"It's not what you look at that matters, it's what you see" (Thoreau, n.d.). This quote by Henry Thoreau highlights the ability for humans to possess differing perspectives on the same event. While an onerous situation may negatively affect one person, it may have little to no effect on another. In Elie Wiesel's book Night (2006) and the movie "Life is Beautiful" (2000), this reality of differing perspectives is portrayed through the eyes of a father and son as they endure the horrific conditions at Auschwitz during the Holocaust. These accounts provide an insightful glimpse into the differing reactions of humanity as it struggles to comprehend suffering. In the novel Night and the movie "Life is Beautiful," the Holocaust is depicted both similarly and differently through the characteristics of the prisoners, the development of the main character, and the father/son relationship. Prisoner Characteristics One way in which the book Night and the movie "Life is Beautiful" portray different perspectives is through the characteristics demonstrated by the prisoners at the concentration camp. During their time in Auschwitz, the prisoners were subjected to disease, starvation, …show more content…
While characters in the book and the movie experienced similar circumstances, each of them reacted in differing ways. Ultimately, these reactions allowed for the development of various perspectives regarding the Holocaust. While some characters were scared by their experiences, others were virtually untouched. In the end, these differences stem from the way in which humans respond to suffering in their lives. They can either choose to raise above it or be crushed by it. In the end, this decision will shape their perspective on not only specific events, but also on