Literary Device for The Cellist of Sarajevo

Use of imagery to show the theme of resilience in The Cellist of Sarajevo

Life may seem normal at first, but war can quickly change a person's circumstances, showing how determined and resilient they are to live. The novel, The Cellist of Sarajevo, written by Steven Galloway, explores how people change and endure the war. The Cellist of Sarajevo takes place during the Bosnian War when Serbian soldiers circled the city. In the narrative, Arrow and Dragan encounter violence. Under pressure, Arrow and Dragan are resilient and driven. Arrow, a teenage soldier, has trouble being human in a brutal time. Every day, Dragan, an old baker, walks through risky streets where snipers might shoot him to get bread for his family. Both individuals do dangerous jobs to survive and serve their society despite frequent threats. Arrow and Dragan represent human strength in the most horrific conflicts and unthinkable conditions through their bravery and firm spirit. Through his use of imagery, Galloway illustrates that the enduring strength and resilience of individuals facing the brutal realities of war can lead to their life changing.

Throughout the text, Galloway uses vivid imagery to portray Dragan's unwavering resilience in the face of immense hardship. Through showing the journey he takes to get food for his family, it symbolizes Dragan’s resilience. Dragan an elderly baker worker in Sarajevo, is an example of what war can do to an individual. His daily struggle to obtain bread for him and his family amidst the conflicts and sniper firing shows how bad the reality is for civilians in Sarajevo. Living with his sister after his home broke down from a shelling and when he decided not to go to Italy with his and son shows the decisions he has to take in a war. Dragan tirelessly seeks food and resources for his family despite the everyday hardships of war. The passage gives us a look into Dragan's past and experiences through an important memory. This memory offers a glimpse into what continues to fuel Dragan's unwavering resilience in the face of immense hardship. Specifically, Galloway states that, “Dragan heard about the massacre when it happened”…“It wasn’t far from his sister’s house”... “If he didn’t bring bread home each day he worked, it is possible she would have been in that line”… “But he hadn’t thought about it since” (Galloway, 53). The "massacre" suggests a violent event where many people were killed, evoking images of death, blood, and suffering. Dragan's sister's house being "not far" implies she could have easily been caught up in or near the massacre location. This draws a close presence and sense of danger. Dragan bringing home bread each day he worked suggests he provided essential sustenance for his sister. The implication is that if he hadn't, she may have needed to go to the location of the massacre (possibly to get food) and been caught up in it. This creates a resilience of Dragan literally keeping his sister alive by bringing her bread. The detail that Dragan "hadn't thought about it since" creates imagery that while the memory still haunts him on some level, he has tried to put it out of his conscious mind and not dwell on the horror of what could have been. Dragan always shows resilience by grabbing bread for him and his family, since he is able to get bread any time he needs it. As a result, Dragan now has to go and risk his life to try and grab bread with having to worry about being shot by a sniper, he has to go through many dangerous intersections to get food for him and his sister. His determination to get bread for rent and food represents the idea of how an individual's life can change during a war. By risking his life to get bread he has to bet on every intersection he has to go through, while also worrying the fact there might not be any bread inside the store. Galloway further reveals that "the bread Dragan brings home makes him indispensable, and the roof they put over his head traps him there"(Galloway, 20). The imagery depicted in the text portrays the enormous struggles Dragan endures daily. The vivid vision of Dragan's struggles helps readers realize the great endurance needed to survive prolonged suffering and threats. As a result of his situation, Dragan feels stuck, and the vivid language used makes it easier to understand how strong someone must be to deal with such an unavoidable danger. Galloway's vivid imagery greatly emphasizes the extraordinary drive and strength required to survive war's horrific reality. If Dragan was not able to bring any bread for a few days he would have to face other issues of not being kicked out of the house so then he would have no other place to go to. The lesson that Galloway is trying to convey is that an individual's life will always change during a war from being a normal happy life to having to go through intersections knowing you will die any second.

On the other side of Sarajevo, Arrow's determination to shoot an enemy sniper and protect the cellist, symbolizes, once again the choices an individual has to make in a war. Arrow, formerly known as Alisa, has gone through a transformation from being a kind woman to being one of the best snipers in Sarajevo. General Nermin who assigns Arrow’s targets and people to protect, tells Arrow to protect a cellist. Arrow shows determination to protect the cellist while also eliminating the professional sniper. Arrow was determine in The Cellist of Sarajevo, protecting the Cellist tirelessly. Galloway states that, “Arrow will keep this man alive. This wasn’t ever really in doubt but neither had she decided she would do it. Now, as she sits where he sits, she tells herself the she will not allow this man to die” (Galloway 43). Arrow is committed to her purpose of guarding the Cellist and daring enough to risk her life for it. Arrow must find and kill enemy snipers every Cellist performance. Arrow's courage guarding the Cellist was worth living for. Despite facing a professional sniper arrows resilience is evident as she was able to survive from almost being shot and demonstrated quick thinking while also staying on task to protect the cellist instead of leaving. As a result, Arrow now has to risk her life to try and save the cellist from her orders given from the general, while also having the worry about the sniper trying to kill her as well and if the sniper knows if she is still alive or not. Her determination to protect the cellist and shoot the sniper represents the idea of how an individual's life can change during a war. As stated by Galloway in the text, “You will not cry, she tells herself, and she wills herself calm until after the cellist has finished, risen and returned to the building he came from. There will be no crack in her” (Galloway 35). Arrow is attempting to stay in character. She is as strong and resilient as Arrow. She is emotionless and does not weep. Arrow shows her greatest emotion thus far in the novel when the cellist moves her. By risking her life to protect the cellist, she also is protecting herself from being killed and from failing her task. The lesson that Galloway is trying to convey is that an individual's life will always change during a war from having normal road trips in your car to now having to protect a cellist from being shot

Throughout his novel, Galloway uses imagery to powerfully illustrate the theme of resilience amid immense suffering. By vividly depicting Dragan's everyday attempts to feed his family under threats of violence, we witness the incredible strength and resilience needed to live in an area of war. Dragan's bravery in crossing dangerous points and facing snipers' bullets to feed his family shows how regular people can overcome extreme suffering. He also uses Arrow who almost died from being shot by an enemy sniper, though she continued fighting to protect the cellist. War destroys homes and threatens to split families, but Galloway and Arrow’s imagery shows that the human spirit is resilient enough to survive everyday threats of death. Dragan's determination to feed his sister, despite his awful memory of violence, shows how compassion can sustain individuals physically and mentally throughout extended crises. Galloway's message through Dragan and Arrow’s unrelenting efforts is that wars dehumanize through violence and devastation, but mankind's common ability for empathy and resilience in our toughest hours reminds us of our humanity.