Introduction
War has often been triggered by conflicts between various parties that cannot reach a mutually agreeable resolution. At the same time, it has always impacted the lives of thousands of people who found themselves in the middle of the military opposition. It resulted in numerous deaths, traumas, and negative experiences. For this reason, numerous authors write about war to express their feelings, visions, and emotions and convey specific messages.
Sofia Stefanovic is not an exception, as her book, “Miss Ex-Yugoslavia,” offers readers a unique perspective on war through the eyes of a girl who experienced it firsthand. The memoir helps to understand the conflict, its impact on people’s lives, and how they managed to cope with its severe aftermath. It is a story of a woman who witnessed one of the cruelest conflicts of the new era and managed to survive.
Book Summary
The book can be viewed as an autobiography narrated by the author. It begins with the description of Sofia Stefanovic’s family’s immigration to Australia from the Balkans due to the growing tensions in the region. The young girl was curious about the world around her, the situation, and the new country. However, in Australia, the family cannot find its place due to feelings of loneliness and otherness (Stefanovic 32).
Being “ex-Yugos,” they face specific attitudes and have to adapt (Stefanovic 33). In chronological order, Stefanovic shows how the family moved back to Yugoslavia and then decided to return to Australia due to the increased threat. These events, numerous attempts to find peace and political tensions, are described from the perspective of a young girl who wanted to live a full life, be noticed, and notice others.
Main Themes
The story narrated by Stefanovic touches upon several important themes. The main character, the author herself, discusses the political events and radical changes occurring in the world around her. It can be viewed as the first important theme touched by the narrator. The book shows the significance of the conflict in Yugoslavia, the process of the emergence of new nations, and the complexities that numerous ordinary families faced.
At the same time, these events can be viewed as the backdrop against which the author speaks about the more important theme, which is conflict. Stefanovic discusses various types of conflicts surrounding the young girl. The clash between political parties in the state, the opposition between nations comprising Yugoslavia, growing tension between ordinary people, and conflicts within families caused by the political views or changes affecting the state (Stefanovic 89). In such a way, the theme of conflict between people becomes the central one.
Speaking about this topic, Stefanovic uses strong examples and her own memories. For instance, she states that her family was not united in their opinion on the situation in the country. Her father was an engineer and a big “fan of the West” with anti-Milosevic ideas (Stefanovic 23). At the same time, her mother was a psychologist and a “loyal child of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia” (Stefanovic 22).
Introducing this opposition, the author highlights the significance of the divide characteristic of the society of that period. The difference in views and attitudes resulted in numerous tensions within families, which became one of the major sources of the upcoming tragedy. However, using her own family as an example, Stefanovic also shows that there was a chance to negotiate and find common ground.
The discussed opposition shows the major principles of the conflict and its resolution. Every opposition implies the existence of parties with different views on a particular issue. In the book, they are represented by the father, who wants to migrate, and the mother, who wants to stay and serve the country. The situation can serve as the basis for the emergence and development of the conflict; however, the parties avoid it through negotiations and compromise.
The decision to go to Australia to gain citizenship and return can be viewed as an attempt to consider the interests of all parties to the conflict (Stefanovic 31). It is a potent strategy helping to avoid the critical deterioration of the situation and severe conflict. In such a way, the theme of relations within Stefanovic’s family can be linked to the problem of conflict and its resolution. Unfortunately, the author’s parents managed to make a compromise and avoid confrontation, while parties within Yugoslavia failed to do so.
Conclusion
Altogether, the book “Miss Ex-Yugoslavia” by Sofia Stefanovic is an autobiographic story of a woman who faced a severe military conflict and acquired specific experiences. The author explores numerous themes; however, the concept of conflict is one of the most significant ones. It affected her family; however, they managed to negotiate and find a satisfactory resolution that was mutually beneficial to all parties. This approach can be contrasted with the events that occurred in Yugoslavia, which resulted in a military confrontation and the collapse of the state. The book demonstrates that the principle of negotiation is preferable and can lead to better outcomes, as it enables one to avoid using force and potentially save lives.
Work Cited
Stefanovic, Sofia. Miss Ex-Yugoslavia: A Memoir. Atria Books, 2018.