Thesis: In Steven Galloway's “The Cellist of Sarajevo,” the city is symbolic for the occurrences in its citizen’s lives. As the city's symbols for pride deteriorate with the effects of war, so do the character's symbols. Both the city and the citizen’s are faced with inner conflict, that, unless they can overcome, will destroy their very core. Finally, with the grace and healing power of the cellist's music, both the city and the citizen's lives can be seen as they previously were, and reclaim themselves.
In Steven Galloway's wartime novel, The Cellist of Sarajevo, the character's behaviour mirrors the occurrences in the city; specifically, as the city's previous symbols of pride destruct, so do the character's pre-war symbols of pride. Prior to the war, the city of Sarajevo had held a multitude of beautiful landmarks, such as the Kosevo Stadium where the 1984 Olympic Games were held, or the National Library, both of which were a source of national pride for the city. As Kenan, the young father, makes his way through the ruined city streets in the hopes of finding water for his family, he observes the now ruined National Library, and remarks on them previously being a source of pride for society: “It is all Kenan can do to look up at what remains of the national library. Though the stone and brick structure still stands, its insides are completely consumed. The fire has left sooty licks above each window, and the doomed glass ceiling that stood proud atop the building has shattered to the floor. It was one of his favourite places in the city, though he wasn't a great reader. It was the most visible manifestation of a society he was proud of...The men on the hills made the library one of their first targets, and they took to t...
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... isolating himself from others he will only lose his happiness. Dragan can step from his isolation and talk to the other citizens, finally releasing his feelings of fear and abandonment that previously plagued his inner self. The the same occurred in the city, as with the music a citizen was able to release his views of the city as damaged, and recognize that the city could be reclaimed. In both the city and the character's lives, with the healing power of the courageous cellist's music, the city and the character's lives are able to see the city and their lives as they used to be, and reclaim a portion of their previous happiness. In conclusion, the occurrences in the city is symbolic for the lives of the characters, as is exemplified through the ways in which both the city and the characters can see their former selves, with the music from the cellist of Sarajevo.
In conclusion, the story describes that life changes, and nothing stays the same throughout it. It is in the hands of the people to decide that how they want their life to be. They can make it as beautiful as they want to and they can also make it worse than it has ever been
For centuries, music has been defined by history, time, and place. To address this statement, Tom Zè, an influential songwriter during the Tropicália Movement, produced the revolutionary “Fabrication Defect” to challenge oppression as a result from the poor political and social conditions. On the other hand, David Ramsey discusses, in mixtape vignettes, the role of music to survive in New Orleans’ violent setting. Furthermore, “The Land where the Blues Began”, by Alan Lomax, is a film and perfect example to understand under what musical conditions profound ways of communication are made to stand the hard work of cotton plantations. As a result, music plays a crucial role in the sources’ cultures and its creation relies on particular conditions such as the social
Jerra must let go of his musical life in the city, he has lost his dream. Jerra is a guitarist and a father, and now doing wood cutting to support his family. Life isn’t easy, especially for those with low income. ’Each day the young man left
It shows Dragan’s path to get bread from his bakery, the journey Kenan takes to get water for him, his family and a neighbour and Arrow, who kills enemies to save thousands of innocent citizens. Despite challenging and difficult circumstances when people maintain their morals it leads to a happier and more fulfilling life. Dragan keeps his morals and refuses to let the world see something he knows not to be true and because he does this he feels better about himself. When he
The conflict that the individual faces will force them to reinforce and strengthen their identity in order to survive. In “The Cellist of Sarajevo” all the characters experience a brutal war that makes each of them struggle albeit in different ways. Each of them have their own anxieties and rage that eventually makes them grow as characters at the end of the book. When looking at what makes a person who they are it becomes obvious that the struggles they have faced has influenced them dramatically. The individual will find that this development is the pure essence of what it truly means to be
“Sonny’s Blues” is a short story in which James Baldwin, the author, presents an existential world where suffering characterizes a man’s basic state. The theme of tragedy and suffering can be transformed into a communal art form such as blues music. Blues music serves as a catalyst for change because the narrator starts to understand that not only the music but also himself and his relationship with Sonny. The narrator’s view of his brother begins to change; he understands that Sonny uses music as an exit of his suffering and pain. This story illustrates a wide critical examination. Richard N. Albert is one critic that explores and analyzes the world of “Sonny’s Blues”. His analysis, “The Jazz-Blues Motif in James Baldwin’s “Sonny’s Blues”” is an example of how one can discover plot, characterization and jazz motif that builds this theme of suffering.
