Symbolism In The Cellist Of Sarajevo

161 Words1 Pages
In Galloway’s novel, The Cellist of Sarajevo, the cellist symbolizes hope. The cellist plays music in the streets of Sarajevo despite the risk of death, giving the people of Sarajevo a sense of hope. Vedran Smailovic, the person the cellist was based on, also displayed such traits. Smailovic “played his cello regularly in ruined buildings around the city, despite the constant threat of shellfire” (Hunt). By basing the cellist off a historical figure, Galloway is able to illustrate hope as more fleeting and precious. As a fictional character, the life of the cellist is insignificant and the risks he takes are fabricated as the author holds absolute control. However, through the historical connection, the cellist’s actions and the risks