The Importance Of Riva's Language In The Cage

In the same way that Wiesenthal’s language of forgiveness elevated Simon’s place in society, Sender’s use of Riva’s language of hope raises her level within society. Specifically in The Cage, the key factor that keeps the Jews’ spirits alive is Riva’s language of hope. Hope is what allows the Jews to keep going, to keep moving forwards. By way of example, is when Laibele suffers tuberculosis, and it is Riva’s job to nourish him. She tells him that one day, all Jews will walk out of the cage, free to build a new life, a new world. No more hunger. Only Freedom. Happiness. A world of brotherhood. “A world of love and peace” (Sender 33). Riva does all she can for her dying brother. She keeps him alive by giving him hope. With the power of love, Riva’s family can help

each other live and look after each other. All the Jews believe that their day will once come, that one day they can walk on the Earth freely. He replies, asking if he would live to that day.

Riva replies strongly that “[he] will live, [they] will all live” (Sender 33). With her belief and ambition, she strengthens the weak and feeds hope to the suffering. If one stops believing in hope then what is the point of living? Without hope, there is nothing. Besides hope, peace has a main role as well. Peace comes from within and outside because it all depends on what you believe and one’s action. If one believes in peace one would take action to fight for peace. Five years pass, the whole time they fought for survival and dignity, “living like human beings” (Sender 130) in spite of the “savagery around [them]” (Sender 130). While fighting, Riva and the remains of her family manage to hide their books behind the curtains, “the source of [their] strength” (Sender 130). Sender shows that hope has kept them alive for five years. They fight for survival and dignity because they still all long for freedom and better lives. With faith that things might get better, they help each other in spite of the terrible things happening around them. In the meantime, most of their strength is coming from the books, which Riva hides under her trapdoor behind the

curtains. The books inspire them to keep hoping and dreaming, and to never give up. The book opens another world for Riva, a world full of hope. Different books hold different ways of the motivation to keep hoping. For example a history book would motivate Riva and her family to survive, so they can make history of surviving through all the horrific years, which leads then to never stop hoping. Another example is a fantasy book, which would motivate Riva and her sibling to fantasize finding their mother after the Holocaust, which leads them to keep hoping.