第一章Titanic《泰坦尼克号》

Titanic is a 1997 American epic romance and disaster film directed, written, co-produced and co-edited by James Cameron. A fictionalized account of the sinking of the RMS Titanic, it stars Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet as members of different social classes who fall in love aboard the ship during its ill-fated maiden voyage.
Cameron's inspiration for the film came from his fascination with shipwrecks; he felt a love story interspersed with the human loss would be essential to convey the emotional impact of the disaster. Production began in 1995, when Cameron shot footage of the actual Titanic wreck. The modern scenes on the research vessel were shot on board the Akademik Mstislav Keldysh, which Cameron had used as a base when filming the wreck. Scale models, computer-generated imagery, and a reconstruction of the Titanic  were used to re-create the sinking. The film was partially funded by Paramount Pictures and 20th Century Fox; the former handled distribution in North America while Fox released the film internationally. It was the most expensive film ever made at the time, with a production budget of $200 million.
Upon its release on December 19, 1997, Titanic achieved critical and commercial success. Nominated for 14 Academy Awards, it tied All About Eve (1950) for the most Oscar nominations, and won 11, including the awards for Best Picture and Best Director, tying Ben-Hur (1959) for the most Oscars won by a single film. It remained the highest-grossing film of all time until Cameron's Avatar surpassed it in 2010. A 3D version of Titanic, released on April 4, 2012 to commemorate the centennial of the sinking, earned it an additional $343.6 million worldwide, pushing the film's worldwide total to $2.18 billion and making it the second film to gross more than $2 billion worldwide (after Avatar). In 2017, the film was re-released for its 20th anniversary and was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry.

●1.1A Brief Introduction to the Film

In this part, the film is well demonstrated to the audiences from the following two aspects: the true story about Titanic and the made-up story based on the historical event. In the introduction about the true Titanic, we will learn the genuine information about the real ship Titanic, including size, speed, safety features and luxuries. Meanwhile, in the story introduction, we will appreciate a romantic love story based on the love affair between Jack and Rose, together with the process of the ship’s maiden voyage and the marine disaster happened afterwards.

●1.2Clues for the Whole Film

Clue is very important in the movie development, Without a clear clue, the audience will get lost in the movie and the director’s purpose of making the movie cannot be conveyed to the audience as well. In order to demonstrate the whole story historically and romantically, director James Cameron picked up a lot of events and combined them together into a through story with the assistance of two clues. The first clue is the maiden voyage of Titanic, which is based on the historical marine disaster. And the second one is fictional love story, the love voyage between Rose and Jack. These two clues are knitted together to give the movie multiple genres.

●1.3Causes for the Sinking of Titanic

The tragedy of Titanic leaves us tons of grief and arouses us to trace for the causes for the deadly disaster. Why did it happen? Who should be blamed for this tragedy? In order to analyze those causes and try to see the truth for Titanic’s sinking, we will focus on the following 10 aspects listing as follows: construction flaws, problems with her turning ability, orientation of impact, weather conditions, the high speed Titanic had kept, flaw in her design, the lifeboats problems, together with the individuals’ faults, which are mainly about three persons: Captain Edward.J.Smith, Bruce Ismay and Captain Lord.

●1.4Rose's Choice of Love

In a materialistic society, a man tends to be evaluated according to his material success. When it comes to choosing spouse, young girls prefer men who are well off financially among other factors such as the appearance, the personality and the morality. In the film Titanic, the heroine Rose, an aristocrat girl chooses impoverished Jack as her true love. What prompts her to make such a choice? The micro class analyses the reasons underlying the choice. The love between Rose and Jack has touched millions of audience, which contributes most to the success of the film.

●1.5Titanic: Flashback Narrative

Flashbacks are interruptions that writers do to insert past events, in order to provide background or context to the current events. Flashback narrative is the main narrative technique in the film Titanic. Rose’s memories are used to present the flashback. Her narration brings us back to the day when Titanic started her maiden voyage. The audience has a strong interest in the narrator Rose’s secrets and her love story on board Titanic are revealed with the long narrative flashback. It is vivid enough to make the audience feel as if they were experiencing the voyage together with Rose.

