As the second day progresses, the hostages grow more comfortable. Why do you think this is?Provide examples that display the hostages becoming more comfortable with their situation.
Do you think Roxanne Coss's reaction to Christopf's illness and eventual death is odd? Why or why not?
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As we discussed in class it is quite possible for a hostage to become more comfortable, and appreciative, with his or her captors. The name given to this condition is the Stockholm Syndrome. By the second day that they are being held captive, the terrorists have shown small tokens of "kindness" by allowing them to go to the restroom unattended, letting them take cushions off couches to make sleeping more comfortable, and setting all the women, children, and ill free. I believe, that after seeing the terrorists do these things, they were given some hope for themselves. Before the group of hostages are let go, you see that they have begun to grow more comfortable when they start doing little things that they might have thought would get them in trouble. For example, the hostages quietly begin to talk to each other, husbands and their wives show one another a little more affection before anything bad happens. This is completely different from the first night, where everyone was too scared for their lives to do anything but comply with the orders given.
ReplyDeleteWhen Christopf dies, unfortunately, Roxane Coss seems to act as any loved one would in this situation. She cries, she mourns over the body of the one she lost, and she feels bad for how it happened. This reaction of hers does seem odd to me considering how she had treated him previously. Christopf had made his feelings for her clear, and in return she acts like she is too above him to ever accept his love. In the novel, he tells her in the plane and "as he tried to put his ear up to her cheek, she pushed him away" as well as slapping his hand away from her with the backside of her hand while in the limousine. Not minutes after his death, Roxane asks herself if the only reason why she's able to feel this strongly for him is because of his death, and in my opinion I think that's correct. If he were still alive and well, Coss most likely would have continued to treat him horribly. But then again, so many emotions are brought to the surface when you lose someone close to you, so I could be wrong.
As the second day continues, the hostages become more at ease in their predicament. This is mainly because it has been made clear that the terrorists are not intending to shoot them. On page 61, General Alfredo defends himself “who have we shot?” in an effort to make an argument for their being a “reasonable men”. Also, in the following pages, various hostages tell how they are feeling a little bit more confident, or at least not as scared. One of these cases is on page 74, when Father Arguedas walks across the room to Roxane Cross, “It was not the fear of being shot, of course, he did not believe that they would shoot him”. Other than not fearing being killed, the captives also began to become more comfortable due to their having been in the situation for almost two days, and no longer being shocked, and maybe having come to terms with their situation as well. An example of this is in the situation with the death of Christopf, when all of the guests move across the room to mourn his death, despite their orders to say on the other side of the room, on page 81.
ReplyDeleteI do not think that Roxane Cross’s reaction to the death of Christopf is not surprising. Roxanne reacted very emotionally to her accompanist’s death, although they were not particularly close, the death of anyone near to you would be extremely traumatic. Especially given the stressful and intense situation, I think that Roxane could not have been expected to act any differently. On page 84, Miss Cross says “any bullet that goes into that man goes into me first”, meaning that she would not aloe them to shoot his dead body. The only surprising this about her reaction is how, she is willing to give her life for this man that she doesn’t really know, or maybe she just thinks she would give her life for him because of the adrenaline of the moment.
"But already the captors knew the hostages would not mount an insurrection and in return the hostages knew or almost knew they would not be shot by the terrorists." This quote comes shortly after the hostages have been separated for the second time and been given the supplies from Mesner. At this point the hostages have come to accept the position they are forced into . The fear and anxiety regarding the terrorists has faded leaving the men and Roxane with the realization that most of them are simply children. The soldiers are small and easily excited although they are told not to socialize with the hostages their curiosity takes hold of them and a game begins.
ReplyDeleteThis game of course is the where are you from globe game which the hostages are willing to play often reminded of their own young children.As with any situation both parties are unsure of how to act yet their communication has gone beyond simple gestures and the hostages have grown accustomed to this way of life. No longer requesting permission to use the bathroom they are trusted for simple tasks and in return they stay. Here we see the beginning of a captor relationship as Stockholm Syndrome becoming a form of comfort for the hostages. However to truly know what will happen is something that cannot yet be predicted the characters varying wills make it difficult.
Roxane Coss has lost very little in her life and when she sees this man she had previously been so cruel to she does not know how to feel. HEr reaction is that of someone who is devastated not just by the death but by the guilt she carries with it. HE confessed his love to her and he rejected him. This is what she will always remember when she thinks of this man who has died trying to protect her. The reaction she has had to this experience is not odd rather the practical reaction a person would feel. To simply accept someone you knew die is difficult but someone who you feel died for you is something entirely different. She feels so much guilt it overwhelms anything else.
It is now day two for the hostages and everyone is beginning to become more comfortable. They whisper more to each other, there is more interaction between hostages and terrorists, and not one person has been killed. “If what a person wants is his life, he tends to be quiet about wanting anything else. Once the life begins to seem secure, one feels the freedom to complain.” (pg.56) Victor Fyodorov shows he is comfortable enough to smoke a cigarette. (pgs.56-57) Father Arguedas offers a spot on the marble floor to a tired young terrorist.(pgs. 54-56) The hostages feel less on-edge as they begin receiving pillows, restrooms and the women, children and ill are set free. I agree with Adrienne and when you told us about Stockholm’s syndrome, and I believe that plays a part in the chapters.
