Set at the end of the Cold War in East Germany, the movie Goodbye Lenin is the story of a young man, Alex, trying to protect his mother, Christiane, who just spent the last eight months in a coma. Christiane is a personification of the values and ideology of socialism. She carries them out in her interactions with society, and is very hopeful towards the success of the regime. During her absence, the fall of the Berlin Wall and of the German Democratic Republic leads to a radical and turbulent change in society: the fall of socialism and the triumph of capitalism. Because of the shocking effect of such information and the danger of another heart attack, Alex creates for Christiane an ideological form of socialism. Fundamental themes in the movie are the difference between ideal and reality of socialism, as well as the positive and negative aspects of the transition to free market capitalism. Such themes are carried out through a juxtaposition of an ideal society and its reality in the form of a constructed reality of socialism. This idealized version of socialism served as an oasis from the chaotic transition from a problematic socialist regime to free market capitalism.
Ideologically, the socialist state is portrayed as a figure that supports citizens’ interest equally and is open and comprehensive towards their needs. Individuals can trust in making the best decisions in everybody’s interests. The government makes it its goal to carry out socialist values and makes
Goodbye Lenin! (2003) appropriates the individual as bound to his environment, threaded, through strong cultural codes, to his neighbour. Regardless of the system, communist or capitalist, and though our goals may deviate, we are all pursuing happiness and comfort, the tools used to attain this products of that society. That said, it is immediately legible whereabouts Becker wishes us to view the East German state as wholly negative, and he does this through several key scenes.
The Lives of Others and Goodbye, Lenin are two movies cleverly depicted about the fall of Communism. One director chooses to portray humor as the base of his movie, while the other chooses a more dark and serious tone. Both directors clearly want their viewers to understand the seriousness of what the fall of the Berlin Wall meant and the importance of Germany’s East West unionization for the citizens of the GSD. However, a hidden truth in both movies is revealed. Truth about a culture that once existed, but has since been swept under the carpet of change. The late 80s brought on the fall of the Berlin Wall signifying the end of the Stalinist regimes that had once held so much power. Outlined below are two movies that, while so different in their delivery, end with the same clear message.
Furthermore, throughout the film Wolfgang Becker also uses Cultural aspects of East Berlin and West Berlin. Wolfgang Becker also shows the differences between East and West living. In Goodbye Lenin Alex found it difficult to keep the reign of GDR alive, as East Berlin was becoming into West Berlin. Alex’s mother Christiane was making things more difficult for Alex as the supermarkets were emptied and it was almost impossible to find the food Christiane wanted e.g. Spreewald Pickles and Globus Peas (00:42:10). Alex uses old bottles and bottle labels that were found in the rubbish dump and fills them up with western food he buys from the supermarket (00:41:31) one reason behind this is so Alex’s mother Christiane does not find out about the changes
Acting more like a true socialist republic, the country enjoys a peaceful political system where the demands of the society are heeded to by the government settled in the most appropriate way possible. Besides, the nation enjoys a communal spirit a situation that is
As mentions before socialism is the doctrine that espouses public ownership or control of a major means of production. It aims to achieve an equitable and efficient distribution of social goods and greater economic planning then exist under capitalism. Although the central concerns of socialism appears to be economic its ramifications extend to the moral, social and political realms, in fact together with nationalism, it is the leading ideological and political movement of the 20th century.
One example of an emancipative value at work in the film "Good Bye Lenin!" is seen in the young characters longing for individual autonomy. For example, Ariane is portrayed as a young woman who decides to change the course of her life immediately after the fall of communism. Instead of continuing her education in the field of economy, Ariane decides to stop attending school and takes a position at a fast food restaurant, which is likely caused by wanting to become financially independent. As the country's economic situation improved, many young people in Germany begun to place more emphasis on self-expression, which also resulted from having the autonomy over one's choices. This can be observed when Ariane changes her style of dress by starting to wear more revealing clothes and heavier makeup. Another example of self-expression at work is when Ariane and her boyfriend are shown to dress up and dance to Indian music.
