Q A
The Doorman in The Last Laugh demonstrates a character of resilience. Even though he had been demoted from his position as doorman, he still carries himself around with a high level of confidence managing to deceive people in the neighbourhood into believing that he still holds his position. In contrast, Immanuel Rath is a person who easily gives up. He is not as resilient as the Doorman. Immanuel Rath quickly resigns from his position as an educator at the local Gymnasium when he realizes that the principal is displeased with his behaviour. Both characters are ridiculed by people whom they had been relating with. However, their response to such ridicule is what brings out the difference in their character (Isenberg, N. W. (2009). The Doorman holds on and continuous to work as a washroom attendant trying as much as possible to deceive people that he still holds his position as a doorman. Immanuel Rath’s reaction is contrary because he gives up and goes back to the classroom where he was once an educator. The fact that he has completely given up is demonstrated by his feeling of remorse, rejection, humiliation and his eventual death in the classroom. The two characters have one similarity: they are all proud. The Doorman felt a lot of satisfaction from the people that greeted him with respect and the women that nodded and smiled every moment he walked home from work in the uniform. Likewise, Immanue Rath used to laugh at and ridicule patrons who turned the heat on him when he lost his job and his woman, Lola.
Question B
Lulu in the Pandora’s Box and Lola lola in The Blue Angel had a number of similarities. They were both elegant and attractive women who were greatly admired. Lulu’s attractive caused many people to be infatuated with her including but not limited to Alwa, Schön and even Countess Augusta Geschwitz. Their behaviour was also similar especially in regard to their relationships with men. They easily gave in to men’s demand at some point they were engaged in multiple love relationships (Kosta, 2012). The multiple love affairs initiated by the Luly and Lola lola were led to conflicts violence and even death. Schön’s death in The Pandora’s Box and Immanuel Rath’s death in The Blue Angel can all be attributed to the multiple love affairs initiated by Lulu and Lolo lola respectively (Maximillien and Lafayette, 2011). There was a significant difference in the behaviour of the two women especially in regard to their sexuality. Lulu had lesbian sexual tendencies whereas Lola lola’s sexual desires were strictly directed towards men. The fact that Countess Augusta Geschwitz was infatuated with Lulu and even allowed the latter to use her passport demonstrates lesbian tendencies within this character.
Works cited
Maximillien J. & Lafayette, D. (2011). Louise Brooks: Her Men, Affairs, Scandals and Persona. North Carolina: Lulu.com
Kosta, B. (2012). Willing Seduction: <i>The Blue Angel</i>, Marlene Dietrich, and Mass Culture. New York: Berghahn Books. Co
Isenberg, N. W. (2009). Weimar cinema: An essential guide to classic films of the era. New York: Columbia University Press.
