Susan Thomas

LBST 2102-H93

Dr. Robert Arnold

April 5, 2011

Hotel Rwanda

When the term genocide is brought up in conversation my mind often reflects back to pictures

of two cultures at war with each other; leaving behind millions of mutilated bodies. Through this movie I

have gained the understanding that a group was divided years ago into sub-groups and taught to hate

each other based on physical characteristics. The Hutus were the majority and the Tutsis the minority.

Unlike the other stories I’ve heard, this particular story based on the heroic acts of Paul Rusesabagina

was one of courage and hope. Despite all the obstacles and hardships Paul had to suffer, he still decided

to house Tutsis in his hotel and save thousands of lives.

The radio in this movie played a significant role in the lives of the civilians of Rwanda. People

tuned in to the Hutu caster frequently to get updates about what was happening in the area. The

broadcast was biased in favor of the Hutus and often told the listeners to kill the cockroaches. He

manipulated the audience and used the radio to negatively impact the people surrounding him. He was

the driving force in the raid of the United Nations convoy when he was tipped off through a hotel

employee indirectly.

Paul used the connections he had in the world to the best of his ability and when the Rwandans

were left alone after the foreigners fled, he also encouraged the hotel residents to call the connections

they had to. He realized that these resources were their only hope from escaping the wrath in their

country. Paul was able to utilize his skills as a business man to barter for their lives. This network of

suppliers and high-ranked officials represented a sector of globalization that would one day save their
lives. It was important for Paul to maintain good domestic as well as foreign relations with people

because while in danger they were his only hope.

At the beginning of the film while the neighbor was being beaten, Paul’s wife encouraged him to

help but he told her that someone must have lied about him being a rebel spy and there was nothing he

could do to help the man. He said that the man wasn’t family and only family mattered. This changed

when the genocide grew worse and Paul witnessed the magnitude of the problem that was occurring

outside the walls of the hotel. The day Paul was supposed to depart, he jumped off the truck and stayed

with the family’s that had nowhere to go. This change in opinion reflected growth in Paul and from that

point on he was determined to help everyone even if he was looked down upon by his fellow Hutu

officials and providers.

It angered me to know that people referred to what was going on in Rwanda as “acts of

genocide” rather than outright genocide. By calling it genocide, other countered would have then had to

hold the responsibility of helping them out. People in other countries didn’t want to hold the burden of

these Rwandans. They came to get all the whites from the country and left the Rwandans to fend for

themselves. This movie was very eye opening and I was happy I finally got the chance to watch such an

incredible story.