The Shadow and Light of Schindler’s List

History records the Holocaust as being one of most horrific and tragic events. The backdrop of the event has engulfed and rightly so, the arts. Expressions of the atrocious undertakings of the Germans against the Jews have found their way into pieces of music, literature and of course, film. Moreover, in discussing the Holocaust, what is brought forth is the abhorrence of religion. It is here that much discourse permeates through the sphere of contrasts that religion itself has such as light and dark, faith and fear, hope and hopelessness. Steven Spielberg's Schindler's List is a powerful and potent film that illuminates these religious contrasts. The film has, since its release in 1993, been denoted as an epic presentation of the chronicle of the German businessman, Oskar Schindler (Liam Neeson), who saved the lives of more than a thousand Jewish refugees facing the denigration and disparagement from the Germans.

Spielberg wastes no time evoking the concept of religion in the film. The opening sequence is carefully laid out with candles that die out in sequence mirroring the pathway that was once lit but has now become dark. This opening sequence is more or less a foretelling of what is to come in the film itself. In addition, the film also begins as the book of Genesis does in the Bible, with names of Jewish people being read. The film emphatically is focused on Schindler's efforts to make a fortune as a profiteer. To do this, he acquires a factory where by which he collaborates with a member of the Jewish Council, Itzhak Stern (Ben Kingsley) in order to execute his plans. Schindler has the hope of gaining Jewish people to work in the factory which he has acquired in exchange for Stern receiving a share of the products that are produced at the factory. The factory acquisition is something that pleases the Nazis as they take a likening to Schindler. It can be reasoned that the collaboration between Schindler and Stern is more or less similar to Jesus and the disciples in that Schindler values Stern's opinion on the matter and seeks to educate him on his newfound wealth and status.

Perhaps Spielberg meant to parallel Schindler to Jesus not only for the sake of Stern, but for the Jewish people whom he saves at the conclusion of the film. Spielberg seems to take a liking to the reminiscence that Schindler emits. He is a man of mystery, bringing together light and darkness as Christ did. What is even more striking is the fact that viewers may throughout the film forget that he is a German and a part of the atrocious breed of characters whom were followers of Hitler's madness. Even more so is the impact of Schindler’s stance throughout the film. He captures the hearts of the viewers as they watch him digest the events that are being executed on the Jewish people through the war. Schindler represents hope amidst the hopelessness of the Jewish people. Much of the focal point of Spielberg is to reveal Schindler as a guiding light, or a beacon. This becomes even more prevalent when the arrival of SS-Lieutenant Amon Goeth (Ralph Fiennes), whose appetite for darkness is insatiable. 

The depiction of Goeth can be likened to that of the devil in the Bible. He taunts and teases Schindler for being too relaxed in his approach toward the Jewish people. This is especially evident in the exchange: 

"Schindler: Power is when we have every justification to kill and we don't.

Goeth: You think that's power?

Schindler: That's what the Emperor said. A man steals something, he's bough in before the Emperor, and he throws himself down on the ground. He begs for his life, he knows he's going to die. And the Emperor...pardons him. This worthless man, he lets him go.

Goeth: I think you are drunk.

Schindler: That's power, Amon. That is power" (Schindler's List).

Those lines exhibit the contrasting dynamic between good (Schindler) and evil (Goeth) as they discuss the destruction of the Jewish people by way of murderous brutality. Another exchange that takes place between Goeth and Schindler furthermore illustrates the dissimilarity of light and dark. 

"Schindler: I go to work the other day. Nobody's there. Nobody tells me about this, I have to find out. I have to go in....everybody's gone. 

Goeth: No...no. They're not gone. They're here. 

Schindler: They're mine! Every day that goes by I'm losing money. every worker that is being shot cost's me money. I have to find somebody else, I have to train them.

Goeth: Don't be making so much money, none of this is going to matter.

Schindler: It's bad business" (Schindler's List).

