Monday, February 1, 2010
In chapter 8 we see a strengthening in the bonds of different relationships. Although some of these interactions suggest an amorous relationship, others relect a more familial type of relationship. These are the ones I want you to focus on. Explain how some of the different relationships are taking on a family-like quality. Look for father-son, mother-daughter, brother-brother and other familial relationships. Make sure to make references.
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Throughout the book several hostages have felt a fondness for their young captors seeing in them the children the left at home. By chapter eight formalities and security measures seem to have faded away allowing relationships to slowly form. Ishmael is a small and quiet boy he carries his gun and follows orders however he does not standout. When the relationship between general Benjamin and Mister Hosokawa begins as they enjoy a chess game each day he is drawn in. After watching the two men play chess for several hours he speaks up and asks to play. When both the General and Hosokawa agree both develop a fondness for the young boy. Benjamin is reminded of his days teaching Hosokawa has a fondness for the shy young man. In this case three different relationships are formed the first is that of brothers between Hosokawa and Benjamin, the second father and son Ishmael and Benjamin and finally the third a grandfather and grandson ishmael and Hosokawa. Although Hosokawa likes the boy he is at a distance looking on as Ishmael learns.
ReplyDeleteCarmen and Beatriz are not friends in fact they barely speak. Though both are forced to interact when Beatriz catches Carmen bringing Hosokawa to Roxane's room. At this point They are forced to interact and share a secret between them. This bond although never mentioned again is one that only sisters can share.
The final relationship is Carmen and Roxane a maternal bond. Throughout the story they have been incredibly close braiding their hair sitting together and speaking often.These various relationships display the bonds that form in a high stress situation.
FIRST
ReplyDeleteIn this chapter, the relationships between the young terrorists and the hostages kind of grow tighter and tighter. Ishmael learned how to play chess by watching them play it and now he is like one of the chess players that plays with Mr. Hosokawa or General Benjamin everyday. The Generals were strict to the boy terrorists but it is part of like the father-son relationship. Fathers get to be strict on there boys, and boys don't get sad when their father treat them so because they know that their father must love them.
ReplyDeleteThe relationship between Roxane and Carmen is like the mother-daughter relationship in this book. Although Carmen has a gun, she still needs Roxane's love. They sleep in the same bed, not with Beatriz. Roxane definetely doesn't care for Beatriz. She knows how hard Carmen's life is and she kind of has the maternal feeling about Carmen.
I would say the brother-brother relationship occurs between Mr. Hosokawa and General Benjamin. Although I don't know what exactly a brother-brother relationship looks like, I think they kind of have that relationship. They are both quiet when they are playing chess and they know each other on chess very well even though they don't even talk. They are not the brothers that grows up together but they are brothers on chess.
The first relationship that I noticed was between many hostages in the house and the young terrorist Ishmael. I believe that one of the first things that stood out to everyone was the fact that he is smaller than virtually everyone in the house, making them feel a sort of protectiveness over him. Just like any family member would over the youngest in the family. The bonds formed with him are strengthened between Ishmael, Mr. Hosokawa, and General Benjamin when they allow him to play chess and realize how bright he really is. This also seems to give them a sense of pride in him, which you could find between family members.
ReplyDeleteI also felt a connection between Father Arguedas and the people he holds confession with; especially with Beatriz. He teaches her about the art of confession while making her experience her first with the tenderness only a family member could give. It could be paternal, but to me it seems more like that from a brother.
As Maddy also said, there is a maternal bond between Carmen and Roxane Coss. It's a hard one to miss. Every so often Carmen sneaks into Roxane's room for a few minutes of shut eye in her comfortable bed. She also occasionally brings her breakfast and guards her door at night. They seem to be very close, and Roxane even speaks highly of her daughter-like figure.
One of the first terrorist-hostage relationships that have come to develop is the relationship between Roxane and Carmen. I see their relationship more as sister-sister, rather than maternal. Earlier in the novel, we see Roxane braiding Carmen’s hair and even inviting her into bed to rest for a few more minutes. Carmen shows her loyalty to Roxane when she agrees to bring Mr. Hosokawa to Roxane’s room. Carmen continues to help Roxane when Beatriz catches them and points her gun at Mr. Hosokawa. The relationship between Roxane and Carmen ultimately grows stronger because Carmen continues to help Roxane even though she faces the possibility of the generals losing trust in her and either kicking her out of the group, or killing her.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Maddy in the relationships between Ishmael, Ruben and General Benjamin. Both men are fatherly toward the young boy, tolerate, and eventually come to enjoy his chess games. I think in a different situation, General Benjamin and Ruben could be friends. I believe this because Ruben gives Gen. Benjamin antibiotics, but you can still see the terrorist-hostage relationship because Gen. Benjamin makes Ruben take a pill before, to insure the pills are really antibiotics.
I think Carmen and Beatriz have a friend relationship, possibly a sister one. Some of my best friends are like sisters to me, so I believe the two share both types of relationships. When the awkward meeting of Carmen, Mr. Hosokawa and Beatriz happen we see that both girls compromise. Carmen knows Beatriz was asleep on the job and Beatriz knows Carmen is helping Roxane. In order for the girls to stay safe within the organization it takes a certain amount of trust between the two to keep these secrets.