第二章Forrest Gump 《阿甘正传》

Forrest Gump is a 1994 American romantic comedy-drama film based on the 1986 novel of the same name by Winston Groom. It was directed by Robert Zemeckis and written by Eric Roth, and stars Tom Hanks, Robin Wright, Gary Sinise, Mykelti Williamson, and Sally Field. The story depicts several decades in the life of Forrest Gump (Hanks), a slow-witted but kind-hearted man from Alabama who witnesses several defining historical events in the 20th century in the United States.

●2.1A Brief Introduction to the Film

With a feather falls, we start a journey to know a very famous person “Forrest Gump”, who is considered to be a stupid man. But the lucky man has achieved lots of incredible success, who is a football star, a war hero, and later a millionaire. Based on the novel by Winston Groom, the movie depicts Forrest Gump telling his life-long stories to the strangers. Forrest Gump is treated as a contemporary American cultural classic because of its meaningful and serious contemplation of its 30-year span of American history. Forrest Gump makes Americans re-examine countries and personal past. Also it makes people reflect on the nature of Americans.

●2.2The Understanding of the White Feather

At the very beginning of the movie, a white feather is flying unsteadily in the sky and finally falls on Forrest Gump’s sports shoes. In the end of the movie, when Forrest opens the book, the white feather falls out and is floating far away in the wind. The white feather is interpreted as symbolism in this movie. Obviously, the feather may represent Gump who can not decide the directions and destinations but floats in the wind. When the white feather first falls to the foot of Forrest Gump, he begins recalling of his life. When the white feather is blown to the sky, his son’s future life just begins. Life is such a beautiful circle.

●2.3Mother's Unique Ways of Teaching Forrest

When Forrest Gump was very young, he never met his father and was brought up by his mother. His mother is such a graceful and smart lady who always has a unique way to educate Forrest. In Mrs. Gump’s eye, her son is not stupid at all and can be as good as other kids. She also encourages Forrest to spare no efforts to work hard to achieve success. After his mother’s death and Jenny’s leaving, Forrest Gump is heartbroken. He elects to go for a run for more than 3 years. After the long running, Forrest finds the meaning of the running for his mother’s sentence “You got to put the past behind you before you can move on.”

●2.4The Understanding of "Stupid is as Stupid Does"

Forrest Gump, whose IQ is only 75, is considered as stupid. Every time when he is asked “Are you stupid or something?” He always responses “Stupid is as stupid does.” How can we interpret Forrest’s being stupid? Some people hold the opinion that Forrest is a very kind-hearted and sincere person. Forrest is also a man of his word. Forrest Gump is so pure and simple-minded that he plays table tennis only because he likes it. Forrest Gump is so pure and simple-minded that he only loves Jenny no matter how Jenny treats him. He always sticks to the thing he wants to do.

●2.5The Understanding of Running of Forrest Gump

In the movie Forrest Gump, running is an eternal element of his life and the theme of the movie. There are many running scenes parallel back and forth. When he was very young, it is running that brings him freedom. And running is the beginning of his getting freedom. In the Vietnam War, he bears his promise to Jenny firmly and runs faster than the bullets. After his mother’s death and Jenny’s leaving, he couldn’t find his directions in the life. It is running that brings hope, light, and inspiration back to his life. Running explains the meaning and essence of “persistence” to the maximum extent. Also running is the loyal commitment to Jenny.

●2.6Character Analysis of Forrest Gump

Forrest Gump is not only running across a 30-year span of American history, but also representing a generation’s retrospection of the unforgettable history they had all experienced.
Despite his low I. Q, Forrest’s new running ability leads to his receiving a football scholarship to the University. After his college graduation, he enlists in the US Army to join the Vietnam War. Forrest is awarded the Medal of Honor for his heroism and etc. The movie doesn’t simply describe a series of historical events and people; it depicts the changing trends in American society. What’s more, this movie offers a remedy for the spiritual disease of modern age and fulfills people’s yearning to go back to nature.

第三章Mr. Holland's Opus 《生命因你而动听》

Mr. Holland's Opus is a 1995 American drama film directed by Stephen Herek, produced by Ted Field, Robert W. Cort, and Michael Nolin, and written by Patrick Sheane Duncan. The film stars Richard Dreyfuss in the title role of Glenn Holland, a high-school music teacher who aspires to write his own composition. The cast also includes Glenne Headly, Olympia Dukakis, William H. Macy, and Jay Thomas.
The film was nominated for the Golden Globe Award for Best Screenplay. Richard Dreyfuss also received nominations for the Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Motion Picture Drama and the Academy Award for Best Actor for his performance in the film.

