“What does it mean to be human and alive?”

This is what my Anthropology Professor Wade Davis asked us to keep in our minds as we explore a spectrum of cultures this semester in our lectures, discussion groups, and readings.

But as our ASTU class started reading Safe Area Gorazde, this question came into my mind again. In the context of war, what does it mean to be human and alive? Throughout the last week and a bit, our class discussions have revolved around the themes of humanity and femininity, and what Joe Sacco’s purpose is in all of this. By creating this graphic journal is he trying to tell the tragedy of the Bosnian War through their perspectives and their collective truths, or is there a bigger story to consider as well? I believe that Joe Sacco, also portrays humanity at its most vulnerable state. He illustrates bravery, cowardice, selfishness, through the offset of politics (first-hand accounts of the war) and humour (the manner in which Bosnians try to cope in the midst of war); this makes his journal effective. He shows that people surviving through war are ordinary human beings simply being pushed into this ruthless world.

The “Silly Girls” chapters has brought interesting discussions into our class. He is seen to dehumanize women but at the same time, this chapter also demonstrates that women are real people with their idiosyncrasies and dreams. They try to cope with the war through optimism; they dance, they sing, they flirt, they cook and they long for the latest fashions. Even as Sacco attempts to get first-hand accounts through interviews, the women come off as defensive to hide the suffering. In the chapter “Silly Girls Part II”, Sabina grins and giggles about her close-calls and Dalila ends the chapter with a harsh and simple response.

Riki also displays the raw nature of humanity. He is a significant soldier in the Bosnian War but I interpret his casual actions as a form of comic relief. The songs he belts out and the way people keep encouraging him to do so, to extrude his enthusiasm, is another means of coping. In the face of war, what else could anyone really do, but attempt to keep hopes and a sense of normalcy consistent? Singing protected Riki from the horrible experiences he says he had faced (Sacco, 26). He also protected people from their discomfort; he compliments the good in people and sings for them to cease negative thoughts (Sacco, 28).

Joe Sacco illustrates this graphic journal to highlight that the Bosnian War is a story of individuals. He isolates each character to display their uniqueness and pushes away the notion that their stories are compiled to be seen as one collective story. Each and every survivor has their own story to tell and Joe Sacco is able to bring into light a few of them, how they survived and how they experienced the tragedy of war.

Somewhere in our class discussions, I recall (unless someone didn’t say anything) that it was said that Joe Sacco wrote this the way he did so that we can step into their shoes and view the world the way they viewed it. He “caricatured” himself by not giving himself eyes, and realistically drew the Bosnians to illustrate that this is their story. I agree with this and find myself relating to the Silly Girls and Riki. In the present time, I know that hardships we face are hard to overcome alone and I try to find ways to cope or get over whatever I’m stressed or depressed about. Retail therapy, for example, though it actually may not be the best representation, from time to time gives me an opportunity to get things off my mind. I also find myself listening to music a lot nowadays and simply immersing myself in different rhythms and beats helps me to a great extent. For me, music soothes and clears my mind.

The way that I am able to relate to the characters prove Joe Sacco’s effectiveness in telling this story. The coping that goes on in the white bordered pages, highlights the notion of humanity. As humans, we do not just suffer. And we are not just another human being. We don’t have one single emotion that can sum up a series of events nor are we a shadow in the world. There is so much more than that, our emotions, our hopes, our dreams elevate the importance of our existence. We try to find the best in the worst and honestly, I feel that holds great significance in everyday life. To be human and alive is to be able to feel. It is enduring pain and persevering until the end to mark bravery. As heartbreaking as it is to suffer and survive, I guess it is all part of being human. Nothing is perfect and we simply try to do the best we can in this fragile world.

Have a great weekend & please keep smiling,
KYLO 🙂