Compromise is defined as the ability to “ allow your principles to be less strong or your standards or morals to be lower” (Source: Cambridge dictionary). In Steven Galloway’s, The Cellist of Sarajevo, Kenan, Dragan and Arrow are forced to compromise their happiness due to the war conditions in Sarajevo.

Once an innocent 18-year-old girl and now a determined sniper, there are numerous incidents where Arrow is forced to sacrifice her desires in order to survive. As Arrow introduces us to the men on the hills and talks about changing her name, she states, “I am Arrow, because I hate them. The woman you knew hated nobody” (Galloway, 13). Arrow describes how she is much different from the person she was before the war. She describes …show more content…
As an old man who desires to spend time with his family, Dragan is faced with the challenging dilemma of advising his family to flee to Italy due to the war. As we are first introduced to Dragan, he describes his background story. He states, “Dragan managed to get his wife, Raza, and their eighteen-year-old son out of the city before the war started, and they are, he thinks, in Italy now. He hasn’t heard from them in three months and has no idea when he will get word from them again” (37). Dragan shares how he has not heard from his family in three months, and that he does not know when he might hear from them again. Moreover, he orders his family to flee the country, in an attempt to save them. However, Dragan decides to stay back as he feels the war may not be that long. In an attempt to save his family, Dragan sacrifices his sentiments and musters up the courage to send his family away to Italy. In addition, Dragan talks about how he lives with his sister and brother-in-law, since his apartment is no longer available for him to live in. He says, “But the bread Dragan brings home makes him indispensable, and the roof the put over his head traps him there” (38). In a time where resources are scarce, it is quite difficult to obtain food. Dragan sacrifices his safety so that he can get bread for his sister, his brother-in-law, and himself. He explains how before the war, the walk to the bakery was about forty-five minutes. However, it now takes him an hour and a half. Dragan risks his safety and well being, all in an attempt to obtain food for his