People thrive on relationships. The relationships people form define who they are, and family and friends are who we depend on for love and support. However, when obstacles stand in the way of relationships, this can lead to the unification or separation of families and friends. When these situations are as tragic as the Holocaust and the bombing of Hiroshima, where hundreds of thousands of people died, the damage seems irreparable. In sources like Life is Beautiful, Maus: A Survivor's Tale, and Barefoot Gen, we see how different families react to difficult situations, and because the theme of family is very relatable, those sources are able to connect with readers very well. Sources describing the dynamics of families and friends after the Holocaust and the bombing of Hiroshima are more persuasive because they show breakdown or strength in tragic situations that audiences, on a smaller scale, can identify with or fear. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay In the Italian film, Life is Beautiful, one of the most appealing aspects of the film that resonates with audiences is the theme of family and protection. From the beginning of the film, the audience falls in love with Guido Orefice. His antics get him into trouble with high-class people and earn him the women of his dreams. When they have a child, the audience can feel the protection and love for Guido's son Giosue. The play takes an unexpected turn when Guido and his family are sent to a concentration camp. However, despite the tragic subject, the film manages to maintain its humor without romanticizing the Holocaust. We can see this in many parts of the film, one of them is when Guido goes to the loudspeaker to shout “Good morning Princess”, the one thing he always said to his wife when he saw her. This symbolizes that despite the situation Guido finds himself in, his humor and spirit remain with him until his death. When Guido is executed and taken to where he will be killed, he sees his son and does the "fun walk" that has been done many times before in the film as a way of telling his son and the audience that keeping yourself and your sanity is very important in difficult situations and his protection of his child's childhood innocence and romance with the world for the sake of your children also resonates with many parents. This act by Guido also serves as a way to remember the legacy and the humorous and fatherly nature that Guido showcases throughout the film. In the anime film, Barefoot Gen, the film follows a family of two boys, an older girl, a father, and pregnant women. Despite the lack of food and the malnourished mother, the family overcomes the obstacles of hunger. This dynamic, however, is upended by the bombing of Hiroshima, where the younger brother, eldest daughter and father are all crushed out of their home. Gen, the boy and his mother Kimie are the only survivors of their family. Despite how fun and united the Orefice family is in Life is Beautiful, the bombing of Hiroshima creates a breakdown in the mother. We see this immediately after the death of Gen and Kimie's family, when Kimie starts laughing hysterically as her family is destroyed. Another place where we see the loss of family being prevalent is when Gen's little sister, Tomoko, dies and is cremated. While watching, the audience can see parallel factors between this scene and the scene after the bombing of Hiroshima. There is similar music and an obvious parallel through the imagery. This symbolizes how although the bombing of Hiroshima was a devastation to hundreds of thousands of=559985)