●3.1A Brief Introduction to the Film

The film is a 1995 American drama film directed by Stephen Herek. Glenn Holland is a talented musician. He accepts a teaching position at John F. Kennedy High School in order to compose a piece of orchestral music. His teaching experience and his family life are not very smooth at first. As the years progress, Holland grows closer to his students at Kennedy High and he addresses a series of challenges created by people who are either hesitant or hostile towards the concept of musical excellence. He also inspires numerous students, but never has private time for himself or his family, delaying the completion of his own orchestral composition. On his final day as a teacher, Holland enters the school auditorium, where his professional life is surprisingly redeemed. Hearing that their beloved teacher is retiring, hundreds of his former students have secretly returned to the school to celebrate his life. Finally, He realizes that the best opus for him is his students.

●3.2Rock and Roll, Hippie Culture

Rock and roll, popular worldwide now, was not accepted by many American parents in early 1950s. They regarded it as “a message sent from the devil himself” and forbade their children to learn and sing it. That's because people at that time often associated Rock and Roll with Hippies. Whenever people think of Hippies they would think of their unusual dressing style, drug abuse, sexual liberation and rock and roll. So they believed that “Rock and roll, by its nature, leads to the breakdown of discipline.” Here “nature” refers to its fusion with Hippie culture. By rebelling against the tradition values with bizarre dressing style, drug abuse, sexual liberation and rock and roll, Hippies expressed their dissatisfaction with society and ideal solution to the social problems in the 1960s in America.

●3.3The Understanding of the Teacher's Two Jobs

According to Mrs. Jacobs, “A teacher is two jobs. Fill young minds with knowledge. But, more important, give those minds a compass so that knowledge doesn’t go to waste.” As a music teacher, Mr. Holland initially didn’t do well in teaching, but with the help of Mrs. Jacobs, he finally finds the same passion for teaching students as he has for music and gradually becomes an expert in guiding his students both in study and life and wins great popularity among them. He teaches his students a variety of knowledge about music and life so he has a profound influence on their lives. A big crowd of his former students hold a secret goodbye celebration for Holland to thank his help and dedication to teaching when he retires. Even Principal Jacobs, once criticized him for failing to be a good role model for his students, gives Holland a compass as a memento before her retirement to praise his good job as a compass for his students. Mr. Holland does great in the two jobs for a teacher.

●3.4Is Mr. Holland A Loser or A Winner?

Mr. Holland has always been dreaming of composing a symphony that could make him famous and rich. But he eventually retires as an unknown music teacher. Even he considers himself to be a failure, but his student Gertrude Lang thinks “he has achieved a success far beyond riches and fame”, because he has a profound influence on many of his students’ lives and changes them into a better person. Although Mr. Holland ends up with a musician with no opus, he is still a great musician because all the students he has educated for 30 years are actually his symphony. They are the melodies and notes of his opus. They are the music of his life. So Mr. Holland is a winner both as a teacher and as a musician.

第四章The Pursuit of Happyness 《当幸福来敲门》

The Pursuit of Happyness  is a 2006 American biographical drama film based on entrepreneur Chris Gardner's nearly one-year struggle being homeless. Directed by Gabriele Muccino, the film features Will Smith as Gardner, a homeless salesman. Smith's son Jaden Smithco-stars, making his film debut as Gardner's son, Christopher Jr.
The screenplay by Steven Conrad is based on the best-selling memoir of the same name written by Gardner with Quincy Troupe. The film was released on December 15, 2006 by Columbia Pictures. For his performance, Smith was nominated for an Academy Award and a Golden Globe for Best Actor. 
The unusual spelling of the film's title comes from a mural that Gardner sees on the wall outside the daycare facility his son attends. He complains to the owner of the daycare that "happiness" is incorrectly spelled as "happyness" and needs to be changed.

