Hello, and welcome back, dear readers! Its been awhile since the last update, so allow me to do a quick recap on what we’ve been learning in ASTU class before jumping in to the core part of this blog post. After looking at Satrapi’s Persepolis and a few scholarly articles, our class picked up Joe Sacco’s Safe Area Gorazde (which is going to be the main focus for this blog post) and Joy Kogawa’s Obasan. Okay! End of recap! On to the core part of this blog!
Sacco’s Safe Area Gorazde takes a look into the war in Eastern Bosnia during the 1990’s. The graphic narrative is a recount of the events that happened during the war from two perspectives: From our protagonist and journalist, Joe Sacco, and a third person perspective from the different survivors that Sacco interviews for their stories and perspectives on the war. What makes the book more compelling is that one could tell when the story is being told by Sacco or by one of the survivors, depending if the page boarders were white (Sacco) or black (survivors).
But the aspect of this book which I find the most inspiring is how Sacco is not like any other journalist that is portrayed in this book. Despite what seems like a desolate enclave, Sacco has the sac to live in difficult conditions for the sake of finding out the Real Truth of what happened during the Eastern Bosnian War.
On the day the U.N. relief convoys entered Gorazde, many of the journalists were in and out of Gorazde in less than a day after they had gotten their 15 minute scoop (Sacco 6). But Sacco decides to stay, because he believes that by integrating himself into the culture, only then will he be able to fully understand what happened during the war, and how the citizens will continue to carry forward.
This really speaks to me because it is only by walking in someone else’s shoes can we truly understand the story one bears. 15 minute generalizations can only tell so much, and could possibly even be harmful by not fully understanding ones situation. This reminds me of the Ahmed Mohamed, the muslim teenager that got arrested by bringing a clock to school. Because of how muslim’s are being shown in the media, some people get false impressions and forget that there are also good people in the world, regardless of cultural background.
Sacco’s Safe Area Gorazde really expresses the importance of how important it is to walk in ones shoes, before making any quick judgements. It shows the reader that those living in Gorazde, despite having less-than ideal living conditions, are humans just like you and me. They want peace, they want to travel around the world, and some of them also want to buy a new pair of jeans.
With how many of today’s societies are becoming melting pots full of diverse cultures, it is very important to remember that at the end of the day we are all human beings, all wanting something out of life. This is the element of Sacco’s work that really inspires me to become a better person, and I hope that you too, dear reader, remember that life is more than just our own little bubble.