The Untold Loss of War

 Zlata's Diary: A Child's Life in Wartime Sarajevo is an enlightening and sobering story. It gives an account of two years in the life of a child living in Bosnia during the Bosnian war. Zlata had to endure bombings, hunger, deprivation, and death. All of those factors were hard enough, however, trying to grow up in that kind of environment brought a new kind of loss. Zlata was only eleven when she began recording her diary. By the end of her published work, she was only thirteen.  Zlata mourned for the loss of the life that she was supposed to lead. She cried because school is canceled, and she could not sign up for the courses she wanted. She cried because she wanted to play her piano but it was in "the dangerous room". She cried in fear when her parents left the house because she is afraid of how or if they would return. She cried because deep down she knows that she is "a child without a childhood" (Filipovic 61). Zlata later called this her "wartime childhood". She was caught up in a life threatening situation every day and missing out on her entire life for a conflict that she does not even understand. She stated that "politics were making her life miserable". Sadly, this is a reality for many adolescents all over the globe even today. And that is why we should read creative nonfiction just like this diary in our modern day classrooms. It expands the reader's global perspective and teaches us that war effects people from all walks of life, all races and ethnicities, and yes, every age group. There is an adolescent out there right now who, like Zlata, is "feeling caged" (Filipovic 64) and their stories need to be heard. It is also important to read these kinds of books so that our students can make connections with protagonists that they might identify with. Students in our classrooms may not have gone through a literal war, but they may need the courage to continue fighting the battles in their own lives. Zlata, gives us hope. She gives us faith that things will get better even in the middle of a war. Although Zlata was young and innocent, she was also strong and wise. She saw the war as "inhuman" yet, she never truly complained. In fact, she apologized to her diary because she felt like she had complained too much. Zlata teaches us that people are resilient and war is temporary. Zlata may have lost a large portion of her childhood, but through her story, she can help others hold on to theirs.