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Express Tribune
29-06-2025
- General
- Express Tribune
The war that ended, the suffering that didn't
It is well known that when power is left unchecked, it can lead to disaster. Throughout history, numerous individuals and nations have struggled to emerge as the dominant power, but there is one that remains undefeated — the United States of America. John Hersey's Hiroshima explores this country's relentless pursuit of global dominance through the lives of six survivors and the tragic bombing of Hiroshima. Though this event occurred decades ago, we remain subversive beings, dominated and controlled by the US. Hiroshima remains relevant in today's world, while in the modern era, as the US continues to exert its influence through military interventions, economic pressures, and political maneouvering, Hiroshima remains a crucial text for understanding how power is wielded at the expense of human lives. Published in 1946, this book takes a narrative-driven approach, describing the lives of six survivors — two doctors, two women, a Catholic priest, and a factory worker — before, during, and after the atomic bombing of Hiroshima on August 6, 1945. The book is divided into four sections: the immediate impact of the bomb, the survivors' experiences in the aftermath, their struggles in the following weeks, and a final chapter, added 40 years later, examining their long-term physical and emotional scars. Additionally, the structure brings these characters to life in a powerful way, as it documents their entire experience. Hersey doesn't focus on just one instance or occasion; rather, he elaborates on how the past, present, and future of these individuals were completely shattered by the bombing. This is one of the book's greatest strengths, as it allows readers to connect with the narrative on a deeper level. To truly understand a tragedy and draw parallels between different time periods, it is imperative that an author humanise their characters by presenting various aspects of their lives. Hersey achieves this by providing detailed descriptions of his characters, such as Mr Tanimoto's background: 'There was another thing, too: Mr Tanimoto had studied theology at Emory College, in Atlanta, Georgia; he had graduated in 1940; he spoke excellent English; he dressed in American clothes; he had corresponded with many American friends right up to the time the war began; and among a people obsessed with a fear of being spied upon — perhaps almost obsessed himself — he found himself growing increasingly uneasy' (Hersey 10). Moreover, Hersey's depiction of the immediate and long-term effects of the atomic bomb compels readers to connect with the survivors' suffering. For example, Miss Sasaki, trapped under debris for hours, not only endures severe physical injury but also faces a life permanently altered by disability and isolation. Her pain is poignantly conveyed in the line: 'There, in the tin factory, in the first moment of the atomic age, a human being was crushed by books' (Hersey 22). Similarly, Father Kleinsorge's quiet suffering, as he battles ongoing illness due to radiation sickness, mirrors the fate of countless hibakusha (survivors of the bombing), who endured discrimination and health struggles long after the war ended. While reading the book, I constantly found myself linking this tragedy to the present-day world order. To me, Hiroshima still exists today because the US continues to wreak havoc and destruction in many nations. The book illustrates how a sense of normalcy is suddenly shattered by a country's decision to test atomic weapons without any regard for human lives. This remains our reality today. In an instant, war can erupt, a nation can launch an attack, lives can be lost, and international agreements can be breached — all it takes is a single moment for normalcy to be disrupted. This is precisely what we observe in the book from the very beginning. As readers, we are aware that something devastating is about to befall the characters, yet they are merely going about their daily lives when their world is completely upended. More often than not, it is the US that chooses to play the villain, justifying its actions in various ways. But Hiroshima is not confined to one place. You will find Hiroshima in Iraq, in Afghanistan, in the Middle East, and in all the countries that the US has treated as secondary. Hersey's text forces readers to reflect on the immense power this nation wields and raises an unsettling question: to what extent will it remain unchecked? And once this power fades, which nation — perhaps China or Russia — will scramble to seize it? Moreover, several instances in the book illustrate the aftermath of the bombing and how the victims adapted to their new, devastated world. These depictions reminded me of present-day Palestine, Syria, Yemen, and other war-torn regions where civilians are forced to endure unimaginable suffering. Just as Hiroshima's residents became collateral damage in a larger geopolitical struggle, modern wars continue to dehumanise victims, treating them as mere statistics rather than individuals with lives, dreams, and families. Hersey captures this ongoing struggle through his poignant portrayal of the survivors: 'A year after the bomb was dropped, Miss Sasaki was a cripple; Mrs Nakamura was destitute; Father Kleinsorge was