Eileen Howard

Eileen Howard
Bel Canto
Ann Patchett
Realistic Fiction
Challenge
Page 80

1.Right now in my book the Generals decided to release the women and the sick hostages go. Messner told the Generals that they had too many people to be able to keep them under control. In return for letting some of the hostages go, the generals receive enough food for the hostages and themselves. When the women are leaving, General Hector told Roxanne Coss, a revered opera singer, to stay. Roxanne refuses to stay as a hostage, saying that she needs to stay with her accompanist, Christopf, who is quite sick. When Christopf realizes that Roxanne won’t be released he decides that he needs to stay with her. Soon after declaring his love for Roxanne, he falls into a coma because of his illness. Father Arguedas fears that he will die soon, and says the last rites for him. When Christopf heart stops beating, Roxanne remembers that he was a diabetic and had ran out of insulin.
2.So far I’m really enjoying this book. At first the book was really slow, but it’s picked up quite a bit. Also the way Ann Patchett writes has a way of giving every detail but still keeping the pace going. Another thing that just came up in this book is the way the characters have changed since they have become hostages. For example, Roxanne Coss was somewhat of a diva at first, but when realizes that her accompanist died to be with her, she feels awful for the way she had treated her accompanist before.
3.A theme that I have noticed so far is passion in the face of death. Very early in the book, when the generals first come in through the air vent, Simon and Edith Thibault become very passionate and make sure that whatever happens they will always remember each other. The characters find that death could come at any time which makes they want love and friendship more than anything and they quickly forget the outside world.
4.My favorite character is Gen Wantanabe, Mr. Hosokawa’s translator. Gen has a unique gift which languages, which I envy greatly. Also Gen is needed by everyone because no more than two hostages speak the same language. He has a way of translating the words but not actually listening to the words, making him a third wheel in the conversation. Because Gen doesn’t listen to the words he’s saying many people trust him with their secrets.
5.My least favorite character is Ruben Iglesias, the Vice president and host of the party. Iglesias spends most of his time cleaning up after everyone and often complains about it. The other hostages have nothing to do, but he refuses to let them help him with all of the work that he complains about.
6.I think that the hostages will end up staying hostage for a long time but the guards will begin to loosen up on them and eventually be able to escape.