A Long Way Gone--Final Chapter (21)

The beginning of this chapter starts with Ishmael Beah talking about his trip to New York City. His family cannot believe how weird the city sounds. We also learn that Mohamad now lives with Ishmael and his uncle's family. This made me so happy because earlier it talked about how Mohamad had to go back to the front lines just because his family wouldn't take him. I was happy to finally see someone take Mohamad in and it must be great for both Ishmael and Mohamad to have someone who understands what they have been through with with them. It would be hard to be in a world where very few really know/understand what they have been through and it is good for anyone who goes through a hard situation to have someone to talk to. Also, we learn that they are both attending secondary school again, which is great! But it made me sad when they notice how most kids sit far away from them because they know about their past and they're scared that one of them is going to snap any second and kill someone. This is how unaware these other children are of the situation going on and ignorant to Ishmael and Mohamad's feelings. Unfortunately, the mood of the book was brought down from happiness and joy to sadness and madness. The rebels and soldiers come to take control of the city. The city is waken up by the noise of gunshots. This just further proves how Ishmael never seems to catch a break, and he even mentions this later on. It seems to me like the violence and destruction are targetting one person, Ishmael, and they will do whatever and follow him wherever to reach their target. Ishmael also says how if he became a child soldier again he didn't think he could make it, and I don't blame him one bit. To go from a normal, young civilian to a mass-destruction soldier, and back to a normal, young civilian was rough and now that Ishmael knows what life can be like I don't think he would be able to handle going through the routine once more. It was hard enough going through it once, going through it two times would be horrific. Throughout all of this madness, Ishmael feels like he has seen this scene a few too many times. He remembers similar situations from before he became a soldier and his life as a soldier where he was the doer in the madness. To even be able to feel a familiarity to all of this destruction is unacceptable. Nobody should be able to say they are familiar with danger. Yes, they may have met it a couple of times but to say you're acquaintances and you're familiar with it is awful. But, sadly, Ishmael really can say he is familiar with this scene because he is acquaintances with danger and has come within a hair slice of facing the ultimate danger, death. Ishmael and Mohamad begin to lose faith because they say that they have come so far to get out of the war and then they are just brough back into it. They must be going through a complete emotional rollarcoaster because they constantly have to change their roles in life and in their thoughts. The death of Ishmael's uncle almost did it to me. I was so sad to see that even this little bit of the war had caused the death of one of Ishmael's family members. Ishmel has gotten almost everything he has taken from him, and I didn't want to see another thing taken from him. But the death of his uncle also proves how strong Ishmael must have been to be able to withstand years of it. Ishmael, in a mad attempt to run away from the war, starts his journey to Guinea. The journey is full of cloe encouters to death, new people, and new experiences for Ishmael. While reading about all of the different checkpoints, I actually felt what Ishmael must have been feeling. I felt all of the tension, nerves, fright, worry, and eerie feel to the event that all members included must have felt. Finally, after a couple nights of traveling, he can say he has made it out of the war. Now, Ishmael's journey is really over. I am glad that in the end things worked out for Ishmael. He deserves all the good he gets, I think, considering what he has been through. Because of what we knew about the author, Ishmael Beah, we knew he was going to live through the war, but I would hace expected the end to be less dramatic. I thought something would change and he would be done with his career as a child soldier, but nope. More horrible things had to happen to Ishmael before his journey was over. Although they were all bad, they all made Ishmael a stronger person and led to a great end of the novel. I really enjoyed reading this book because the author really engaged the reader and his story is truly unique and entertaining, not to mention heart-breaking. I am very, very, very, very, very glad that Ishmael's story ended with a "happy ever after."

