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The phrase, ˜


 ˜ is usually coined with Darwinļs Theory of

Evolution. This theory involves the process by which living things best acclimatize

to the changing atmosphere around them. For example, species that are able to

adapt to the cold better because of their thick layer of skin or fur, are more likely to

survive. It suggests that those who are stronger will be the ones that continue to

exist. This expression is displayed through the movie, ľThe PianistĿ as members of

the SS (a paramilitary force under the influence of Hitler) believe that the Germans

are considered to be the ľfittestĿ. Hitler, the dictator, strongly supports Darwinļs

theory and the notion of survival of the fittest. He promoted a superior race, in

other words, pure Germans and presented this idea to the rest of the population. In

this case, their survival is ensured when they plan to exterminate the Jewish

population. By doing so, they are seen to be the survivors as they appear to be

stronger and higher in status in contrast to visible minorities. There are many

examples within the film. For one, the survival of the fittest applies to the German

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 population as a whole. They live their lives without dread, whereas the Jewish

population fear for the extinction of their homes and families when they are seen to

be deported to an extermination camp in the film. Wladyslaw is also seen to be the

ľfittestĿ among the Jews as he ultimately survives the holocaust and still manages

to maintain his reputation as a renown pianist when he is seen at the end playing a

piece with a great orchestra in front of a large audience in Warsaw.

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A PP is the idea that people from across the world are brought closer

together through the aid of communication technologies such as computers and

television. This concept encourages cohesion around the world as we establish

harmony and a unified feeling. This idea applies to the film as we see many scenes

where the Szpilman family uses a variety of media to receive information and

become more aware of the world around them. For instance, they use the

newspapers to find out more about the emblems that they are expected to wear at

all times when they are seen in public. Through the radio, they learn that all Jews in

Warsaw are expected to move into one large district or ghetto set aside only for

their population. It is through such ways that they become more aware with

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 situations outside of their homes. On the other hand, 

˜ is the

feeling that the standard of living, standards and patterns of adaptation of a

particular group are more superior in comparison to others. Within ľThe PianistĿ,

we witness the downfall of many Jewish citizens as they are minorities in contrast to

the Germans. The Germans, in this case, appear to be more superior, as the SS

emphasises this idea on a daily basis. They start to believe that they are all indeed

higher up under Hitler`s influence, so the ethnocentrism is further developed. This

is seen when two German soldiers assaulted Father Szpilman because he was

walking on the sidewalk instead of out on the road, where they were supposed to

be. This scene reveals how the members of the SS feel so superior to the extent

that they allow themselves to harm those who are perceived to be weaker.

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 and

 are different perspectives used to explain human

behaviour. Nature refers to heredity and genetics. Those who support this

view believe that genetics can provide the potential for and limit the

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behaviour of humans. For example, humans are capable of only achieving a

certain height or mass. However, the environment also plays a role in these

characteristics. In contrast to nature, nurture involves the environment

around a certain individual and the experiences that they have gone through.

For instance, an individual`s childhood experiences may have a huge impact

on their actions and behaviour in the future. Within the film, Wladyslaw is a

prominent individual that is heavily influenced by his environment. Therefore,

his behaviour is mainly due to nurture rather than nature. At the beginning of

the film, we see that Wladyslaw is familiar to the social inequality in Warsaw

as he is unresponsive to the injustices in society. This is seen when he wanted

to go to a restaurant with Dorota, a dedicated friend. Just when they are about

to enter, they see a sign that signifies that no Jews are allowed in the building.

Dorota is disgusted by this and wants to complain, but Wladyslaw stops her

and keeps quiet about it. This unresponsive behaviour is formed through a

long duration of suffering with social problems. In addition, Wladyslaw suffers

many hardships because of where he is and the experiences he overcame. For

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example, when Wladyslaw and his family were getting for deportation, he

becomes more depressed and the audience witnesses his loss of weight.

Wladyslaw is desperate to help others and wants to play a role in helping his

family survive the harsh living conditions. However, when he discovers that he

is no help to those around him, he becomes pessimistic about life as he thinks

negatively about himself and his luck. This behaviour change is caused by his

surroundings and the drastic transition that he had to overcome.

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There are many causes of prejudice such as feelings of inferiority and

scapegoating. Another cause may be the 


 
 
˜  . This

personality refers to the traits or qualities that a group of anti-Semitics have.

These characteristics are based on a study conducted by researchers who

wanted to know how prejudice became so severe that a genocide occurred.

They concluded that anti-Semitic people are very strict and fixed in their

beliefs and values. They are very conventional and conservative. They cannot

bear weaknesses in themselves and within others. Such individuals are also

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seen as too respectful towards those with authority. Finally, they are

generalized to be very disciplinary and misgiving towards others. This is

proven to be true through many scenes within the film. For instance, when a

slave labourer is incapable of working as efficiently, he is attacked ruthlessly

by German officials. This further proves that anti-Semitics are intolerant of

flaws in others. They have no patience when it comes to weaknesses in

others. Furthermore, in the film, we see that both German and Jewish soldiers

display obedience and respect for those in high status with authority. They will

stand up straight and listen to what he his commands are, yet it may be due

to fear that these soldiers conform.

