Impressing Dora · Convincing Joshua that the camp was all a big game – protecting Joshua’s innocence · Dealing with insults · Dealing with being split from Dora at the camp · Hiding Joshua <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">· Protecting Joshua <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">· Trying to keep Dora safe in the camp <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">· Seeing Dr Lessing and believing he was going to help them <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">· Going to the camp on Joshua’s birthday <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">· Letting Dora know they are still alive <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">· Dealing with Joshua’s slip up at the table with the German children <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">· Dealing with knowing the true horrors of the camp

__<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">What do we learn about him through these challenges? __

<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Determined, sticks it out. Having a family makes it more important for him to be determined and strong. To be the man of the family and make things right for Joshua and Dora. (These are traits we see from the beginning of the film but become more and more important when the challenges become life and death ones. <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">They also show us the other side of Guido. He too can be scared and unsure of what is happening and there are a few moments when we see this in his face. For eg. When Dr Lessing leads him to believe he is going to help them get out of the camp, when Joshua is spotted by the German woman, when the dog is barking at the box Joshua is hiding in, when he stumbles across the pile of bodies in the mist, when they are in the back of truck having just been taken away. These are moments when we see the ‘raw’ Guido.

<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Says that J and D are the most important people in his life. He fights for the things he wants the most like the book store and winning D over. He keeps fighting to survive at the camp even though he knows at any point he could be killed. He is persistent and keeps telling J that all of this is a game. He is hopeful and optimistic. He likes to joke and doesn’t take many things seriously in order to keep the hope and optimism. For eg. when he walks and mocks the soldiers. He is romantic when he tries to impress D and goes to the school and also when he sweeps her off her feet at the engagement party. He was determined to have D as his own.

__<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Relationships __

<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">· Close knit family – with Joshua, Dora and Uncle Leo <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">· Relationship with Dr Lessing – it was a good relationship initially when it was not a life and death relationship. It was a very <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">superficial relationship. <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">· Bartholomew – some support and a lean-on, go-to in the camp. He was prepared to go along with the game for Joshua’s sake. <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">· Dora and Guido at the start – forbidden relationship. It was lust on Guido’s behalf and Dora was powerless to do anything about it because of her relationship with Rodolfo. Guido was not meant to win the Princess – he is the wrong class of person for her AND he is a Jew when being a Jew really mattered.

__<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Description __

<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">At the beginning – <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Elegant, well off – upper class. School teacher. Has a nice life. Maybe bored with her life? Happy in her job but not happy with Rodolfo. We soon learn that she’s not really herself when she’s around him.

<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Then..

<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Her physical appearance deteriorates throughout the film. Caused by stress, worry, not knowing where her family is and if they are safe. She has always been surprised by Guido so it wasn’t a great surprise when he firstly used the loud speaker to give her a message and then plays the music for her. When she gets these little bits of info she momentarily appeased by them. She knows that at that instant they are ok. <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">As soon as they enter the camp there is a shift in Dora.

<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">__Challenges and problems__

<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Having to marry Rodolfo presents her a problem – she doesn’t want to, doesn’t love him <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Her family being taken away <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">An unsupportive mother

<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">She’s in a labour camp not knowing the fate of her family