A Long Way Gone--Chapters 19-20

These chapters began to bring closure to the story. Ishmael grew a lot throughout these chapters and there is a lot of reflection done by him as an adult to the occurrences he experiences in these chapters. These chapters begin with Ishmael being nervous to join his new family. He didn't know how long it would take his cousins to realize Ishmael was different than most kids and then how long it would take them to ask him about himself. I don't blame him one bit for feeling like a bundle of nerves. If I were in the same situation, I would feel exactly the same. This will be the first time Ishmael is brought back into everyday life. At the Benin Home, he was with other children who had gone through similar experiences. When he moved in with his new family, it wouldn't be the same. He would always have to be on guard for anything that might be thrown at him about his past. It seems like his whole life has been about goodbyes and new beginnings, some good some terrible. So when he had to say goodbye to Mohamad, the last time he will ever see him again, I wasn't surprised. Although things had shaped up dramatically for Ishmael, I didn't expect everything to be good for him. It was sad though to know that Mohamad was sent back to the front lines just because his family didn't want to take him back. Mohamad doesn't have a chance now. If he ever makes it out of the military again, I don't think he would be able to recover because he had already seen what being out of the military was like and he was rejected here so why would he want to be rejected again. I don't think he would be willing to change because nobody did him any good after he changed so if he changed back and then made it out and was supposed to change again, I don't think he would be able to. I don't understand why someone wouldn't just step up and say "I'll take care of him." This is a life that people aren't caring about so if Mohamad ever made it out of the military again, I wouldn't blame him for not wanting to make the change to become a civilian again. Ishmael also becomes compassionate toward Esther. He wonders how she can handle hearing so many children's war stories when he can't even bare his own. That is a very good thought because if he is having constant nightmares from his own experiences, how would someone else be able to make it after hearing countless people's stories. Also, it seems like the world doesn't want Ishmael to have fun. When he tried to go out and have fun with Allie, he is tormented by hideous flashbacks. This is no wonder why he doesn't trust smiling and happiness because almost all of the times he has been happy something bad comes and brings him down again. I was happy when Ishmael won the interview to go to New York City in America because it was kind of like the silver lining to his very long, and very bad cloud. His trip to America is so full of happiness I couldn't help but be happy for Ishmael. I imagined a timid, scared little boy just sitting in Times Square marveling at how amazing the area is. For Ishmael to come from such a rural background, living in the woods, sleeping on the ground, to coming to America and standing in Times Square is truly a miracle. It is the perfect ending to a trouble filled childhood. I think all big cities give people with bad childhoods some safety and hope, which is why so many flock to these big cities when they are down, and Ishmael, well, he was a little bit more than down. To come to New York City and seeing how truly remarkable life really can be would definitely be a spirit lifter for him. Because of this, I completely understand how he says his trip to New York City was a dream that he never wanted to wake up from. I also found this quote interesting because he had been having nightmares of his past for so long and now he is having dreams; carefree, happy, and devoid of gore and inhumane acts, and with an outlook of the future. It is like Ishmael has finally just jumped the last step and has crossed the bridge from his nightmares and killing to dreams and happiness. These chapters for me, finish the story of Ishmael's childhood because he has finally crossed that bridge and has made it past everything that has gone against him and has reached someplace bigger. Although I know at the end of chapter 20, he is on the airplane back to Sierra Leone, and the story is not completely finished, I feel like for me, it is.

A Long Way Gone--Chapters 17-18

These chapters made me very happy because Ishmael finally begins to open up about what he has been through and he begins to gain himself back. The nurse, Esther, is the one who gets Ishmael to start opening up. I really value her character for this reason. She buys him a cassette player and cassettes, which is the initial thing that allows Ishmael to begin opening up. I think it is a coincidence because the rap music saved his life so much before he became a soldier and now after he was a soldier it is saving his life again in a way. Because of the rap music, he is beginning to gain his old self back, which is a way of saving Ishmael. If he didn't return to his ways after ending his career as a soldier he would be completely lost and so it is important that music is in his life again Also, the presence of a family member in his life again was a great joy to him and the reader. I was happy that he was finally reconnecting with someone who would accept him no matter what his past was like, his family. Also, having his uncle in his life again would help his recovery because his uncle would remind him or his previous life and what things were like. This is essential because Ishmael had not thought about his previous life or especially his family deeply in a while. If Ishmael cannot accept and move past his problems in life then he will never be able to turn the other cheek ad start a new chapter in his life. Another great thing in this section was the return of Mohamad. This just proved that not everything that existed before the war had been deleted from Ishmael's life. Also, it makes Ishmael happy to have his old pal back and another porthole for his memories. All around, it seems like things are definitely starting to shape up for Ishmael... And it's about time! Although this chapter was filled with many, many positive, there were also some horrible flashbacks. One significant flashback was the event that caused the scars in his feet and legs. While fighting, he received many bullet wounds in his feet but he ignored them because he wanted to keep fighting. But eventually, he went to the doctor and the pain was excruciating. It was hard to read about Ishmael being in such agonizing pain. The war had not only caused him emotional pain and loss, but also physical. How else was the war going to impact his life? Well, emotionally and psychologically Ishmael was and will never be the same. Another big thing about these chapters is how Ishmael cannot show emotion because he feels bad and he had numbed himself for so long. Often times, he wants to smile but either doesn't know how or doesn't know whether he should. It would be so hard to have to keep your emotions under control all the time. He also says that he has lost the possibility of happiness so when he is happy he doesn't both showing it because he doesn't believe that it will last or that is just temporary. For someone so young to have to think about this is so tragic to me. The war still has a lasting impact on his everyday life, which is horrible. I was happy while reading these chapters however because Ishmael's life is starting to shape up and I'm seeing some of the old Ishmael show through.

