Symbols Jordan

There are a number of symbols present within “The Cellist of Sarajevo”. The most notable symbol, the cello, represents the hope the citizens of Sarajevo strive for. Each time the cellist played during his 22-day period, the characters that experienced his music remembered what their lives were like before the war had occurred. As the war was occurring, people felt helpless as they were being picked off one by one, the fate of their lives determined by the men on the hills. The cellist gave people a sense that they should not be living their lives the way they currently were; that they should be determined to strive for better lives. Another symbol present in the novel is the color grey, as it represents how life is perceived in Sarajevo. In the beginning of the novel, the characters that walked around the city had mentioned shades of grey being present in many parts of the city. The dull, grey colors had to do with the lifelessness that plagued the city; how once the war began there was no sign of hope that Sarajevo would ever recover. But near the end of the story, some characters had described brighter colors present in the city; they began to look at life as if was going to get better. The number 22 is another symbol present within the story, as in biblical terms it represents the manifestation of light. 22 was a reoccurring symbol throughout the story; the cellist played for 22 days, many guns used were .22 caliber, and so on. In the bible, the manifestation of light represents how God showed how his glory and power (shown through his son Jesus) could change the lives of non-believers. In the novel, their were many who did not believe the city had anything to hope for because of the destruction the war had caused; but symbols of hope (such as the cellist) had given some the will to believe that there was hope in overcoming this difficult time.