Zlata's Diary Literary Elements

Autobiography, history

Sarajevo, former Yugoslavia 1991-1993

Zlata Filipovic narrating from her point of view and the point of view of Sarajevo families

Fearful, uncertain, life-threatening

Zlata and her family are the protagonists, the war and the politicians waging it the antagonists

War between Serbs, Croats and Muslims

Publication of Zlata's journal around the world

The destruction in Dubrovnik foreshadows the escalation of war in Sarajevo

Zlata says repeatedly that she hates the war, that it is disgusting, which understates the devastation war has caused in her life

Zlata alludes to the normalcy of her childhood before war by wanting to join the Madonna fan club

Zlata paints pictures of the devastation around her that describe the way everything looks (ruined, burned out), sounds (constant shelling, gunfire, screaming) and smell (burning, rancid due to the toilets not flushing) which creates an overwhelming image of the totality of the carnage

Zlata is a much loved only child protected by her family, but as the war progresses she has no choice but to remain strong because that is the only thing keeping her parents going

There is a parallel between Zlata and Anne Frank; in fact, Zlata gave her diary a name inspired by Anne Frank. Both children lived in cramped quarters in fear of the war around them

Zlata tells us that Sarajevo was frightened, Sarajevo wanted to pack up and leave, using Sarajevo to mean all of the people left living there

Zlata says that autumn used his brush to paint nature in glorious colors giving a season the ability to hold a paintbrush and color the world around "him"