• Join over 1.2 million students every month
  • Accelerate your learning by 29%
  • Unlimited access from just £6.99 per month

Oskar Schindler and Philip Rhayder are unlikely heroes.

Extracts from this document...


Oskar Schindler and Philip Rhayder are unlikely heroes A hero is defined as someone who acts out for others. The dictionary describes a hero as a person noted or admired for courage or outstanding achievements. A hero is typically seen as a non fictional character who protects the vulnerable with super natural powers and courage and can do no wrong . There are also some important figures in life associated as being a "hero" someone like Mahatma Gandhi who spoke out for millions of people using non violent campaigns for Indian independence. From this we can see that Oskar Schindler has been portrayed as an unlikely hero since he has neither the characteristics or qualities of a hero since he has a drinking problem as well as committing adultery regularly. Paul Gallico on the other hand has moulded his character into someone who doesn't open up to people , a social recluse, again Rhayader, like Schindler, doesn't seem to have the characteristics nor the looks of a hero. The settings for both characters are focal points for them to shine and become heroes since both are set during the second world war in which heroic deeds may stand out during a time of need. Schindler was at the heart of the war, in which he was exposed to violent and aggressive behaviour everyday. Gallico chose Rhayder to be isolated from the war so it could be based around a man who overcomes his problem to care about another and becomes a hero in his own right. ...read more.


Since Rhayader has never loved or been loved he doesn't know how to deal with the emotions he is feeling. This allows Gallico to portray the goose as a go between for both characters to show there affection through the goose this also true for Keneally towards the end of the novel in which the Jews show there affection towards Schindler through making him a gold ring. Keneally also uses the ring as a sign of affection and that of the lives Schindler has saved from almost certain death. Symbolism is a constant emphasis throughout the text because it can stand not for a single reason but a whole variety . An example of this is Helen Hirsch in which Schindler wins her in a game of blackjack from Amon Goeth. This symbolises a triumph victory of good over evil also it shows that he has saved a life. Another factor of both texts is the narrative styles used throughout, Gallico uses the simple context of third person narrative without changing. He may have done this to almost shut off the audience with reacting to what is going on around them. The written style is very simple and in some parts of the text it appears to be very effective, the language used is poetic which allows characters like Rhayader to express their feeling e.g. Through his paintings of all kinds of birds he has seen during the time he has spent at the abounded lighthouse. Keneally on the other hand uses all three narrative styles throughout the novel his style is similar to that of the famous film maker Quentin ...read more.


Another flaw in Schindlers Character is him abandoning his wife in Germany while Schindler lives the high life in Poland, drinking every night and sleeping around. Rhayader also doesn't seem to be an ideal hero since he has a deformity which prevents him from making the same kind of impression a hero would in his same situation. On the other hand both characters are not unlikely heroes because the situation they were put under allowed them to appear and shine as a hero and in both cases it was the war in which they sacrificed themselves to help others in their time of need. It seemed both characters had grown throughout the texts which allowed them to become heroes in other peoples eyes. Since both characters were based in real places it was more effective due to the audience being able to relate with it and recognise what both characters went through. Schindler seems to be the character that stands out the most since he is the character who was the villains turned saviour, because of this the heroic deeds he had done seemed to wipe away his intentions he had left Germany for, at first he had seen the Jewish workers as just a way to make profit but at the end he respected them enough to sacrifice everything he had. "He who saves one life saves the entire world" This quotation is an important one to describe Schindlers courage and heroic acts towards all the Jews he had saved. Word Count: 2693 By Rajvinder Bal 13:15 ...read more.

The above preview is unformatted text


Found what you're looking for?

  • Start learning 29% faster today
  • 150,000+ documents available
  • Just £6.99 a month

Not the one? Search for your essay title...
  • Join over 1.2 million students every month
  • Accelerate your learning by 29%
  • Unlimited access from just £6.99 per month

See related essaysSee related essays

Related AS and A Level War Poetry essays

  1. What does 'Heroes' have to say about the nature of heroes, and how does ...

    At home before the war, Francis and Larry are also again very different. Francis lacks confidence and is very quiet and timid. Larry has lots of qualities you would usual associate with a hero, confident, brave, entertaining, multi skilled and a rapist.

  2. Treblinka - Concentration Camp.

    This small number was able to do what they wanted with thousands of people every day thanks to the sophisticated lies that made the people who came believe that nothing bad will happen to them, so they didn't try to do anything against the Germans.


    HEDGEHOGS page eighty-eight The hedgehog was an animal that Rodwell was nursing back to health. SALMON page eighty-eight Salmon was a luxury food for the soldiers to eat. CHICKEN page eighty-eight Chicken was a luxury food for the soldiers to eat.

  2. The film I chose to review was &amp;quot;The Empire of the Sun&amp;quot;, by Steven ...

    The American jets' influence toward Jim proved contradictory- as they were both a form of mass destruction and death, and a means for survival and preservation of life At one stage in time, the Americans attacked the Japanese airbase next to the POW camp Jim was situated in.

  • Over 160,000 pieces
    of student written work
  • Annotated by
    experienced teachers
  • Ideas and feedback to
    improve your own work