In the novel, The Cellist of Sarajevo, the author Steven Galloway explores the power of music and its ability to provide people with an escape from reality during the Siege of Sarajevo. A cellist plays Albinoni’s Adagio for twenty-two consecutive days to commemorate the deaths of twenty-two citizens who were killed by the mortar attacks on the Sarajevo Opera Hall while waiting to buy bread. Albinoni’s Adagio represents that something can be almost obliterated from existence, but be recreated into something beautiful, since it was recreated from four bars of a sonata’s bass line found in the rubble of the firebombed Dresden Music Library in Germany in 1945. The Sarajevans listening to the cellist are given respite from the brutal reality
... way they are moving from the bad things all around them into the good, that is, the music. In this way they are in a way escaping from the darkness that is around them every day even if only for a short time. It's the only light they have. This is when the author uses the image of darkness for the last time. " For, while the tale of how we suffer, and how we are delighted, and how we may triumph is never new, it always must be heard. There isn't any other tale to tell, it's the only light we've got in all this darkness." This supports that their music is the only thing that is totally good in their lives. With all the violence and despair that is around them all of the time, music is the only way they can free themselves.
There is one universal language: the language of music. Music has a special quality and ability to bridge both social and cultural divides. A proposed theory by Dr. Gray, Founder and Director of National Musical Arts’ BioMusic Program; describes music has been around longer than human-beings have. Music is the one thing human beings from various backgrounds can relate to. Every living creature would agree. Music is heard everywhere not just among humans, but in nature as well, through the twitting of birds, winds blowing, the soft sound of raindrops against a windowpane, the ocean waves moving back and forth and the hum of the ocean rushing in a sea shell. There is no escaping it; music lives in and surrounds us steadily. While there are countless songs which confer social or cultural consciousness, this paper will analyze and address the dynamics of M.I.A.’s “Paper Planes”, video. Stylistically, the paper will examine the artist point of view, the unique use of lyrical analysis and sound description in relation to its historical, social, political and/or cultural context. This essay will also trace the lyrical analysis and sound description of song and discuss how the elements (visually, sonically, and lyrically) interplay with the theme of immigration and/or violence.
Throughout The Death and Life of Great American Cities by Jane Jacobs, she writes about the city’s change through a ballet dance and movement surrounding her. “In real life, to be sure, something is always going on, the ballet is never at a halt, but the general effect is peaceful and the general tenor even leisurely” (Jacobs 833). This idea of change she discusses and goes in great depth with, portrays just how constant not just a particular city but the world is. She describes every day to be a ballet of some sort; witnessing everyone’s day as they walk down the sidewalk. Even when a corner is turned, seeing so many different face as they all move at different paces and occupy their time in different manners, it all adds to this dance. Everything changing around her and maybe even things not really making sense but despite all of that, still being able to come together and create something no matter what’s being made of it, relates to Growing up Unrented on the Lower East Side by Edmund Berrigan.
The story “Sonny’s Blues” By James Baldwin is about a jazz musician and his brother in 1950’s Harlem. The story centers on Sonny who uses jazz music as an escape from his depression. James Baldwin captures the art of jazz during this time period. The themes in this short story are perhaps varied, but all of them revolve around some form of suffering. One theme shows how music can promote change and understanding within relationships. A second theme reveals suffering caused by guilt. Yet another theme references the results of suffering brought about by searching for ones’ identity and how that leads to misunderstanding. There are also subthemes concerning racism and poverty.
The Lives of Others experimented with the use of sound as an element to convey narrative structure and did so brilliantly. The use of music is an accomplishment which celebrates the arts as an essential part of our human condition. If our right to express ourselves freely is imposed upon, we can no longer communicate our deepest thoughts and no longer discover that we are all united by the same qualities. Our need for love and companionship transcends our political aspirations or ideological shortcomings. We are human and we need other human in order to give our lives a deeper and richer meaning than just the solitary musings or an ideal world. This film took these ideas and expressed them with a piece of music which was able to break down a wall around a human’s heart and function as a symbol for the greater global instance of the Berlin Wall’s demise.
In conclusion, the characters, Dragan and Kenan in Steven Galloway's, "The Cellist of Sarajevo," lose all hope of surviving the war and having their lives return back to normal. The characters forget all about the pre-war city since they are so mesmerized with their lives as citizens trying to survive a war. Dragan is a man who made his family escape from Sarajevo before the war started and is now battling to survive in this war field. Kenan is another man who lives in Sarajevo with his family, and risks his life doing daily tasks, such as collecting water for the family. Hope is not thinking of all the misery that is around you, but keeping in mind the beauty that is still intact.
Music often carries information about community knowledge, aesthetics, or perspectives. Toni Morrison discusses the power of music and the way it functions in culture in discussions of her craft. Symbolic and structural elements of music appear throughout all of Toni Morrison’s fiction in one way or another. (Obadike) As mentioned above, the title itself, draws attention to the world-renowned music created by African Americans in the 1920s’ as well as to the book’s jazz-like narrative structure and themes.
Upon arrival into the jungle of vast buildings, the first thing noticed is the mobbed streets filled with taxi cabs and cars going to and fro in numerous directions, with the scent of exhaust surfing through the air. As you progress deeper into the inner city and exit your vehicle, the aroma of the many restaurants passes through your nostrils and gives you a craving for a ?NY Hot Dog? sold by the street venders on the corner calling out your name. As you continue your journey you are passed by the ongoing flow of pedestrians talking on their cell phones and drinking a Starbucks while enjoying the city. The constant commotion of conversing voices rage up and down the streets as someone calls for a fast taxi. A mixed sound of various music styles all band together to form one wild tune.