What is the definition of power in this movie?

Expert Answers

An illustration of the letter 'A' in a speech bubbles

In a conversation with Amon Goethe, Oskar Schindler defines "mercy" as power because mercy elevates a person in the eyes of the one to whom he/she is demonstrating mercy. He also very wisely uses a story of a king who chooses not to execute a condemned servant to explain his concept to Geothe, thereby appealing to the man's sense of self-importance. I find this to be one of the most important moments in the film because it is so revealing of both Schindler's and Goethe's inner selves and is a great teaching opportunity to illustrate to students the subtlety of Schindler's influential finesse as well as the tremendous personal risks he was taking.

See eNotes Ad-Free

Start your 48-hour free trial to get access to more than 30,000 additional guides and more than 350,000 Homework Help questions answered by our experts.

Get 48 Hours Free Access
Approved by eNotes Editorial Team