So Long to Social Class: Disrupted Hierarchy in The Grand Budapest Hotel Rosie McRobie 12th Grade

The film The Grand Budapest Hotel, directed by Wes Anderson, is based around a legendary concierge from a famous hotel in the fictional Republic of Zubrowka, Gustave H, who is framed for murder. In a desperate attempt to prove his innocence, Gustave teams up with his lobby boy, Zero Moustafa. The film is set at a demanding time between the first and second World Wars, inspired by the writings of Stefan Zweig, and proves to challenge the relationship between an up-market concierge and a lobby boy - both with extremely differing backgrounds. Throughout the encounters that Gustave and Zero take in order to proclaim Gustaves innocence, Gustave realises that Zero is not just a low-end lobby boy and begins to build a friendship with him. Similarly, Zero begins to see Gustave as a role model and continues to learn from him throughout the film. Through the use of motifs such as sound and symbolism, Wes Anderson develops the important idea that breaking down social hierarchy helps people to further understand each other.

Sound techniques are used throughout the film by director Wes Anderson to highlight a progressive friendship forming between Gustave and Zero. In a time of desperation, when Zero is helping Gustave break out of prison,...