Schindler's List - Characters & Cast

Initially, his motivation is purely financial gain and the lavish lifestyle it affords him. He is driven by opportunism and a desire for success. As the film progresses, his motivation shifts to a deep-seated need to preserve life and defy the inhumanity he witnesses. His final motivation is a profound sense of moral responsibility and a desire to atone for his earlier complicity.

Oskar Schindler's arc is one of the most profound transformations in cinema. He begins as a charismatic, womanizing, and greedy member of the Nazi party, solely focused on profiting from the war. He exploits Jewish labor without moral compunction. However, his exposure to the horrors of the Holocaust, epitomized by his witnessing of the Kraków ghetto liquidation, gradually awakens his conscience. He evolves from an indifferent profiteer into a compassionate protector, using his cunning and wealth not for personal gain but to save the lives of his Jewish workers. By the end, he is a man who has sacrificed everything and is devastated that he couldn't have saved more people.

Stern's primary motivation is the survival of his people. He is driven by a strong sense of duty and a desire to use any means necessary to save as many Jews as possible from extermination. He is intelligent and resourceful, using his administrative skills to manipulate the system from within.

Itzhak Stern's arc is more subtle but equally significant. He starts as a proud and principled Jewish accountant who is initially contemptuous of Schindler's opportunism. He sees Schindler as just another cog in the Nazi machine. Stern is the first to realize the potential of Schindler's factory as a haven and quietly uses his position to save fellow Jews by classifying them as essential workers. Over time, his relationship with Schindler evolves from one of suspicion to one of deep mutual respect and collaboration. He becomes Schindler's moral compass and a key partner in the rescue efforts.

Goeth is motivated by a deep-seated hatred for Jews and a lust for absolute power. He enjoys the fear he instills in his prisoners and the god-like control he has over their lives. His actions are driven by a sadistic and cruel nature that finds a sanctioned outlet within the Nazi regime.

Amon Goeth does not have a traditional character arc of growth or change; rather, he is a consistent representation of the sadistic and banal evil of the Nazi ideology. As the commandant of the Płaszów concentration camp, he is cruel, unpredictable, and takes pleasure in the suffering of others. The film does, however, explore the complexities of his evil. His lust for his Jewish maid, Helen Hirsch, reveals a twisted and conflicted inner world, but he is ultimately incapable of transcending his hatred. He remains a monster until his execution, where he defiantly salutes Hitler.