The slowly relaxing atmosphere and easing of tensions between captors and captives has spawned many relationships. Carmen and Roxane seem to have developed a sisterly bond, Roxane with the wiser role of the elderly sibling and Carmen looking up to her. They sleep in bed together and brush each other's hair, both seem to feel protective of the other. Mr. Hosokawa and Benjamin have developed an almost brotherly relationship, either that or a relationship similar to that of brothers-in-law. They don't speak much, but they both are decidedly respectful of each other. They don't share intimate secrets, or really any words at all, but they have a very strong relationship, based purely on respect(a value which both characters obviously value). Ishmael is like the nephew of the Hosokawa and Benjamin, watching them play chess and learning from them. He eventually works up the guts to ask to play and Hosokawa plays him in a silent game of chess, similar to the ones him and Benjamin play. Bemjamin even seems a little proud of the boy. Gen and Hosokawa have developed an odd father-son type relationship. They obviously deeply care for one another, but instead of one playing the role of the protector and the other of the protected, they both attempt to protect the other.
ReplyDeleteEveryone in the house has settled into a family-like atmosphere. The Russians play cards in the corner like the young, crazy cousins. Thibault, Hosokawa and Gen are somewhat like uncles, and the Generals preside over the whole thing like the elders.
In chapter 8 of Bel Canto, many familial relationships come into view. Being that the captives and captors are living in close proximity, and are currently on pleasant and cordial terms, there are bound to be many relationships formed of different kinds. Although a few of the relationships are of the amorous type, most are more family and friends.
ReplyDeleteOne of these relationships that is common among the people in the mansion is a sort of father-son relationship between some of the hostages and the much younger terrorists. Many of the men have children at home and are reminded of them by the children who constantly watch them and hold their guns close. An example of this type of relationship is between Ishmael, a particularity young and small terrorist, and Mr. Hosokawa and General Benjamin. This relationship begins to form on page 231 when Ishmael, who has been studying the game of chess as Mr. Hosokawa and General Benjamin play, asks if he may play a game against the winner or loser of their game. General Benjamin and Mr. Hosokawa happily agree to this request, and both enjoy his learning to play. General Benjamin says “the boys accomplishment had put him in a good mood. It reminded him of when he used to be a schoolteacher”, on page 241. This shows that he is feeling close to and proud of his accomplice and is starting to have a feeling of family within the mansion. Mr. Hosokawa is also becoming quite fond of Ishmael and is enjoying playing the chess game against him. Ruben also feels some attachment to this boy as he learns the game of chess, as he remembers buying the chess set for the purpose of teaching his own some and is pleased to see someone using it.
Carmen and Roxane Cross have another type of relationship, this one maternal, with Roxane feeling responsible for and grateful to Carmen as they become closer. Previously in the book, it is said that Roxane and Carmen will braid each other’s hair in the mornings and that Roxane will let Carmen sleep in her bed for amounts of time in the mornings. The two have become quite close and it is clear that their bond will be a lasting one.
Carmen and Beatriz also form a sister- sister bond as they work together to get Mr. Hosokawa safely into Roxane’s room in the idle of the night on page 258. Although these two were not particularly close before, the situation of being two of the three girls in the mansion and the only two that belong to the terrorists brings them together. The secret that they now share also brings them together as they both must keep it to insure their safety.
A brotherly relationship forms between gen and most of the other men, as he is forced to be a part of even their most personal matters. An example of this is in chapter 7, on page 212, when gen is expected to relay the story and declaration of Fyodorov’s love for Roxane. This makes Gen closer to Fyodorov, as he now knows a secret of his and is expected to keep it in his confidences. Gen also becomes even closer to his employer as he is helps him through their imprisonment and with his relationship with Roxane.
The relationships, which are formed within chapter 8, as well as previously in the book, are remarkable and clearly are made possible only by the circumstances and closeness of the people inside the mansion.
The relationship that made my imagination wonder most was that, the generals, now in a state of coming realization of fate, have taken the place of "the elders" in a tribe or small village. Maybe not the wisest of elders, but the fact that it feels to me like they are now protecting not only themselves, but the hostages as well, makes for an interesting evaluation of intention. They look over the group and make sure that they are all well fed and safe.
ReplyDeleteMr. Hosokawa-Benjamin: They have a sibling like relationships which acts like a brotherhood, but they hardly speak at all throughout the chapter. When they play chess they are silent, and they're relationship is based almost purely on a high level of respect for each other. This attribute is very important to both of them in their lives, and they bond over that shared principle.
(Ishmael)- He takes his place as a nephew type to Hosokawa and Benjamin, and he watches them play chess and learns from them what he can. One day he asks to play, and he and Hosokawa silently sit at the chessboard and play. During this time, Benjamin is feeling proud of Ishmael for wanting to be a part.
Carmen-Beatriz: This relationship is what I call a "half-sister" relationship. That means that they are like sisters, but they met at the halfway point, so they don't know each other, yet feel as though they must protect and trust the other. They confide in each other and they make sure that the other is safe by having a strong bond of trust as well as a protection of exchanged secrets.
Gen-Hosokawa: I saw this as a father to son relationship because they deeply care for each other, and they help each other in huge ways. Gen would be in my opinion the son, because he helps to speak for Hosokawa who is disabled in the area of foreign language and communication. This portrays to me as a child helping they're older, less capable parent with their needs. It came to attention that both the men try to protect the other, and attempt to be the caretaker or "parent."
The last relationship I will mention is Carmen and Roxanne. This is clearly a sisterly bond that forms almost immediately after they become acquainted.They begin to sleep in the same bed, and brush each other's hair. Roxanne takes place as eldest sibling, mentoring Carmen and giving advice, and Carmen looks up to Roxanne as a role model. They care about each other deeply, and they have protective feelings for the other, as to be expected.
I think that it's funny and strange how Hosokawa and Roxanne have their little infatuation, meanwhile Gen and Carmen are forming a partnership. This is funny because, Hosokawa and Gen are very close, and now Carmen and Roxanne are too. It feels almost like a middle school delusional foursome of two couples. They become lovers, which unites them as best friends, which in turn creates a double date, all in the middle of a hostage situation. This is quite humorous to me.