Children are known for their innocence, huge imagination and genuine being. War and conflicts are the exact opposite of them. They’re cruel, ruthless and brutal. The impact violence has in adults minds is enormous. A lot of soldier’s testimonies after going to war are truly worrying; most of them end up going back home with traumas, nightmares and even mental disorders caused by the horrifying scenes they experienced with their own eyes. Considering this, let’s associate it with kids. The causes and effects of world confrontations surely leaves an indirect (and even direct) massive footprint on their mindset.
To start with, children are dependent on their parents; care, attention and time. That attachment is ripped out during times of war, due to the loss of parents, family trying to find subsistence or emotional unavailability. Also, it’s taken away their opportunity of a worthy education, which could lead to loss of cognitive capacity and a social life.
Exposure to different types of violence, the duration of the conflict, and the nature of experienced and witnessed traumatic events are all associated with the onset and severity of mental disorders among conflict-affected children. (...) Overall, the most common mental disorders reported among children exposed to conflict are PTSD and depression. Other reported disorders include acute stress reactions, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), panic disorder, anxiety disorders specific to childhood, and sleep disorders. (Islam, N., 2019).
We can find a clear example of these tough circumstances among the pages of the book The Boy In The Striped Pajamas written by John Boyne (2006). Bruno, due to Father having “pending issues” and being transferred to this new town, had to leave his whole normal life behind. He had to say goodbye to his regular schooling, his friends and the place he called home.
All of those events happened, while he was being ignorant of the real situation and being kept out of the light, of the truth right in front of his window.
That’s when he meets Shmuel; the kid from the other side of the wire fence. Both of them oblivious and unaware of their surroundings, seeing life as a playground. The saddest part is that they died at the end, neither of them knowing nor even imagining the things they were facing and how messed up the world out there was.
Bruno thought he had it all, Shmuel knew he had nothing. Until they found each other.
By Alejandra Castro, Step 10 Blue