●4.1A Brief Introduction to the Film

The Pursuit of Happyness is a 2006 American biographical drama film based on entrepreneur Chris Gardner’s nearly one-year struggle being homeless. The movie is based on his autobiography and about how he turns himself from an impoverished salesman to a successful investment expert. The film features Will Smith as Gardner, a homeless salesman. Smith’s son Jaden Smith co-stars, making his film debut as Gardner’s son, Christopher Jr. The unusual spelling of the film’s title comes from a mural that Gardner sees on the wall outside the daycare facility his son attends. He complains to the owner of the daycare that "happiness" is incorrectly spelled as "happyness" and needs to be changed. The theme of the movie can be got from the words of Chris: It’s an “I” in happiness, there is no why in happiness. Just like what Chris’s story tells us, if you want to get happiness, do not ask why, just depend on yourself. Believe in yourself, if you want something, go get it.

●4.2The Opportunities Chris Seizes

We often say that diligence and opportunity are equally important for job hunting. After we watched the film: The Pursuit of Happyness, we may think about these questions: Is there any opportunity for Chris Gardner in seeking job? How does he seize the opportunity? With lots of obstacles on his way to happiness, Chris seizes every opportunity he confronts: he asks a wealthy stranger on the street what he can do to be as happy as him; he gives the interviewers very good impression though he just gets out of the prison; he makes so much more efforts than the other candidates during his internship; he pays a visit to a CEO to apologize after he misses the appointment with him. We just listed some of the opportunities Chris grasps on his way to happiness; you can find more in the movie. From Chris’s story we can learn that opportunity actually plays a very important role on one’s way to success.

●4.3Chris' Interview and Techniques in Job Interview

After a short video shown to the students, they are asked to answer some questions about Chris’ job interview for an internship. Obviously Chris doesn’t leave a good impression on the interviewers for the first sight. His appearance surprised them. But, he also presents some valuable qualities, such as optimism, honesty, intelligence, humor and quick-wittedness. Then what is a job interview? How should one prepare for a successful job interview? How will the interviewers evaluate the applicants? What techniques one should have in a job interview? What kinds of questions will the interviewers ask? Some tips are provided for the interviewees. And some deadly interview mistakes should always been avoided.

●4.4From American Dream to Chris' Dream

The movie, The Pursuit of Happyness, is a good example to show that an ordinary man achieves his American Dream through hard work, self-reliance, and sacrifice. In this section, we are going to talk about what is American dream, show some examples in American history and discuss how the directors portray the American dream in the movie? In America, people believe that everyone has his right to pursue happiness. This kind of right is entrusted by the great American Dream. Everyone hopes that he can be the one who turns from rags to riches. Chris Gardner is a typical example of “starting out poor and working hard to become rich”. His story was adapted into the movies.

第五章Schindler's List 《辛德勒的名单》

Schindler's List is a 1993 American epic historical period drama film directed and co-produced by Steven Spielberg and written by Steven Zaillian. It is based on the novel Schindler's Ark by Australian novelist Thomas Keneally. The film follows Oskar Schindler, a Sudeten German businessman, who saved the lives of more than a thousand mostly Polish-Jewish refugees from the Holocaust by employing them in his factories during World War II. It stars Liam Neeson as Schindler, Ralph Fiennes as SS officer Amon Göth, and Ben Kingsley as Schindler's Jewish accountant Itzhak Stern.
Schindler's List premiered on November 30, 1993, in Washington, D.C. and it was released on December 15, 1993, in the United States. Often listed among the greatest films ever made, it was also a box office success, earning $321.2 million worldwide on a $22 million budget. It was the recipient of seven Academy Awards (out of twelve nominations), including Best Picture, Best Director, Best Adapted Screenplay, and Best Original Score, as well as numerous other awards (including seven BAFTAs and three Golden Globes). In 2007, the American Film Institute ranked the film 8th on its list of the 100 best American films of all time. The Library of Congress selected it for preservation in the National Film Registry in 2004.

●5.1A Brief Introduction to the Film

The film Schindler's List is based on the true story and real person. What is this movie mainly about? Who is the real Oskar Schindler, the real person? What do we know about the person and how does he risk his life saving Jews during the Holocaust. There are three persons who help contributing to the making of the film. The first, the story-teller: Poldek Pfefferberg, the second, the story writer: Thomas Keneally, and the third, the film director: Steven Spielberg. What do we know about their story?

●5.2A Brief Introduction to the Holocaust

The film Schindler's List takes Holocaust as its historic background, and the whole film focuses on the Holocaust. What do we know about Holocaust, its historic background and those persons who have been murdered during the WWII? Are there any practical reasons behind the Holocaust? Some historic pictures, maps are used to illustrate what has really happened in the concentration camps during the Holocaust.