One of the more interesting aspects of the film is Spielberg’s ability to definitively show the inhumanity of the Germans. Never more is this depiction clear than in the Liquidation of the Ghetto scene. There are numerous biblical interpretations in that scene as well. The scene is perhaps the most profound takeaways from Schindler’s List, not solely for its cinematography but because of the sheer vigilance of Spielberg to ensure that no stone was left unturned. The Jewish people who are removed from their homes are full of contrasts, their eyes filled with fear, yet the hope of being with like people is also present. The music at the beginning of the scene is a religious choir of children, but quickly moves to a rumbling piano piece by Mozart during the gunfire and shootings. Goeth is shown to be target practicing on the Jews for fun, a characterization of the devil himself; who toys with mankind and God. Schindler is shown riding a horse with his wife, Emilie Schindler (Caroline Goddall) as they watch in speechless terror at the murderous scenes. One can posit that Spielberg was seeking to draw parallel to the crucifixion of Jesus Christ, as the onlookers stood by and could not do anything about it, but yet watched in sheer agony. 

Biblical symbols are an additional aspect of Schindler's List. One of the more prominent ones that have often been talked about is the girl in the red coat. The symbol is one of childhood and a cry for help. It can be said that Spielberg is also inducing the contrast between grace and sin. The young girl unknowingly shows us innocence amidst the violence. What is striking is that her coat is the only item in the film that is portrayed in color. Schindler notices her seemingly ignorance of the events strolling about. Later on in the film, Schindler notices her in a pile of dead bodies symbolizing the death of innocence. Here, Spielberg is using the motif of blood in the bible as a way of showing how our sin nature has taken over within us and that the only way away from this sin nature is through the grace of God.

The trains are also an interesting element that Spielberg uses in Schindler's List. These were an integral aspect of the Holocaust itself as the Jewish people were loaded onto them like cattle, as also told by Elie Weisel. The scene in the movie between Goeth and Schindler provides a clear indication of the contrast of life and death as Schindler asks Goeth to spray water on them to keep them from being dehydrated and Goeth responds by stating that that would be giving them false hope. While not necessarily a biblical symbol, it is a symbol of the journey of the Jewish people, and the journey of Schindler in first hiring the Jews to work for him; then saving them. 

Another instance of contrasts is the film is the scene where the Jewish people are told that their belongings will join them as they are boarding the train. It is revealed, of course, that their items will not be joining them once they reach the concentration camps. The Nazis are having the luggage emptied and separated for what can be conceived as them keeping it. It is a symbol of greed that Spielberg is showing here as the jewelers are closely examining the pieces of gold and silver for value. The Bible contains a myriad of scriptures on greed and how God views greed. It is an unfortunate practice of man and stunningly depicted in Schindler's List.

The concept of envy is also prevalent in Schindler's List. The contrast of Goeth and Schindler as characters unveils Goeth's envy of Schindler as a man and as a savior, which he himself is devoid of. Goeth sardonically speaks to Schindler in the lines, "this is very cruel, Oskar. You're giving them hope. You shouldn't do that. That's cruel," and in the when Schindler asks him, "Look, all you have to do is tell me what it's worth to you. What's a person worth to you?" and Goeth replies, "no, no, no, no. What's one worth to you?" (Schindler's List). Spielberg is highlighting the concept of envy as Goeth feels that Schindler has tremendous power both over him with the Jewish people, as evident by the collaboration with Stern and the fact that he has a conscious to do the right thing by them rather than fall prey to the vicious savagery of the Nazis.

Schindler's List, quite possibly is one of the greatest films ever to unveil itself on the silver screen - not solely for its acting by Neeson, Fiennes, Kingsley and others; but because of its theistic and vile contradictions. The film forces us to take a look at ourselves with all of our contrasts – both the shadow and the light. We are all Schindler, yet at the same time we are all Goeth - capable of being malicious; yet at the same time the savior of something, or someone. Spielberg's Schindler's List is a masterpiece that seems to rescue man from his ills while allowing him to rescue himself. 

Work Cited

Schindler's List. Dir. Steven Spielberg. Universal Pictures, 1993. DVD.