Schindler’s List, directed by Steven Spielberg, and Maus, written by Art Spiegelman, both focus on retelling the history of the Holocaust and the horrible crimes committed against its victims. With the Jewish population standing at over nine million, the goal of Nazi Germany was to completely dispose of the Jewish race and all other impurities of the world driven by their odium for them. "Evil starts when you begin to treat people as things" (Pratchett 181). Beginning with the Germans, the cruelty was formed and spread very quickly. The Germans grew cruel to the prisoners and the prisoners grew cruel to each other. The protagonist of Maus, Vladek, and that of Schindler’s List, Oskar, are both heroes because they happened to ignore this trend, continuing to help others at their own expense.
Both Oskar and Vladek possess traits such as going out of their way to help those that they have sympathy for. Oskar, originally with the intention of receiving profit, ends up creating a safe haven for Jews and losing all of his money as a consequence. His intentions changed entirely when he became conscious of the pain and suffering the Jews were subjected to by his colleagues. When Vladek realizes that his colleague, Mandelbaum, is in extreme need of a belt, spoon and pair of shoes, when the opportunity comes, Vladek doesn’t think twice about helping his friend out (Maus II 34). Helping people is only one example of their heroism but by going out of their way to help others,
Both Oskar and Vladek possess traits such as going out of their way to help those that they have sympathy for. Oskar, originally with the intention of receiving profit, ends up creating a safe haven for Jews and losing all of his money as a consequence. His intentions changed entirely when he became conscious of the pain and suffering the Jews were subjected to by his colleagues. When Vladek realizes that his colleague, Mandelbaum, is in extreme need of a belt, spoon and pair of shoes, when the opportunity comes, Vladek doesn’t think twice about helping his friend out (Maus II 34). Helping people is only one example of their heroism but by going out of their way to help others,