Children at War and the Supportive Role of Diaries. The Case of "Zlata's Diary. A Child's Life in Sarajevo"

Term Paper , 2014 , 15 Pages , Grade: 3,0

Didactics for the subject English - Literature, Works

This essay examines the important supportive role diaries can play for children in coping with war and experiencing war at first hand. In particular, it is concerned with the diary of Zlata Flipovic's autobiographic work "Zlata's Diary. A Child's Life in Sarajevo" and the Yugoslav Wars".

Therefore, the author begins by giving background information on the Yugoslav Wars and a short general introduction to the diary itself, before describing the diary and it's content more extensively. Here, the authors puts special emphasis on the potential therapeutic effects of journal writing, especially when suffering under PTSD. In a third step, she further examines the specific techniques of writing within the context of the diary.

Finally, a short conclusion based on the aforementioned facts is drawn.

Inhaltsverzeichnis (Table of Contents)

• Introduction
• The Yugoslavia War
• Zlata's Diary
  • How the war stole her childhood
  • Zlata and PTSD
  • The Journal Therapy
• Diary Writing and its Versatility
  • The Techniques of Writing
  • War Diaries
• Conclusion
• References

Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte (Objectives and Key Themes)

This term paper explores the impact of war on children, focusing on the supportive role of diary writing. It investigates whether diary writing can help young people cope with traumatic events, particularly war. The paper utilizes the book "Zlata's Diary" by Zlata Filipovic, which chronicles the experiences of a young girl living through the war in Sarajevo, as a primary source.

• The impact of war on children
• Diary writing as a therapeutic tool for coping with trauma
• The effectiveness of diary writing in processing war experiences
• The use of diary writing as a tool for understanding the human experience of war
• The significance of publishing war diaries

Zusammenfassung der Kapitel (Chapter Summaries)

• Introduction: The introduction sets the stage for the term paper by highlighting the pervasive nature of war throughout history, particularly focusing on its devastating effects on children. It introduces Zlata's Diary as a case study and emphasizes the role of diary writing as a potential coping mechanism for young people during war.
• The Yugoslavia War: This chapter provides historical context by outlining the complex factors that led to the Yugoslavia War in the 20th century. It explores the political and economic tensions that fuelled the conflict, specifically highlighting the motivations behind the independence movements of Slovenia and Croatia.
• Zlata's Diary: This chapter introduces Zlata Filipovic and her diary as a personal account of life in war-torn Sarajevo. The author presents Zlata's pre-war life, highlighting the stark contrast with the experiences she faces during the war.
• How the war stole her childhood: This section delves into the devastating impact of war on Zlata's life. It discusses how her childhood innocence is shattered by the violence and how she copes with the loss of friends and the constant fear of shelling.

Schlüsselwörter (Keywords)

This paper focuses on the key themes of war, childhood, trauma, diary writing, therapy, coping mechanisms, Zlata's Diary, and the Yugoslavia War.

• College: University of Constance
• Grade: 3,0
• Publication Year: 2014
• Pages: 15
• Catalog Number: V498107
• ISBN (eBook): 9783346015587
• ISBN (Book): 9783346015594
• Language: English
• Tags: children, life, child´s, diary, zlata´s, case, diaries, role, supportive, sarajevo