Sacrifice In The Bosnian War

Civilians show the reader what the Martial values of loyalty, courage and self-sacrifice look like during a time of war.

Loyalty to country, to her high school sweetheart and to her hometown of Visegrad, Jasmina cannot picture herself living anywhere else. (p.26) Connecting the loyalty to her homeland to her culture and the ways they took care of one another is very moving. For example, we see sharing as a cultural fact. Is sharing a character trait that appears innate to the culture? It certainly appears so, the author provides numerous examples of sharing when she recalls who pays for drinks at the café, to the sharing of clothes, to giving of the water one risked their lives to secure (P.27, 94, 143)

Courageous isn’t a strong enough word the victims of the Bosnian War. Particularly, for those who had survived similar atrocities inflicted during WWII. The survivors of WWII repeated their stories, they told Jasmina what the Chetniks did and what they were capable of. “She had been through one war and she knew what to do.” (P.91)

Young and bright, Jasmina is ambitious and has aspirations of becoming a furniture designer with plans to gain an extended education. Recognizing that the war may prevent them from

This made her search for a red dress and shoes to match very relatable, it is what I wore. Though I’m acutely aware that at the time of this war technology didn’t allow for cell phones, and there were many fights in my newlywed home over telephone bills to my mother, does our rapid access to information make a difference in how we react and respond to genocide today, or do we just select ourselves out those