Choice Books

I don't care too much what books we choose for our list of choice books. I just would prefer them not all to be science fiction and not history. I prefer fiction novels or autobiographies. I like books with interesting twists and most of the times I like them to be kind of girly. I don't care about the length as long as if it's long I want it to be interesting and not just carrying on. I don't have any specific titles for books but here are my recommendations for choice books.

A Long Way Gone-- Chapters 15-16

These chapters I think have been the roughest thus far. There was some happiness when the younger soldiers were saved by UNICEF agents but these young soldiers didn't feel that way. They were very angry and were mad that they were leaving the front line. I thought this was weird because they had dreaded it so much before they entered the army and now that they had they didn't want to leave. It really shows how much this lifestyle affected their lives and brainwashed them. I was thankful though that someone was trying to do something but I still wondered why they hadn't earlier. If they had tried to rescue some of these young children earlier the recovery for them wouldn't have been nearly as bad. Reading about what their recovery has bee like thus far has been very hard. I cannot believe the way they act towards the people that are trying to help them. Also, their drug withdrawals are awful. Reading about the first night in the camp was hard because a fight, almost like those in the forest, began between some of the rebels and the army boys. It was sad to see how much their prior lifestyle has had an impact on their lives. It seems like there is nothing of their old lives and they have completely become soldiers. They view everything as a possible threat and act as if it is dangerous to them. They acted like animals when they were fighting, and I dont blame them because they were taught to hunt and kill like animals do. After the big fight between the rebel and the army boys, Ishmael and his group were taken to another camp. Here, they completely gained control of the whole area through violence, threats and power. They were even alone at the camp for a couple of days because they had scared all of the faculty. It is strange to think that these young children are more powerful than adults. That really says something because that says that they have been trained to be crazy powerful and have more strength, although it is all violent strength, than adults. It also says that violence overpowers logic, wisdom, and normal social customs in this society during this time of war. I really couldn't believe what I was reading. It was differnet in battle and didn't affect me nearly as much but now that they're off of the battlefield it is mind-baffling to me how they can be more powerful than adults in normal situations. While on the battlefield, age doesn't matter as much as long as you have a weapon and you know how to use it. If you meet that criteria then you will be just as even as your opponents until something else is added to the equation such as size of group, personal superior excellence, etc. Now that they are off the battlefield they are still acting as soldiers and definitely exercising their skills against anybody, no matter the age. But I guess they are still on the battlefield in their hearts and memories... This war and lifestyle has affected these children in inimaginable ways and I can't even begin to feel what these children are feeling. They must be extremely confused, power-hungy, and eager for violence, not to mention their want/need for drugs. The people who trained these children for war definitely knew what they were doing because they made it almost impossible for these children to beat it, even with the help of professional people. After reading these chapters, I feel like things are just going to become even more crazy for us the reader and for the characters. While reading these chapters, I didn't even want to put the book down because the characters were acting very violent and it was one of those things that even though it was horrible I couldn't look away, much like this whole book is. Another disturibing aspect of this section was all of Ishmael's memories from his life as a soldier. One extra disturbing memory was the one about Ishmael's squad making the people bury their own graves and then burying them alive. He displayed so many strong descriptions and emotions about the event that made it even worse to read. I think the following chapters are going to be filled with even more of these disturbing memories as Ishmael and the others fight to gain themselves back.

