Life is Beautiful

Considering the fact that both these pieces were focused on the holocaust, there are a lot of similarities. For example Guido, the main character of Life is Beautiful, has similarities with both Eliezer and his father. In the aspect that everything he does is for his son and wife, to the point that he dies to keep them safe. Similarly, Elie does everything to help his father in any way and his father ends up dying and in doing so he removes a burden from his son. Another similarity is in time and space. From things like the tatto on Guido's arm we can guess that they are in Auschwitz. Yet, even before that things like a hatred towards Jews and the racial supremacy were being brought up. These things show how the things in Italy and Romania were connected with the Nazis.

On the other hand there were definite differences. For one thing the characters in Life is Beautiful  are far less religious than Elie and his father. The audience never sees Guido, Joshua, or Dora mention praying or any Jewish holidays. Elie, however, is extremely religious and his faith is a major theme in the book. There was also the fact that in Life is Beautiful Guido does his best to maintain his cheerfulness and humor for his son. He makes the entirety of life in a concentration camp into a game in order to keep his son happy sand safe. On the other hand,  in Night, the reality of the death and pain has no filter. Elie and his father do not try to make light of the situation, they merely try to survive it.

Considering the fact that Life is Beautiful and Night are on the same topic, it is surprising how different their tones are. In the beginning Life is Beautiful is cheerful and humorous, full of jokes and laughter. Guido goes out of his way to make things extravagant and hilarious. Before things start going downhill, he seems very happy with Dora and Joshua, having finally gotten the books store that he wanted. Night, however, starts out with things like foreshadowing the deaths of his family. That added with how fast the problem shows ups make s it far more somber than the movie. On the other hand they both share in the fact that towards the middle and end of the story it takes a very dark turn. In Night there is the death march and the death of Elie's father. Subsequently, in Life is Beautiful there is the capture of the family and the death of Guido. Both cases are prime examples of the dark and somber mood that the stories left on.

One example of life being beautiful was in the beginning of the movie when Guido and Dora keep running into each other. It is shown as an example of fate, and that sometimes people need to choose their own happiness over things like riches and expectations. Another example of this, is when at the concentration camp, Guido plays the record out the windo so that Dora can hear it. This is true, because it shows that despite their separation they still love each other and hope to be reunited.