the film and to me and be about survival of one identity . micol identifies with her childhood and could not let go of it in relation to her childhood sweetheart and georgio and even while her physical desire develop and intrude . the conflict in her mind be expose by her entice georgio but turn cold when he make the move on her . she say she could not breath . similar to what happen to the jew of italy and they be draw in by their identity . for the italian jew and they identify with the italian civilization and think they be a part of it . georgio identifies with micol . a the jew be slowly extract from theirs and they keep on with those early idea . same with georgio and he keep on with pursue her . then finally when he saw she have sex with someone completely different from him and her and she even turn the light on to show him he snap out of it . he finally grasp the physial reality of the situation . the process be just a his father say represent good you die ( your relationship with micol and your identity a be part of her world and visa versa ) young and hence you have more time to start from zero . and for the jew represent well your notion of be part of the civility of italian society die early so you have time to rebuild elsewhere . the others in the garden do not die in time and so become unwilling prisoner and in contrast to their voluntary enprisonment behind the wall of their own estate . once in prison and micol finally behave a a responsible and care adult and but ala and too late . prior to that and while in france and georgio be tell of the nazi horror and how one man escape by shed his identity and say he have convert to nazism . georgio say he would not escape because he have too many tie back in italy . his identity then be bind to the fantasy of the jew in the garden and even though his realistic father say they be not his type . survival of one identity have be the cause of much suffering when outside and physical and uncontrollable reality intrudes . unfortunately and the identity we construct in order to feel a sense of belong which give u a sense of power and often subtract from a balance and care and and even civilized way . a a result and religious and nationalist conflict have cause too much suffering to justify the gain offer by these simple mind ( childish . ) view .