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Critical analysis for SAFE AREA GORAZDE


ljrtan 3 / 6  
Sep 17, 2011   #1
I need to write the critical analysis for SAFE AREA GORAZDE for my Rhetoric class, and I really need help for the style and the structure of the paper, which it seems to be lost focus.

All Men Are Brothers? : Metaphor and Foreshadowing in Safe Area Gorazde

Emperor Hirohito once said, "All men are brothers, like the seas throughout the world; so why do winds and waves clash so fiercely everywhere?" In today's society, religion, ethnicity, and social background are just a few factors that are being judged frequently by people. Undeniably, we all focus on others' differences rather than the fact that we are all human beings. As we grow, the focus on differences might become even stronger - and the outcome might escalate to war. As Rasim, who had first-hand experience of the cruelty of the Bosnian war, said in Joe Sacco's graphic novel Safe Area Gorazde, "I was an eye witness." Sacoo illustrates the ironic transition from a peaceful neighborhood to an "inferno" and the conflicts between the Serbs and the Muslims (both internal and external) through an innovated graphic novel, which also becomes a metaphor for the American society.

A question was raised: How can a little political tension lead to this human tragedy? Edin, one of the main characters in Sacco's graphic novel, said, "I didn't make any distinction between Serb, Croat and Muslim children. We were always together - fishing, in forests, on the playground..." (Sacco 18) Yet, not long after, under the influence by Tito's "brotherhood and unity" policy, the Bosnian War (1992-1995) began - in the name of "ethnic nationalism" (20). Bosnia, soon, became a war-field full of women and youth's blood and broken dreams. Ironically, there is no straight answer to Sacco's question. As Edin continues, "We're killed for nothing. Life is worth nothing." (188) The mind of human nature is indeed complicated, which can make people betray their hearts and forget the basic ethics of being a human. Sacco, unlike other journalists, chose graphics instead of traditional journalism to show this sharp transition of the war and the change of human morality. He also uses allusion to the American society - an ethnically and racially diverse country. Although America protects the freedom of religion and the press (the 1st Amendment), and provide an equal opportunity for higher education and work, those are not necessarily enforced. The internment of Japanese American in WWII and the loss of air-travel freedoms for Muslims after 9/11 both show the political power beyond this "peaceful" diverse society.

Sacco's portrayal is indeed "worth a thousand words" - it ties readers' hearts to the reality of this brutal war and the pain and depression of the Bosniaks through "an eye for the human side." The background of the novel changes to black as the setting shifts to the past, which symbolizes the indescribable past and the dehumanization of the war. Rasim recalls, "I was an eye witness . . . They cut their throats . . . First they killed the children . . . And I was an eye witness when a Chetnik cut off the breast of one of the mothers, who was trying to protect her kid." (111) This memory presents the reader with a breathtaking image. Sacco uses repetition of "I was an eye witness" and his black and white drawing style to symbolize the historical struggles of the Muslims, and to set off the death and reality of the "ethnic cleansed." An image on page 115 shows a Chetnik with a face full of blood looking at Rasim, as he is crossing a blood pond, with a strange smile on his face. As the Chetnik's truck passes, a pile of bodies is shown in the back of the truck. We never know what the Chetnik was thinking at that moment, or when he killed the first person. This dehumanizing change from a loyal citizen to a killing machine symbolizes the violence of human nature, which Sacco intends to be a main theme of the book and a reminder to every American citizen.

Combined with different personal stories and several shifts of time, Sacco delivers the images of his own observation and the brutal killing in Gorazde. Riki, a symbol of life and hope, has a huge character image on the page and a dramatic impact on the other residents (both during and after the war). He wants to learn American English, loves Rock'n Roll, and has an American spirit, which ironically reflects American society nowadays. Sacco uses the metaphor of Bosnia for the U.S., of which both have diverse populations, to foreshadow how a mini political tension could change America entirely as racism still remains at the back of people's minds, which the process is also shown in the Safe Area Gorazde.

Safe Area Gorazde, by Joe Sacco, is not as objective as other journalistic novels; however, it connects the readers to the brutal experience and life in Gorazde during the war, and reflects the American society in a compelling form. At the end, he also brings up a question: can you ever live with the Serbs again? Amra answered on the site: "Thank God that we are alive, or some of us . . . we have enough love in our hearts to forgive! But we should not forget! Every one of us moved on . . . Life is going on . . ." (Amra K.) Indeed, we shouldn't forget the history - the war which begins with racial difference and ends in "cultural pluralism". Yet, can we learn from the lesson and apply to the future of America?

Works Cited

Sacco, Joe. Safe Area Gorazde: The War In Eastern Bosnia 1992-95. China, March 2008. Print.
"Gorazde and Foca." Jeb Sharp - Radio Stories. Web. May 12, 2008.


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