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  is a belief or judgement based on irrelevant facts or

inadequate information. In other words, it is a prejudgement towards

individuals. Through this film, we can see that the Germans formulated a

general judgement about all Jews. They claim that the Jewish are thrifty and

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very good at making money. This is seen in ľThe PianistĿ, when a German

official announces to a group of slave labourers that they will be resettling

them, and that they will be provided with a good amount of food. However, at

the same time, he is disdainful when he suggests that with the food that they

donļt eat, they can make good business with it, which is something that Jews

excel at. Because of such prejudice, people begin to distinguish groups of

people who are categorized due to factors such as race, gender and religion.

˜
   is described as an action or conduct based on broad opinions

over a group of people. Discrimination is not always negative as it can also be

positive when people are treating others differently but in an affirmative way.

An example of this is rewarding individuals who maintain a great consistency

of academic achievement. However, within this film, the discrimination

displayed by society is mainly negative. For one, Wladyslaw reveals that Jews

are not allowed to go to parks or even sit on public benches. They are not

permitted to enter many institutions in Warsaw simply because they are

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Jewish. These policies are examples of discrimination in a society in Warsaw

as they are excluding people because of their identity.

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 occurs when people are in the state of not being able to afford

basic human necessities. This includes being unable to purchase food,

resulting in sickness and malnutrition. Up to this point, people in poverty are

not able to afford to pay for health care services, which may eventually lead

to fatal consequences. It is usually caused by an ineffective government who

fail to generate policies or exploitation by those in control. If continued, it can

lead to serious issues such as world hunger and famine diseases. Poverty is

seen within the film as the entire Jewish population suffers from lack of basic

human needs. At the beginning of the film, the Szpilmans learn that they are

only able to have a limited amount of money with them. As a result, they all

try to find ways to hide their money from German officials. This scene marks

the beginning of poverty for the Jewish population. As time passes by and the

Szpilmans continue to live in the Warsaw ghetto, the amount of food they can

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afford diminishes as there is only so much they can spend. In the scene where

they all prepare to resettle in another location, the entire Jewish population

suffers from thirst, poverty and coping with the death of loved ones. There

were people pleading for a sip of water for their child and the Szpilmans who

can only afford a single piece of food to split among six members of the

family. Thus, poverty is truly a huge issue that many failed to overcome over

the course of the war and genocide.










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 ½   ½
Anthropological Question:

˜
 


˜˜

  

Anthropological Explanation:
This question is an anthropological question because it involves the

culture and customs of which Wladyslaw takes part in. Anthropology is the

study of the lives and traditions of human beings both alive and dead,

focusing on fields such as ethnology and forensic anthropology. In this case,

this question involves forensic anthropology as it is possible to use DNA to

establish the identity of a dead individual, although it is unknown whether or

not he found the remains of his family. As well, anthropologists study rituals

and its roots in the past. As a result, this question is an anthropological

question because it comprises of both forensics and rituals, both of which

anthropologists examine.

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 Anthropologists are interested in answering this question because of the

connection it makes to cultures and rituals. They show interest in the rites of

passages and rituals that they perform such as weddings, coming-of-age

ceremonies and funerals. They are interested to know why a ritual is

conducted, what purpose it serves in terms of their culture and the details

about the objects they may use. In addition, they are interested in analysing

DNA to help solve crimes and examining whether or not there are changes

between humans then and now. Therefore, anthropologists will be involved in

answering this question.

Psychological Question:

˜

 
 ˜ ˜ ˜
˜
 
˜ 
  

Psychological Explanation:
This question is a psychological question because it involves the

personal thoughts of one individual, Wladyslaw. Psychology is the study of

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behaviour and mental processes of individuals. More specifically, they cover

fields such as behavioural psychology and humanistic psychology. This

question involves behavioural psychology because it relates to how the role of

the environment shapes and controls Wladyslawļs behaviour. In addition, it

relates to humanistic psychology as we do not know if Wladyslaw witnessed

any significant deaths prior to his familyļs extermination. Therefore, this

question is a psychological question.

Psychologists are interested in answering this question because they

prefer to answer problems that relate back to the mental condition and the

physical shape of an individual at an exact instant. Therefore, they want to

discover how an individual behaves when they are faced with a heart breaking

incident. Psychologists will want to know about the individualļs inner feelings

and how they felt when under certain pressure or inequality. They can gain

further understanding of his mental condition and his intellectual processes.

Therefore, psychologists will be interested in answering this question.

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Sociological Question:


 ˜˜ ˜  ˜ ˜ 

Sociological Explanation:
This question is a sociological question because it comprises of an

individualļs status in a social institution. Sociology is the systematic study of

human social life in groups and within a society. Sociologists examine fields

such as organizations and social institutions, which includes family, education,

politics and economy. For this question, the social institution that is being

focused on is economy. Economy involves his financial position as a pianist in

society and the role that he played in the nationļs wealth. Thus, this question

is a sociological question.

Sociologists are interested in answering this question because they will

want to know about the social conditions of Wladyslawļs life financially. Since

they study human behaviour in groups and society, they are interested in

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knowing how an institution such as the economy may cause both positive and

negative consequences for an individual like him. As well, sociologists will

want to know about his economic status before the genocide as it may have

more or less of an impact towards his situation as a part of the Jewish

population. As a result, a sociologist will be interested in answering this

question. 




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