back in the hospital; Dr Sasaki was not capable of the work he once could do; Dr Fujii had lost the thirty-room hospital it took him many years to acquire and had no prospects of rebuilding it; Mr Tanimoto's church had been ruined, and he no longer had his exceptional vitality. The lives of these six people, who were among the luckiest in Hiroshima, would never be the same.' (Hersey 89). This passage underscores one of the book's greatest strengths: its ability to humanise the victims and show that survival does not equate to an end of suffering. The destruction of Hiroshima was not just about immediate death — it was about irreversible loss, both physical and emotional, that extended long after the bomb had fallen. This mirrors the reality of millions today who, even after the airstrikes have ceased or the conflicts have subsided, must navigate a shattered world with no hope of returning to the life they once knew. Hersey's text forces readers to recognise that Hiroshima is not just a historical event; it is a recurring tragedy, playing out in different forms across the globe. It serves as a stark reminder that, despite decades of progress, war continues to erase entire communities, leaving survivors to pick up the pieces in a world that often turns a blind eye. As we discussed in class, the bombing of Hiroshima has been framed in US narratives as a necessity — an unavoidable act to hasten the end of World War II. According to this perspective, the attack was justified to prevent further casualties and bring about peace. However, Hersey's text deconstructs this view by presenting the personal suffering of civilians, shifting the focus from military strategy to human tragedy. Instead of reinforcing the dominant narrative of triumph and justification, Hiroshima forces readers to confront the devastating, long-term consequences of war on ordinary people — those who had no role in the decisions that sealed their journalistic writing style plays a crucial role in this deconstruction. His detailed, matter-of-fact descriptions strip away political rhetoric, replacing it with an intimate portrayal of loss, pain, and survival. By following the lives of six individuals, he makes the horrors of war accessible and deeply personal, ensuring that history does not erase their suffering in favor of abstract discussions of strategy and victory. The neutrality of his prose makes the destruction even more chilling; there is no embellishment, no overt condemnation — just raw, undeniable reality. In conclusion, Hersey's text forces us to question existing power structures and the limits placed upon them — if any truly exist. The book serves as a reminder that history is often written by the victors, allowing those in power to justify destruction in the name of progress, security, or peace. Ultimately, Hiroshima is more than a historical account — it is a call to remember, to question, and to resist the dangerous normalisation of war and destruction. Syeda Fizza Jafri is a media student and a freelance writer All facts are information are the sole responsibility of the writer
Yahoo
11-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Emory University commencement moves indoors due to severe weather
Emory University announced on Sunday that due to severe weather, it will be moving the graduation ceremonies set for Monday, May 12. [DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] Monday's university-wide commencement ceremony has been moved from the Quadrangle to the George W. Woodruff Physical Education Center (WoodPEC) and will be combined with the Emory College of Arts & Sciences diploma ceremony. Those who have tickets for the Quadrangle will not be able to enter the WoodPEC due to limited seating and a smaller, indoor venue. TRENDING STORIES: 1 dead after multi-vehicle crash on I-285 Ground stop lifted at Atlanta airport due to 'runway equipment' outage, ground delay in place Suspect accused of stealing 82-year-old woman's purse after victim gave her money for food The university has made the following changes for those who plan on attending the ceremony: The first ceremony is for Bachelor of Arts candidates at 8:00 AM and will encompass the university-wide ceremony elements, including the Commencement speaker The second ceremony is for Bachelor of Science candidates at 10:30 AM Emory College students will now be limited to three guest tickets per graduate. Students will receive emails with their assigned ceremony/arrival time and instructions for how to retrieve their new guest tickets. Each ceremony will be live-streamed beginning at 8 a.m. [SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter School officials said the Nell Hodgson Woodruff School of Nursing diploma ceremony will be held at 11:00 a.m. at the Emory Student Center as previously scheduled. Tickets for that event will remain the same. The Goizueta Business School BBA diploma ceremony will now take place at the WoodPEC at 1:00 p.m. Tickets are not required for this ceremony. The School of Medicine Medical Imaging Program Diploma Ceremony will be held at 12:30 p.m. in Cannon Chapel as previously scheduled. Superstar singer and Grammy Award winner Usher is scheduled to deliver the commencement address at Emory University's graduation ceremony and is also set to receive an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degree at the graduation ceremony.
