Sacco Reflection

Upon reflection of Safe Area Gorazde, I realized that there was/is so much that I still don’t know about history. I had no idea about the war in Eastern Bosnia. Although the story is extremely saddening, I enjoyed the vivid images and compelling storyline. While sad but true, I thought it was interesting how they showed how the neighbors turned on each other. I loved reading about Riki but was heartbroken when he went on to war. I hated reading about the hunger, the slaughters, the searches, and any violence in general. After reading, there are some parts that I had a hard time reading: 1) when all the people were running away from the enemy (p.80-85), 2) seeing the man half burned (p.90), 3) when the bodies were flowing down the river and they described the slaughter on the bridge (p.114-116), 4) when the women got raped by the soldiers (p.117-119), and finally 5) when we saw graphic images on the patients in the hospital being treated without anything to ease the pain (p. 122-123). Towards the end of the comic book, I thought it was extremely brave how the men tried to defend their home town. Some of the more disgraceful things that I didn’t like to hear about included: 1) how the world responded (or failed to respond) to the situation at hand, 2) how the soldiers vandalized the houses of their own neighbors, and 3) when the girl complained about not getting the right type of jeans. I just remember thinking: you’ve just experienced what total war is like and you’re worried about your clothes?! That kind of annoyed me, a lot. All in all, I think it was a good read, although I wouldn’t recommend it due to the sheer vividness and horror, but I think the history should be more taught in schools.