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Metaphors
Definition of Mood
The mood of a piece of writing is its general atmosphere or emotional complexion—in short, the array of feelings the work evokes in the reader. Every aspect of a piece of writing... read full definition
The mood of a piece of writing is its general atmosphere or emotional complexion—in short, the array of feelings the work evokes in the reader. Every aspect... read full definition
The mood of a piece of writing is its general atmosphere or emotional complexion—in short, the array of feelings the work evokes... read full definition
Chapter 26
Explanation and Analysis:
The mood of Schindler’s List balances the horror and despair of the Holocaust with the hope and resilience of those resisting Nazi oppression, including imprisoned Polish Jews and sympathetic Germans like Schindler. Take, for example, the unlikely romance that blossoms between Rebecca Tannenbaum and Josef Bau, two prisoners at the Plászow concentration camp. The following passage describes how the older women in Rebecca’s barracks oversee the couple’s courtship:
If Josef required a traditional courtship, they would fall into their traditional roles as chaperones. Josef was therefore a gift to them too, a license to play their prewar ceremonious selves.
[…]
In fact, two of the older women would crowd onto one narrow ledge so that Josef could have a bunk of his own. The discomfort, the smell of the other body, the risk of the migration of lice from your friend to yourself—none of that was as important, as crucial to self-respect as that the courtship should be fulfilled according to the norms.
This excerpt acknowledges the dismal living conditions endured by the Jewish prisoners at Plászow while also conveying their inextinguishable desire for dignity and humanity. Rebecca and Josef pursue not just love, but love within the social and cultural norms which give them a sense of identity and community.
In this way, the passage is representative of the novel’s overall atmosphere, which is characterized by somber recognition of hardship punctuated by moments of hope and joy. The mood of Schindler’s List can also be described as anticipatory because of the novel’s frequent use of foreshadowing as the war unfolds and conditions variously worsen and improve.
Related Themes:
