Schrein1

Blake E. Schrein

Prof. Arnold

Hon. Global Connections

2 April 2011

Hotel Rwanda Microtheme

Bribes are a large part of African culture. It is my understanding that the

same can be said for helping your neighbors by loaning items, and sharing your food

and your home. Due to his work at Les Mille Collines, Paul is a form of a

contradiction when it comes to these two characteristics of the “classic African way”.

On one hand, Paul is very good at the bribery game when it comes to

improving his relationships with generals, the police and the UN Peace Keepers.

This work, slipping expensive scotch into the bags of his guests, is just part of the

African culture. You do these things to ensure you have the right people on your

side when you need them or to just make life easier.

Although Paul has maintained his “gift-giving” habit while working at Les

Mille Collines, he seems to have been affected by his continual interactions with

Europeans and Americans, in the cultures of whom the custom of “universal

sharing” is less common.

Thus, Paul has saved his favors for his family alone and does not intend on

using them on anyone else. This is clearly seen when his wife Tasiana begs Paul to

help their neighbor, Victor, who has just been beaten and taken away by the rebels.

Tasiana wanted Paul to call the police and use his influence to help Victor return

home safely. Paul refuses.

 Schrein2

As time passes and more people are fleeing their homes, they come to Paul’s

home because they understand he has contacts and thus they hope to be safe with

him and his family. Paul is very upset about this but his wife welcomes the

neighbors and acquaintances into their home.

When the police come to evacuate Paul and his family from their home and

they discover all of the others inside, Paul has to use a large portion of his favors to

save them all. We see in this that Paul, though he may dress and speak and run the

hotel as a white man still holds true to those African values when it counts.

This is also seen when Paul takes in the 20 orphans that are dropped off by

the Red R woman and then more when the priest and nuns arrive. Over the course

of the film you see the businessman of Paul recede and the pure humanity of him

appear.

By the end of the film, Paul and his family miss the, possibly last, bus out of

Rwanda in order to look for their nieces. As the last scene unfolds, you see Paul and

his wife with their children and nieces as well as the orphans that they helped to

rescue. Paul turns to his wife as says, “There will always be another one.” It is clear

that he has not given up his values or his hope.