Goodbye Lenin! Final Essay In Goodbye Lenin! the plot of keeping a GDR (German Democratic Republic) loving mother from knowing the truth is supported by the actual difficulties of transitioning to a unified Germany. Early in the film, the characters frantically look for their mother’s stash of GDR currency in their modest apartment, when they finally find it, it’s too late to convert.
For my movie review, I chose “Good Bye, Lenin!” and I was not disappointed. This movie was shot in 2003 at the Karl-Marx-Allee in Berlin and around Plattenbauten near Alexanderplatz. The director of this film was Wolfgang Becker who was the co-writer as well along with Bern Lichtenberg. The main stars of this movie were, Daniel Brühl, Katrin Saß, Chulpan Khamatova, Maria Simon, and Alexander Beyer.
“History will not forgive Revolutionaries for procrastinating when they could be victorious today, while they risk losing much tomorrow, in fact, they risk losing everything” (Vladimir Lenin. Call to Power). Lenin was a persistent Russian ruler who wished to instill his communist views in Russian society at all costs. He was influential in motivating his followers to rise up and overthrow Russia’s weak government which lead to the reformation of Russia’s weak economy. Although Lenin faced opposing forces from the West, he was able to institute a number of reforms which boosted Russia’s broken economy and led to the transformation of Russia from a war-struck country into an economically stable power, prior to his death.
The authors of “Good-Bye Lenin (or not?): The Effects of Communism on People’s Preferences” employed document tests to determine predilections of government intervention or communism in western and eastern regions in Germany. The research incorporated several motives that individuals in favor of communism may impose to continue the use of redistribution. These explanations concluded that individuals that were wealthy believed that those in poverty should have assistance; similarly, those that are in poverty wanted assistance so the individuals would not be without necessities or income. Likewise, the researchers observed previous surveys conducted within the two regions, and then created another survey question with placebo type questions
Socialist state- It is a mixed between a social rights and protectionist state. In this type of state it is a middle stage, where the government helps prevent the injustice of capitalism.
After the February Revolution Lenin wanted to return to Russia as soon as possible. This was a problem because he was isolated in neutral Switzerland as World War I continued to be fought in neighboring states. The Swiss communist Fritz Platten managed to negotiate with the German government for the safe passing of Lenin on the "sealed train." The German government clearly hoped Lenin's return would create political unrest in Russia. The April Theses were a series of ten directives expressed by the Lenin upon his return to Petrograd. The Theses were mostly aimed at fellow Bolsheviks in Russia and returning to Russia from exile. He called for soviets (workers' councils) to take power, denounced liberals and social revolutionaries in the Provisional
Throughout the 1800s and into the 1900s the industrial revolution’s unparalleled level of change pushed the world into a new era. While change occurred throughout this time, the most radical was the implementation of Communist ideology in Tsarist Russia. In a series of revolutions, Vladimir Lenin seized power for the Bolsheviks, establishing the world’s first Communist-based government. Lenin found himself in the predicament of building a state which would wither away, something Marx claimed would happen naturally. However, this had never been attempted before, and quickly Lenin found himself in a series of trial and error tests. Lenin’s untimely death brought about more immense changes, as a power struggle to assume control over his legacy
Eventually, empires and nations all collapse. The end can be brought about by many causes. Whether through becoming too large for their own good, being ruled by a series of out of touch men, falling behind technologically, having too many enemies, succumbing to civil war, or a combination: no country is safe. The Russia of 1910 was in atremendously horrible situation. She had all of these problems. Russia would not have existed by 1920 were it not for Vladimir Ilich Lenin, the only man capable of saving the failing nation.
The Jon Lennin Xperience remains as my personal most loved short story in the collection Pee on Water by Rachel B. Glaser. In the story, the principle character Jason is the brother of a girl who got wealthy by making a prevalent phone app called Fun Face. It is not all that difficult to believe subtle element reflecting the ridiculousness of the Internet age in which we have ended up living. At the same time Jason thinks that it difficult to partake in video games, and to a conceivably considerably more noteworthy degree, in life itself. That is, until he finds the game called Jon Lennin Xperience after his sister starts investing time with her new (genuine) boyfriend, allowing Jason to sit unbothered in their flat. Through the recounting