Hope during the Dark Times

How can hope affect one’s life? In the novel The Cellist of Sarajevo, Canadian author Steven Galloway illustrates how amidst the unexpected obstacles and inevitable twists thrown in life, having hope enables one to keep going in times of despair. The presence of hope affects the three protagonists; Dragan’s future, Arrow’s spirit, and Kenan’s mindset.

The presence of hope affects Dragan’s future. Firstly, Dragan hopes that one day he will return to the comfort of his wife and son. “He hopes that, wherever they are, his wife and son are happy.” (Galloway 38). Dragan did not see his wife and son ever since the siege began. He somehow manages to send them to Italy before the war began, but he himself decides to stay