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Mietek and his friends refusing to sit on "Jewish benches" at Jagiellonian University.
Summary-Jewish students were forced to sit on certain benches during lessons, but instead, Mietek and other classmates stood.
Negative Character Development-This incident caused Mietek to develop an unfavorable attitude towards Poles at a young age since it was the first time he became aware that his native country didn't want him.
Theme Relation-Though the rules were ordered by officials, Mietek was brave enough to stand up against them and proved that fear cannot be defeated without courage. -
Mietek moves into the ghetto.
Summary-Mietek is forced into the ghetto and works for the Judenrat, where he closely followed German administration.
Turning Point-From living with his family, Mietek was separated and forced to live in the ghetto alone. Due to his isolation, sneaking his family into the ghetto became his top concern.
Theme Relation-Mietek's job involved the government, which meant he was always watched. With this in mind, Mietek still had the courage to risk his life and overcome fear to reunite his family. -
Mietek is hired as the camp commandant's secretary in the Plaszów labor camp.
Summary-Mietek works for Göth as a secretary, which lets him witness Göth's brutal violence.
Positive Character Development-Mietek learns what calms Göth down and how to stop him from hurting anyone. With this information, Mietek becomes a risk-taker and begins boldly helping others survive by distracting Göth.
Theme Relation-Death is viable, but Mietek shows his courage by continuing to help people. Göth is also known for being cruel, yet Mietek keeps on taking risks without any fear or regret. -
Mietek begins typing and creating Schindler's List.
Summary-Mietek helps compose a list of more than one thousand Jews to be transferred to Schindler's factory, where they will remain safe from death.
Positive Character Development-With Schindler, Mietek finds his purpose and helps save many Jews from death camps, which motivates himself to continue the bold rescue.
Theme Relation-If Schindler's List was discovered, Mietek would be one of the firsts to be executed. However, Mietek's courageous heart doesn't hesitate to continue the risky rescue. -
Brünnlitz is liberated.
Summary-Schindler's Brünnlitz labor camp is officially liberated by the Red Army.
Turning Point-After experiencing so much, Mietek is released from the horrors of the Holocaust and is set free. From here on, Mietek pursues his passions and resumes his education.
Theme Relation-After all his hard work and extremely daring acts, Mietek is awarded for his courage and proves that being an up stander is crucial in times of conflict and fear. -
Mietek participates in making the film, "Schindler's List".
Summary: Mietek is invited by Steven Spielberg to input ideas into his famous film, "Schindler's List".
Positive Character Development-After liberation, Mietek remained reserved, but this event caused him to open himself up and publicize the importance of being an up stander.
Theme Relation: By spreading his message in the film and in schools across America, Mietek inspires everyone to be courageous and that fear is just an illusion. -
Theme: You cannot overcome fear without courage.
