Desire vs. Duty

Desire vs. Duty is present in much of the film. It is shown in the characters of Maria and Leisel.

Liesel is shown with a lot of the conflict of duty and desire. It is her duty in the family to be the perfect older sister. She is not allowed to go out and see boys (or anyone else for that matter). She also has to the duty to act as a grown up for the other children. I think that her childhood was taken away by the death of her mother. Her main desire in the story is to be with Ralph, the telegraph delivery boy. I think that she would also like to not always have to be the one in charge.

Maria also suffers from the internal conflict of duty vs. desire. She believes that her job in the world is to be a nun, then a governess, and then a nun again. Throughout the story she finds herself falling in love with the Captain. Once she realizes this she goes back to the abbey to go back and become a nurse. I will spell it out in case you have not already got it, Maria's desire is to be with the Captain. What she thinks is her duty is to become a nun.