Sample Solution

The author of this primary source, November, is a German filmmaker and playwright named Rainer Werner Fassbinder. Fassbinder was born in Bavaria in 1945 and attended drama school at the age of 18 before becoming a successful director throughout Europe. His films often defied traditional conventions and explored controversial topics such as race and class divisions, particularly in West Germany during the 1970s. It is likely that his own personal experiences with social exclusion influenced his opinions on these matters.

November centers around the story of a Jewish woman living in Nazi Germany who attempts to hide her identity from those around her but ultimately fails to do so when she is forced to wear a yellow star for identification by the Gestapo. The film portrays themes of identity, belonging, and oppression through its depiction of how people are able to survive during trying times while also showing how being true to one’s self can be both freeing yet dangerous. Ultimately, it serves as an poignant reminder of what happens when diversity isn’t accepted or embraced within society.

Through November, Fassbinder aims to bring attention not only to what occurred during WWII but also how history can still inform our present day conversations about racism and xenophobia. He does this by emphasizing how traumatic events continue to have lasting effects on individuals long after they’ve passed away—an idea which resonates strongly with viewers today as we grapple with issues such as immigration policies that threaten the safety of minorities worldwide (Fassbinder). As such, this powerful piece serves as an important reminder that hatred has no place in our society if we hope for real change now and into the future.