●5.3The Understanding of the Beginning and Ending of the Film

The film is mainly shot in black and white except the film's beginning, the film's ending and the girl in red coat in the film. Why does the film director do in this way? How do you interpret the beginning of the film, the ending of the film? Are there any symbolic meanings? We try to answer these questions in the lecture.

●5.4Main Clues and the Narrative Technique

The first time you see this movie, maybe you are confused with the plot of the movie. Why? There are so many persons in the film, especially in the opening part of the film, and it seems there are so many stories to tell in the movie. What are these stories? Are there any clues among these stories to help your follow and understand the movie? How these stories are developing and integrated successfully into a whole one? Two main clues of the film and its narrative way are to be unfolded and analyzed.

●5.5The Use of Black and White, Light and Shadow

The film is shot mainly in black and white, except the opening and closing scenes and the Jewish girl dressed in red. Why does the film director do in this way? How do you understand the use of black and white color, light and shadow in the film? Are there any symbolic meanings? What effect they can achieve?

●5.6Character Analysis: Schindler and the Reason for His Great Change

The film mainly describes the person of Oscar Schindler. In the beginning, he is a member of the Nazi party, a businessman, a German spy, and an opportunist who wants to make fortune by taking advantage of the war when Poland is just occupied by German Nazi. In the end, he has become a righteous person, a man of humanity, justice, a man who risks his life and saves as many Jews as possible. What makes his great change?

●5.7From Schindler to Other Righteous Persons Like Schindler

Schindler is considered to be righteous person, a person of humanity and justice. There are other persons like Oscar Schindler who risk protecting and saving as many Jews as possible before and during Holocaust. They are HoFeng-Shan 何凤山, who is called “Chinese Schindler”, Nicholas Winton, who is called “British Schindler”, and John Rabe, a German businessman, whose story has adapted into a film, named John Rabe, which is called “Chinese version of Schindler’s List”. Some historical photos, videos and reports are used to tell their hidden, untold stories and exploits.

第六章Legends of the Fall 《秋日传奇》

Legends of the Fall is a 1994 American epic historical drama film directed by Edward Zwick and starring Brad Pitt, Anthony Hopkins, Aidan Quinn, Julia Ormond and Henry Thomas. Based on the 1979 novella of the same title by Jim Harrison, the film is about three brothers and their father living in the wilderness and plains of Montana in the early 20th century and how their lives are affected by nature, history, war, and love. The film's time frame spans from World War I through the Prohibition era, ending with a brief scene set in 1963. The film was nominated for three Academy Awards and won for Best Cinematography (John Toll). Both the film and book contain occasional Cornish language terms, the Ludlows being a Cornish emigrant family.

●6.1A Brief Introduction to the Film

The film Legends of the Fall tells an epic tale of three brothers and their father living in the remote wilderness of 1900s USA and how their lives are affected by nature, history, war, and love. As we enjoy the plots of the film, we are also attracted by the mountainous landscape and no wonder it has won the 67th Oscar best cinematography. Another thing to be noted in this film is the theme music which is popular and used as background music from time to time. In addition, as the major genre of the film is the Western, it covers main elements of the Western films, like the cowboy, the killing, the Native Americans, etc..

●6.2Native Americans in the 19th Century

One significant element in Western movies is the portrayal of Native Americans. Native Americans are the indigenous peoples of the United States, often grouped into tribes or nations. They suffer a lot when the white settlers gains control of the whole of the North American continent. Since then they are slaved or killed and almost suffers genocide. The kids of the Native Americans are forced to go to boarding schools run by the whites to receive the so called “cultivated” education which actually aims to wipe out their own culture. The U.S. government recently makes an apology to the Native Americans on behalf of the people of the United States for the many instances of violence, maltreatment, and neglect inflicted on Native Peoples by citizens of the United States. But as the survey goes, the conditions of the Native Americans now still need improving.

●6.3The Changes of the Relationship among the Brothers

The film Legends of the Fall can be depicted as the epic story of 3 brothers bound by loyalty, tested by war, and torn apart by love. The film starts with the warm welcome of the Ludlows to Samuel, the youngest, and his fiancée Susannah. The word “affection” can be used to describe the brotherhood. Then with the outbreak of WWI and the death of Samuel, the brotherhood worsens, even collapses because they both fall in love with the same woman , Susannah, and share different political views as well. Finally, the two brothers reconciles as Susannah commits suicide and they are faced with the same responsibility to protect the families.

