Casablanca Case

The way Casablanca's narrative develops, as is true of most Hollywood films, is through a tight sequence, or chain, of cause and effect. What are some of the important links in that chain?

In Casablanca see a tight sequence of cause and effect reactions with Rick and Ilsa. If Rick leaves Casablanca with Ilsa to start a new life, Ilsa will have to leave Victor and always wonder what would have happened if she would have stayed. Then we have the instance where if Rick gives the exit visas to Victor and Lisa, he will have to deal with losing her for the second time and unfortunately he will never be able to see him again.

If the major motivating force in classical Hollywood cinema is desire, what are the desires of the major characters in this film? To what extend are these desires satisfied?

Rick clearly has a desire to be independent and to make a difference in the world around him. Ilsa on the other hand, I feel has the desire to be inspired, as well as to be in love.

Rick and Lazlo can be said to represent two different types of heroism. How would you categorize each one as a hero? What qualities, if any, do they share? How do they most differ from eachother?

Rick sacrifices his happiness in regards to Ilsa's happiness; this clearly makes him a hero of friendship. He decides to force Ilsa to go with Victor, due to the chance that she might regret her choice of staying with Rick and not leaving with her husband. In this sense, Rick did what any good friend would be expected to do, as he puts the happiness and well being of his companion before his own. However, Lazlo would be more of a devoted or dedicated hero. He escaped from the Nazis, came to Casablanca to get a transit so that he could return to American. Both Rick and Lazlo fought for their country before arriving in Casablanca, proving that they are both heroes.

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