The Guardian
11-04-2025
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
‘You must read my diaries': unlocking the private life of Edna O'Brien
'Sinéad, you must read my diaries. The most naked ones are in Emory College, Georgia.' This was a voicenote left for me by Edna O'Brien in 2023, after I had started to film a feature documentary with her, granting me access to the most personal work she created in her lifetime: her unpublished diaries. She had been initially reluctant to help me make the film. She was 92 and had cancer, so her time was limited. But she became more enthused after I showed her an old TV clip of herself in her 40s, with her parents. The entire Edna mythos was within that clip. Her mother claims that O'Brien's books had never been an issue at home while her father is playing the role of the jovial Irishman. In reality he was a violent alcoholic and she was disgusted by her daughter's writing. The British interviewer, oblivious, is delighted when her father starts to sing Danny Boy. 'I look worried and terrified,' she said when I showed her the video. She was hospitalised after that encounter but her interest was piqued and we began to talk more. She would record long voice memos via our executive producer, Barbara Broccoli, who was caring for her. One day, I received the message that O'Brien wanted me to read her diaries. They did not disappoint. She had led one of the great lives of the 20th century and everything was there: the early attempts at writing, her doomed marriage to Ernest Gébler, the publication of The Country Girls, love affairs with a litany of bad men, her complex family relationships, many dreams and many parties, alongside long and beautiful observations of nature. One extraordinary feature of the diaries, which are read by actor Jessie Buckley in the film, was the annotations that appeared below some of the earlier entries. They were often vicious commentaries and I suspected these were by Gébler (which was then confirmed to me by O'Brien and Gébler's son, who recognised his father's handwriting). At times, I feared that the author's personal life and diaries were so colourful that they might distract from her literary achievements – as so often happens with female artists. In the end, my strategy in making the film was to attend to both sides of her. Here are five excerpts from the diaries that helped me tell those two parts of O'Brien's story: the glamour and the doomed love, but also her intellectual abilities, the quality of her writing and its context – and what a thing it was to have created this work from such difficult circumstances. Prurient = itching with lewd desire. Winnow = separate. Ingenuousness = artlessness. This early entry shows O'Brien's desire to teach herself a better vocabulary. The only books in her home were her mother's prayer books and her horse-obsessed father's bloodstock manuals. The novelist was born in 1930 in County Clare soon after the ending of British rule. Ireland was floundering; locked in the economic war of the 1930s with Britain which had placed revenge tariffs on Irish goods after independence. Responsibility for health and education was outsourced to the highly patriarchal Catholic church. Language fascinated O'Brien, but her formal education was cut short when she was sent to train as a pharmacist in Dublin while in her teens. There she met Gébler, a successful writer who had written The Plymouth Adventure. His circle mocked her wide-eyed enthusiasms. This entry is from that era. I love that she continued to improve herself despite the snideness. Carlos full of expressions and sweetness, went to Ennis, mostly tea, prepared to return, Ernie thinking more and more of himself. [annotation] Ernie fed up with her aunties, with her crude narrow-eyed Catholic disapproving tribe of six-toed trolls. They hate E. At first I was confused by these annotations. Could Gébler have been so malicious and would he have referred to himself in third the person? Very much yes, his son confirmed. This 1958 entry follows a visit to O'Brien's parents. The couple moved to London shortly after but O'Brien was overcome with homesickness and wrote The Country Girls in weeks. This coming of age story set in County Clare won great acclaim for its frank and funny depictions of toxic best friends and terrible men, but many Irish people were mortified. It was banned, as were her next five books. One woman told me that as a child, she was instructed by her mother to burn The Country Girls in their back garden. Began second novel calling it The Lonely Woman. Ernie having sketched it out in detail and in time he would correct the manuscript equals re-write it. O'Brien's success enraged Gébler and he began to believe he had written her books. She had to give her royalties to him in return for an allowance. Eventually she left. After a bitter custody battle, he returned to Ireland. Though O'Brien would write many great books after leaving him, he waged a whispering campaign against her for the rest of his life. He would also intercept her correspondence and pretend to be her agent to stop producers from adapting her work. Instead he recommended they approach the very talented Ernest Gébler. Despite everything, I am well and happy and free in a way I have never been before. The 1960s were a thrilling time for O'Brien after the tumult of her divorce. She hosted glamorous parties and socialised with Princess Margaret and Paul McCartney. Admirers included Richard Burton, Robert Mitchum and Marlon Brando. Her success enabled her to buy a townhouse on Carlyle Square in Chelsea. Alongside this, she was publishing hit books almost every year, an exceptional run that continued until 1970. In Ireland she was mocked for her success and she struggled with her feelings about her family and the abuse she had experienced as a child. She began seeing the controversial psychiatrist, RD Laing. In 1970 they took LSD together, an experience O'Brien described as 'terrifying.' Said he wanted total detachment and total intensity. Wanted me to have several lovers and none. At the end of a fairly hostile copulation said I was just too powerful that he was just a bit of elastic that did not know when he was going to snap. O'Brien's propensity for difficult men continued. In the late 1970s she began an affair with a senior married British politician whom she nicknamed 'Lochinvar'. There were heady assignations in the House of Commons but he would not leave his wife and she could not let go. The scale of her obsession is hard to overstate. She stops writing fiction and devotes thousands of diary pages to her feelings of guilt and longing for his 'lovely honey-coloured body'. Friends and even doctors implore her to give him up. The lack of income forced her sell her Chelsea townhouse for £235,000. Within five years it was worth £5m. She would live as a tenant for the rest of her life. Her next books didn't sell and she came close to suicide. O'Brien once said to me, 'I used to think love mattered most to me. It doesn't. I ask myself now about wars and famines and cruelty and God. I do not believe in God in the same way. I do not.' Her interest in politics had been constant – she had once stood bail for IRA volunteer Dolours Price but her later work, beginning with The House of Splendid Isolation in 1994, made this more overt. Controversy continued but her literary spark had returned: her 2015 novel The Little Red Chairs is considered to be one of her best books. It was a wonderful act of resilience and renewal. O'Brien would continue to write until her death at the age of 93. Blue Road: The Edna O'Brien Story is released in UK cinemas on 18 April
