Tragedy

       Tragedy is something that is extremely difficult to write about because no one really wants to talk about it. Some people even find it hard to read about. When I chose a book to read, a movie to watch, or a song to listen to I usually avoid the sad ones. But when it comes to events in our nation’s history, we can’t avoid it and we shouldn’t avoid it.

It might be hard to talk about or write about, but it happened and people can’t pretend that it didn’t, even though that might be easier than feeling sad about it. The way to write about a tragedy depends on the audience one is writing to. Obviously the younger the audience, the more troubling details may be left out. When someone writes about a tragedy, they have to state the facts, while respecting the people that were hurt or killed in the event.

I was four years old when 9/11 happened. I honestly don’t remember it at all. But, I know as much as anyone about it because it is still talked about today. It is talked about because it is important for people to be informed and to know what happened.  It is still a very troubling thing for me to think about and it always will be troubling. It is hard to feel safe after something like that happens.

I would write about this to my peers the same way I would to anyone else. I would talk about everything I know to be true and I would be respectful to all that were affected by 9/11.  I imagine someone older than me would feel I don’t understand the event because I don’t remember it. But, even though I don’t know as much as people who were there, I have been informed about it every year since it happened and like to think I could accurately sum up the events. But, I could never understand the feelings of people living in New York City.

I may address people from New York City in a more sensitive manner, being that this happened in their city, and it was worse for them than it is for people here. I wouldn’t write any differently to an audience from Iraq because I don’t believe nationality has much to do with these events. The people that caused 9/11 were sick people, regardless of where they are from.

I do believe that most writing should appeal to a number of audiences and not be completely focused on one. If I were to write about this tragedy I would not do it in a way that would only appeal to one audience. I would write it in a way that someone who is still troubled by this event could read it and appreciate it.