Dead on the Streets
Throughout the film, Polanski shows dead bodies in the streets of Poland. We see men, women and children alike, all killed mercilessly by the Nazis. The imagery evokes the horror of occupation and horrors of the Holocaust.
Rubble on the Keys
In the first scene of the film, Szpilman is playing piano for the radio in a studio when the studio gets bombed. Rubble and debris fall from the ceiling and rain down on Szpilman, who insists on finishing playing, even though they are clearly in a war zone. This image, of the pianist with rubble on his head and his piano, shows what a committed pianist he is.
Hands Up
At the end, Szpilman comes out into the streets after having gotten shot at by the Polish and Russian soldiers who drove out the Nazis. He has a bushy beard, is horribly malnourished, wears a Nazi coat given to him by Hosenfeld, and holds up his hands in surrender. It is a moment of extreme vulnerability and redemption, in which the humble pianist, who we have seen endure so much hardship, begs for rescue.
Soup off the ground
There are many horrific images in the film that show the atrocities of living under the Nazis in Poland. One particularly disturbing and evocative one is an old man sipping up soup that has just fallen onto the street. He lies on the ground and tries to lick up the soup, which represents the desperation that people endured, and the limited rations given to Jewish people in the ghetto.
