Mrs. Ristovski Character Analysis in The Cellist of Sarajevo

Kenan’s elderly neighbor, a prickly woman who lived through World War II. Kenan realizes that her difficult demeanor is the result of the loss and grief of war, though he still struggles to sympathize with her, since she seems so ungrateful for his help. Mrs. Ristovski is determined to survive this next conflict, though Kenan sees that part of Mrs. Ristovski – her innocence and optimism – has already died.

Mrs. Ristovski Quotes in The Cellist of Sarajevo

The The Cellist of Sarajevo quotes below are all either spoken by Mrs. Ristovski or refer to Mrs. Ristovski. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:

"You've never lived through a war. You have no idea what it will be like."
"It won't last long," he said. "The rest of Europe will do something to stop it from escalating."
She snorted. "That won't matter for me. I'm too old to do the things one must do in wartime to survive."
Kenan wasn't sure what she meant. He knew that she had been married just before the last war and that her husband was killed during the initial days of the German invasion. "It might not be that bad," he said, regretting it immediately, knowing it wasn't true.
"You have no idea," she repeated.
"Well," he said, "I will help you. Everyone in the building will help each other. You'll see."
Mrs. Ristovski picked up her coffee and took a sip. She didn't look at Kenan, refusing to acknowledge his smile. "We'll see," she said.

Related Characters: Mrs. Ristovski (speaker), Kenan (speaker)

Page Number and Citation: 20

Explanation and Analysis:

At the very beginning of the siege, Kenan has hope that his community will come together and help each other survive, even though the elderly Mrs. Ristovski is not so sure. Having lived through WWII, Mrs. Ristovski has seen that people become more selfish as times get tougher. As the siege stretches on, Kenan begins to fall into Mrs. Ristovski’s prediction, resenting the fact that he has to get water for Mrs. Ristovski when he already feels that he is risking his life just to take care of his own loved ones. Yet, Galloway suggests that Kenan cannot give up Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae voluptates. Explicabo minus tempore. N

He thinks of Mrs. Ristovski. He doesn't know what made her the way she is, but something has killed her, he can see now that she is a ghost as well. She has been a ghost for a long time. And to be a ghost while you're still alive is the worst thing he can imagine.

Related Characters: Kenan, Mrs. Ristovski

Page Number and Citation: 192

Explanation and Analysis:

Kenan’s elderly neighbor, Mrs. Ristovski, survived World War II—but at the cost of becoming a bitter shell of a woman who seems incapable of feeling true happiness. Widowed in WWII, Mrs. Ristovski chose never to remarry or start a family in her grief. Mrs. Ristovski may still be alive, but she is not truly living. Her pain and loss from the previous war kept her from appreciating life once times of peace returned. Through Mrs. Ristovski, Galloway shows the effect that war can have even on civilians. Conflicts like this can completely ruin someone’s life, even if the physical hardships Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae voluptates. Explicabo minus tempore. Nostrum dolor asperiores. Ut aliquam officiis. Unde enim nesciunt. Commodi necessitatibus voluptas. Accusamus

Mrs. Ristovski Character Timeline in The Cellist of Sarajevo

The timeline below shows where the character Mrs. Ristovski appears in The Cellist of Sarajevo. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.

...take, settling on six—that way, Kenan can take two extra bottles for his elderly neighbor Mrs. Ristovski . (full context)

...he is more terrified about his children dying than about himself. Kenan makes it to Mrs. Ristovski ’s door and knocks. Mrs. Ristovski has lived here for years, since the end of... (full context)

After the war started, Mrs. Ristovski barged into Kenan’s apartment, declaring that Kenan’s family had no idea of what people had... (full context)

...and rebuild all the buildings they have destroyed. Kenan picks up his bottles and grabs Mrs. Ristovski ’s containers, again cursing their lack of handles. (full context)

Kenan remembers first meeting Mrs. Ristovski when she came over to the apartment the first day that Kenan and Amila moved... (full context)

Kenan sighs, wondering why he still deals with Mrs. Ristovski ’s prickly personality. He gets up and starts toward the brewery, climbing the final hill... (full context)

Kenan finishes filling up Mrs. Ristovski ’s bottles as the last of the wounded are taken away. He slowly and deliberately... (full context)

Art, Culture, and Civilization Theme Icon

...from the other direction. Kenan waits for this other man to come across, wishing that Mrs. Ristovski ’s bottles had handles so that he could carry all the water at once. As... (full context)

...through this horrible world, especially not for a neighbor who hates everyone. Kenan thinks that Mrs. Ristovski should get her own water, picks up his own containers, and starts toward home. (full context)

...of the living, as well, by forcing people to drown in grief. He thinks of Mrs. Ristovski , who never recovered from her pain in WWII, and decides he doesn’t want to... (full context)

...when this is all over. For now, Kenan must return to Cumurija Bridge and reclaim Mrs. Ristovski ’s bottles of water. (full context)

...hearing the cellist play again as a reminder of that coming future. Kenan goes to Mrs. Ristovski ’s door and knocks, waiting for her to give him her cumbersome bottles to fill... (full context)

Mrs. Ristovski Character Analysis

Mrs. Ristovski Quotes in The Cellist of Sarajevo

One: Kenan Quotes

Three: Kenan Quotes

Mrs. Ristovski Character Timeline in The Cellist of Sarajevo