●6.4The Understanding of the Relationship Between Tristan and the Bear

A grizzly bear runs through the whole movie and acts as a very important clue to understand the hero Tristan. In the Native American tradition, bears are regarded as sacred animals, symbolizing the power of incredible changes. They are generally mild unless there is a need they defend themselves or their cubs. Tristan’s fate is a bear in the wilderness. His first bloody encounter with the bear changes his life and finally makes him a legend. The relationship between Tristan and the bear changes over the time, from the fight at the beginning to being bonded in the middle and to the duel at the end, during which Tristan dies a good death.

第七章The Sound of Music 《音乐之声》

The Sound of Music is a 1965 American musical drama film produced and directed by Robert Wise, and starring Julie Andrews and Christopher Plummer, with Richard Haydn and Eleanor Parker. The film is an adaptation of the 1959 stage musical of the same name, composed by Richard Rodgers with lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II. The film's screenplay was written by Ernest Lehman, adapted from the stage musical's book by Lindsay and Crouse. Based on the memoir The Story of the Trapp Family Singers by Maria von Trapp, the film is about a young Austrian woman studying to become a nun in Salzburg, Austria in 1938 who is sent to the villa of a retired naval officer and widower to be governess to his seven children. After bringing and teaching love and music into the lives of the family through kindness and patience, she marries the officer and together with the children they find a way to survive the loss of their homeland through courage and faith.
The Sound of Music received five Academy Awards, including Best Picture and Best Director. The film also received two Golden Globe Awards, for Best Motion Picture and Best Actress, the Directors Guild of America Award for Outstanding Directorial Achievement, and the Writers Guild of America Award for Best Written American Musical. In 1998, the American Film Institute (AFI) listed The Sound of Music as the fifty-fifth greatest American movie of all time, and the fourth greatest movie musical. In 2001, the United States Library of Congress selected the film for preservation in the National Film Registry, finding it "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant".

●7.1A Brief Introduction to the Film

This course focused on the storyline of the film The Sound of Music. It gives a vivid narration of the plot, main characters, conflicts, climax with several clips of the film, which combine the story with beautiful songs and music inside. With the narration of plot, the lecturer also provides an insight into the theme of the film, that is, love for nature, love for family, love for true love and love for country, and analyzes the reasons why The Sound of Music has been so popular through more than half a century.

●7.2A Brief Introduction to the Musical Film

This course contains 2 issues. First, it discusses the definition and features of musical film, which are centered on combinations of music, dance, songs of choreography, pushing forward the plot and climax of the film. Second, this course shows a chronological development of musical film, from its origin in 1920s to its golden age from 1930s to 1950s, until 21st century. In each stage of its development, several masterpieces of this period have been introduced, concerning the features of this stage and plot of each movie respectively.

●7.3The True Story of Von Trapp Family

This course reveals the background knowledge and some true story of the film The Sound of Music. Based on the novel Singers of the Von Trapp Family written by Maria, it focuses on the prototype of Maria, Captain Von Trapp and the Von Trapp family and shows their real identity, education, military rank, love of music and singing, marriage, immigration to United States during the WWII, mutual friend, etc. Some differences between the film and the true story of the Von Trapp family are also contrasted and analyzed to help students better understand the film.

●7.4Character Analysis: Maria and Captain Von Trapp

With the assistance of numerous pictures and video clips, this lecture is to unveil the characters of Maria and Captain Von Trap--the two major characters in The Sound of Music. The character analysis of Maria is disclosed from 3 perspectives-- as a postulant, as a governess and as a lover. As a postulant, she is a good-natured young lady who is free-spirited and passionate about life yet undisciplined; as a governess, she is a resourceful and talented teacher who is tolerant and caring to the children, and inspirational to the father ; as a lover, she is a little confused, yet brave enough to face the uncertainties. The character of Captain Von Trap is also analyzed from 3 angles- as a father, he is strict yet didn’t know a thing about parenting before Maria came; as a man who pursues happiness, the captain is quite brave to face his feelings to Maria; as an Austrian, the captain surely demonstrates deep and strong emotion and devotion to his homeland.