Perspective

Zlata's Diary is valuable insofar that it provides a child's perspective on war and the Bosnian War in particular. Zlata is a normal girl growing up in Sarajevo. She enjoys school and worries about grades, she likes American pop acts like Madonna and New Kids on the Block, she takes piano lessons, and she enjoys the company of her friends. As a child, she does not have the larger geopolitical perspective on what's causing the war or which factions are involved. To some, this "lack" of perspective could actually be perceived as a strength. Zlata argues that people should not be divided along ethnic lines (ethnic tensions being a particular issue in the Bosnian War) and that violence in the name of ethnic divisions makes no sense. Ultimately, who could want to contradict this "childish" logic?

In addition to coming from the eyes of a child, Zlata's Diary...