After viewing an excerpt from the movie Sophie's Choice, our group discussion focused on questions such as:
- Why was Sophie's choice an impossible choice?
- Why did the officer say that she was privileged?
- What was the motivation for the choice Sophie was given?
The possible responses for the above questions that were discussed:
- No matter what choice Sophie made the guilt would have be unbearable
- That she was Christian
- The officer was mentally and emotionally torturing her.
What do YOU think?
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8 comments:
I agree that Sophie's choice was an impossible choice. I also agree that torture is a good descriptor of the actions of the officer. As I watched, and the clip developed, I literally cringed in my chair as Sophie was given her choice and the officer pressured her.
You have answered your own questions. Yes, the decision that Sophie made would lead to guilt. Yes, the solider was torturing her and she was given a chose even though it was not one she wished to make.
My question is why did she pick the little girl? I would think the littlest one had a better chance of staying with mom and opposed to the older boy.
I agree that she would forever be second guessing her decision. The film does create so many questions. I can't even imagine being put in that position.
I've been told as a student that choices are a priviledge, not a right. I think that her choice was her priviledge, not that she got to keep a child.
I think the motivation of the German officer is difficult to discern. Did he, in some twisted way, think that giving her a choice of children would make her more likely to do what he wanted out of gratitude? That may be totally off, but that was my first thought as I responded to the question.
Your questions are not easily answered and would be great to use in a high school setting. The clip could provide excellent impetus for writing by asking students to take the role of Sophie, make the choice, and explain his/her choice. Including a study of the Holocaust and Sophie's cultural context would deepen the experience.
I agree that the selection of the girl made less sense to me; I don't know why she gave in to the officer's forced selection process at all!
I like the idea of including
this movie as a part of the Holocaust unit.
It is important to point out that not just Jews were killed. Many other types of person were also taken into the camps.
I agree that a study into the cultural context of Sophie's life would add another interesting angle to this period of history.
This was a very difficult scene to watch. Certainly, the officer gave Sophie an "impossible choice" and forced her, in a way, to take part in the very likely death of her own daughter. What is most difficult about the scene, and perhaps what sets it apart from other scenes about this time period, is that (on some level) the victim is forced to take part in the very violence of which she is a victim.
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