ReplyDeleteI don’t think Roxane's initial reaction is odd. I mean, he looks haggard being all pale and sickly so, she should’ve known he would die within a couple of days. Because of their love-hate relationship I feel her initial reaction to Christopf’s death was average. However, to say that she was grieving over him is a far step. She never treated him with too much passion because she never accepted that fact that he was in love with her. She used him for his skill, and now that he is gone I feel she only fears what her life is going to be like without him. If Christopf had stayed alive, Roxane would have continued taking advantage of him.
After the departure of the women, children and servants, the remaining men resort too a so-called "Gentlemen's Code." They know their place and do not threaten the terrorists or even push their limits, but they are allowed to curl up on chairs and sofas to sleep and see themselves to the bathroom. Even when faced with the chance to climb out the bathroom windows, the hostages don't because of a delicate respect that they have developed with the terrorists. This respect is solidified by the death of the accompanist, the terrorists and hostages stand shoulder to shoulder during this, in some sort of odd unification. The men are left to obey the simple rules that were never actually spoken allowed, to stay in the living room, stay mostly quiet, and avoid sudden movements. The hostages obey the terrorists rules and in turn are not killed, but also have reason to believe that if anything happens they will be treated with some kind of respect, like the accompanist.
ReplyDeleteRoxane Coss's reaction to her accompanist's sickness and resulting death seems fairly normal. She felt overwhelming guilt for being so cruel to him on the plane and any anger was eliminated as soon as the possibility of death was suggested. One does not usually blame the dead for minor past offenses. After embracing Christopf's corpse and finding it somforting she even wonders if it is only because he is dead that she likes him. Her reaction is a basic human one, born from guilt and pity.
The hostages become more comfortable because as the day progresses and the terrorists show no sign of violence, they start to believe that they will not be killed. They are given food, given the freedom to go to the bathroom as they please, and to sit and lay on chairs and sofas for comfort. The women and children are set free, as promised, and there is a sense of respect and kindness that comes over the men. The death of Chrisopf was witnessed by the hostages and terrorist as a whole, and almost united the two groups into one people, when everyone came to the conclusion that someone had died. Roxanne Coss's reaction his illness and death, to me, was not so strange. She feels gut-wrenching guilt for being cruel to him during the flight and all anger was diminished. As she envelops his lifeless body, she wonders to herself if its the fact that he has past that she has feelings for him. To me, this last part reminds me of how i might react if someone close to me died. Theres a saying that you dont know what you have until its gone, and i think that this internal picture, perfectly portrays that quote.
ReplyDeleteI believe in the book, it's getting more comfortable every moment have been passed by. Mostly they have made very clear that they weren’t going to shoot the others. Because all they want was the president.I could tell when the wives and the husbands started talking more, and victor Fyoforov was so comfortable that he started smoking his cigarette on page 56. They are all risking their life by doing something they didn’t been told so. I feel like Christopfs death to Roxane Coss wasn't a suprise to her. But at the same time she was feeling guilty and bad that she was so rude to him on the plane.
ReplyDeleteI feel as if the terrorists never plotted to kill the hostages because even in the first place, they didn’t even want all the hostages, they wanted the president. An example of the terrorists letting up is when the people “Having stood up and stretched their legs, they didn’t feel as obedient on the floor.” Also when General Alfredo gets insulted when Messner mistakes the terrorist group for the notorious LDA. “You said we were reasonable men,” General Alfredo said, his voice swelling with the insult. “What do you think? Do you think La Direccion Autentica would be talking to you? Do you think we would be letting the women go? I know LDA. In LDA, the ones who are not useful are shot.” So obviously now the hostages know that they are not going to be killed.
ReplyDeleteRoxanne Coss’s reaction to the accompanist’s death isn’t odd, its just that she never really knew him. I imagine she’s feeling a lot of grief but maybe that grief is because she feels guilty for never really knowing him. Also she had just been told by him that he was madly in love with her but she unfortunately for him, didn’t return his affections. “The truth was, she hated the accompanist a little… She never thought about him enough to wonder if she should.” Roxanne was too detached from the man to ever feel very strongly about him so I don’t think its odd at all. Besides, Roxanne is way to into herself to really feel grief. And while she was very emotional, I’m not sure it was for the right reasons.
ALso after reading through some of the posts, I really really agree with what Zoey said about how Roxanne reacted. I think she hit the nail on the head when she quoted, "You don't know what you have until it's gone."
ReplyDeleteI beleive that they become more comfortable because, in my experiance even if i dont feel safe or comfortable in a situation i do however change my opinion if i feel like somone is being kind and their kindness makes me feel safe in way thus i feel a sense of comfort that replaced what was once my feelings or thoughts of fear without letting my guard down completly.
ReplyDeleteRoxannes reaction was not strange at all. I personally have through something slightly similar. When my grandma passed i felt guilty and very sad. i felt guilty because i wished that i could have said goodbye, because i was away at boarding school for her last months and mostly because though i loved her i didnt show it as much as i should have. I had my guard up with her most of the time and sometimes pushed her away. neglected her and treated her poorly when i was little. This lesened over the years and our relationship grew into somthing really great but i still look back on the times i did her wrong and wish i could make it upto her, i know that i cannot and im sure roxanne relizes this too. This is the reason for her distress.