Bosnian Genocide By: Medina Sabovic English 9;Level 1

Bosnian Genocide Began in 1992 Serb-dominated Yugoslav army attacked Bosnians, killing more than 100,000 people; some bones still not found Along with 800 men in a town in Montenegro; some bones still not found It was the worst genocide, after the Holocaust Slobodan Milosevic was Serbia’s leader in the time of the genocide

Selected Art Artist: Divanhana Song: Ljepa Emina (Beautiful Emina) A poem dedicated to a beautiful Bosnian girl named Emina Sefic written by a Serbian poet, Aleksa Santic, which was soon made into a song. When the Bosnian people had hate for the Serbian people they (women) didn’t even dare to look at the Serbian (men) people. In fear of giving up what they believe and stand for to the enemy. The music video that Divanhana has made, shows two people one in white and one in black. Black symbolizing death (the end) and white symbolizing life and the beginning.

Ljepa Emina (Beautiful Emina) Written in Written to a beautiful Bosnian girl, that lived right next door to a Serbian poet named Aleksa Santic. The song Ljepa Emina, is basically telling how the Bosnian girl, didn’t want to have any contact or relationship with the Serbian man. The song was originally a poem, until the war happened it was turned into a song to show how they (Bosnians) still would never want to be associated with them. When the performer Divanhana sang the song, she mentioned, “I offered her a hello. But beautiful Emina would not even hear it” (Santic 9-10). Bosnian Lyrics: “Ja joj nazvah Selam. Al nesce ni da cuje ljepa Emina” (Santic 9-10).

Visual Imagery in Ljepa Emina “I nearly stumbled, I swear by my faith. But beautiful Emina did not come to me. She only gave me a dead look” (Santic 17-18). Bosnian Lyrics: “Malo ne posrnuh, mojega dina, al’ meni ne dode, ljepa Emina. Samo mi jednom pogledala mrko” (Santic 17-18). The visual imagery of Emina’s look she gave to Aleksa (Serbian poet) has more than one meaning to it, considering the word, dead, symbolizing the death and hate.

Organic Imagery in Night “One more stab to the heart, one more reason to hate, one less reason to live” (Wiesel 109). Eliezer has heard that his father had gotten attacked and beaten. He feels so much hate towards the SS, or continue on with life. This is significant because it shows the hatred building up in Eliezer and the feeling he has towards them, and the SS thinking he’s wrong for feeling that way towards them.

Ljepa Emina and Night Compare/Contrast COMPARE: Both (Ljepa Emina/Night) have some kind of deep feeling towards the opposite side or enemy. Both foreshadow death and hatred. The auditory of the two are kept inside of them. Night and Ljepa Emina show how the experience of the genocides they went through changed their mind set. CONTRAST: Night and Beautiful Emina don’t have the same specific reason for their hate and feeling. In Night, Eliezer was angry and full of hate when his father was being abused and hurt by the SS. In Ljepa Emina, Divanhana sings about in the past, how many people have died, and how they didn’t even dare to look at them.

Motif in Ljepa Emina “The empty garden of jasmine was left behind, the pitcher is broken, the flowers have withered, the song about Emina will never die” (Santic ). Bosnian Lyrics: “Ostala je pusta basca od jasmina slomljen je ibrik, uvelo je cvijece, pjesma od Emini, nikad umrijet nece” (Santic 22-25). The motif in Ljepa Emina (Beautiful Emina) is explaining how Emina died eventually along with the city after the war. But the story of her would never die. The flowers throughout the whole song symbolizing her daily routine in what she did everyday, until violence came along.

Motif in Night “From time to time, I would dream. But only about soup, an extra ration of soup” (Wiesel 113). The motif in Night, is explaining how Elie’s greed or desperation for food took up the best of him. He would kill for more food, and it soon came before his own father. The food (bread/soup) symbolized how his beginning of love came out to be more of greed and selfishness.

Ljepa Emina and Night Compare/Contrast COMPARE: Both Night and Ljepa Emina (Beautiful Emina) have some kind of symbols to represent them throughout their experiences in the genocides. Both symbolize their daily focuses and what they looked forward to. Both show how important the symbols they had throughout the time were to them. CONTRAST: The symbols they had, didn’t have the same meaning. Elie had desperation for food. Emina loved her flowers, and watered them every day. Elie’s symbol was more negative than Emina’s was. The flower’s foreshadowed the life of Emina and how they died along with her. Elie’s food problem foreshadowed what desperation and greed can do to people.

Picture of Ljepa Emina Portrait of Emina Sefic, in Bosnia, getting the water for her flowers. Made to look, as if, shes looking back at Aleksa, as he watched her get water for her plants every day. She usually gave him a lifeless and uninterested look.

Picture of Slobodan Milosevic Picture of Slobodan Milosevic; former leader of and president of Serbia. Supporter of the genocide in Bosnia. Considered as the “Vampire” of Yugoslavia.

Picture of Aleksa Santic Picture of Aleksa Santic; poet. Wrote the poem of Ljepa Emina (Beautiful Emina). In the modern day song of the war.

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