Not gonna lie, I was pretty worried when trying to find an allusion in Steven Galloway’s book The Cellist of Sarajevo to blog about. However, I must say, the universe sure has a way of helping you out in tough situations.
I started looking for allusions, then quickly gave up. But as I continued reading the novel, my eyes fell upon a certain sentence:
“It is a pilgrimage, a parade, all of them rats of Hamelin,” (Galloway, 121).
Rats of Hamelin.
The rats of Hamelin originate from the German folktale called Pied Piper of Hamelin.
Pied Piper is quite the character. He uses his magical silver pipe to lure children, animals, insects, clouds, and even pollutants of a river to wherever he pleases.
After an infestation of rats takes over a part of Hamelin, leading to an epidemic, the Piper and his apprentice play their pipes to lure the rats to follow them. They then lead the rats off a cliff to fall to their deaths.
In The Cellist of Sarajevo, I think the usage of this allusion is quite interesting and clever. The sentence in which the allusion is presented refers to the people following a truck carrying an enormous plastic tank of water. The people of Sarajevo don’t have anymore running water due to the war, so water holds a very important spot on their list of necessities.
In the context of the story, I would say that the water truck is representative of the magic pipe in Pied Piper of Hamelin. It lures the people, representative of the rats, towards their potential deaths.
Danger is ever present in the city. A simple task such as refilling bottles with water could be deadly, as Sarajevans risk being shot by snipers or bombed by shells.
In the Pied Piper of Hamelin, the rats are not a positive presence. They are a pest and unwanted. I believe that comparing the people lining up for water to the rats of Hamelin infers that these people aren’t wanted by society. They are a pest: another mouth to feed, another consumer of necessities. They don’t contribute to society, and many don’t help to fight the war against the enemy. They are seen as the rats of Hamelin.
Well, that’s my interpretation for the allusion used in this context at least. The only way to truly understand and debunk its usage is to ask author Steven Galloway himself.
Please don’t get lured by a magical pipe, pals. Peace out.
My Pen and Paper Palace 