Humanism

In History class, we are talking about the ideas of humanism and individualism. In many ways, the movie The Lives of Others is a narrative about those ideals fighting to survive against a govenment that discourages both. The GDR was an oppresive state that tried to make all art and culture conform to its own standards (thus leading to the breakdown of individualism) and allowed no one to be different from the mold, which inevitably led to the decline of humanism. The GDR tried to make every one of its citizens cogs in the machine that was East Germany. A convincing case could be made that Wiesel changed sides, so to speak, because he gained an appreciation of those ideals. Before his run-in with "Lazlo", Wiesel was part of the great GDR machine; he didn't realize that such things as individualism and romanticism existed, and so he saw his life in a very cold, utilitarian manner. After his confrontation with Dreyman is over, he has gained immeasurable insight into the human condition, something one simply cannot acquire from eating rice with tomato paste. Wiesel has no family, friends, or lover. The only way he can fulfill his need to be with people is to spy on them.