Imagine being a young Jewish girl in the time of the Holocaust; would there still be hope to keep on living? In Ruth Minsky Sender’s novel, The Cage, this story is told. The main character, Riva Minska, and her family, Mama, Motele, Laibele, Moishele, lived during the disasters of World War II. Through these moments, Sender portrays the idea of holding on to hope when all is lost. First, family the idea of family is very important in the novel. After Riva’s mother was taken away by Nazis, their “house is empty without momma, but [their] hearts are not” (57). This is just one of the many ways Riva had hope in dark times. When Laibele was dying, Riva told him to keep on fighting and to not give up (90). These moments show that family is a supporting