A Long Way Gone--Chapters 13-14

These chapters were extremely rough. I have to admit, it was hard for me to continue reading these chapters just because I hated who Ishmael had become. I started to lose my feelings of compassion towards Ishmael and the other boys. They were becoming just what they had hated so much: killers. Sure, the government says that they have a reason for killing but is there really any killing of this magnitude that can be justified? In the beginning, the new soldiers are waken up and are told that there will not be training today and instead all of those who follow the Christian religion should go and pray to the Lord because it could be their last time. Man, this was a harsh and eye-opening way to open this chapter that's for sure! We now went into the chapter knowing that there is a chance they will all die soon. Later in the afternoon, all of the boys are lined u and given weapons. They are told to grab as much ammunition as they can. Poor Sheku couldn't even hold himself up once he was given the weapon and ammunition. This was so sad because if he can't even hold the weapon, how do they expect him to fight with it? Then they go off to fight. Ishmael says in this chapter that he has "never been so afraid to go anywhere in my life as I was that day." (116) This made a lot of sense to me but was also mind baffling. Yes, going off to battle would be very, very terrifying, but all of the days he spent running from danger were also very terrifying for him. It seems like he can't win either way, which is a sad thing to realize. Then they were set up to open fire. This was so sad to read because I know it is going to be the beginning of a lot of gruesome and tragic chapters. The battle scene was horrible. Unfortunately, poor Josiah was killed in the battle, and his death is too tragic to write about. Also, Masu was killed. Ishmael says that there is no storyteller for them now. I think this is a huge deal because the stories brought them joy and laughter and memories of their old lives. Without someone telling the stories, they had no way to remember all of the great things they used to know. Ishmael also starts blaming himself for Josiah's death because he made him wake up that morning. Once again, everyone is looking for someone to blame for all of the sadness they are suffering, and rightfully so. Ishmael also talks about how his mind is a void during this period. His role as a soldier has made him become addicted to drugs and the soldiers spent all of their free time either doing drugs, watching movies, or preparing for killing. As if things aren't bad enough for these people, they have to add drugs into the mix. Ishmael recalls feeling a lot of energy and excitement from the drugs but he also recalls when he took all of them at once and the result was not very good. He couldn't sleep for a week and he had become addicted. Another scene that was hard to read was when he suffered from a nightmare where the scene from the swamp replayed in his mind but then a rebel put a gun to his forehead. He woke up from this dream in a frenzy and started shooting his gun rapidly. Other reinforcements then had to come to calm him down and wake him from his torture. This really shows how much the war and becoming a soldier has impacted his every moment of life and his state of mind. The last scene I would like to write about is when they five soldiers were chosen for the game of who can slit the prisoners' necks the fastest. To see Ishmael completely be turned into a monster was hard for me to handle and this was yet another example of his downhill new being. He was declared the winner, which made things even worse for me, and as a reward he became junior lieutenant. The second place winner was Kanei, another boy he had been traveling with all along. I am wondering if this is because since they had traveled together they had seen the same stuff. Earlier in this section, the soldiers talk about how they become angry with the rebels because they killed their families so they should take it out on them and kill them more gruesomely and painfully. I am wondering if the two most angry soldiers, Ishmael and Kanei, have seen the worst of the worst and have felt the strongest hate for the rebels. I'm wondering if all of the things they witnessed were worse than those of other people because something along their journey has made them angrier than the rest, which makes them successful in war. I know that from here on out it is just going to get worse and it is going to be difficult for me to get through it. I can't help but hate Ishmael and who he has become which will make the reading even harder. I guess from now on, I will have to just remember the way his forehead used to shine and all of the happy things about him to keep reading.

A Long Way Gone--Chapter 11-12

This section of reading begins with the boys reflecting and mourning the death of Saidu. They try to keep moving, but they have to stop to take breaks every once in a while because they are so sad. The silence of their group grows stronger throughout their journey. They are trying to make it to the village where their families are supposed to be. They are so excited to see them that they try to get their quickly, but they have to stop to take a lot of breaks on their way. Finally, they make it to the village. They hear sounds ahead of them, which gives them hope that there is life ahead. On their way into the village, a man stops them on the side of the road. Ishmael remembers him from his home village. I loved meeting this character named Gasemu because he seemed so cute. He has a gap in his two front teeth and he is known throughout the village for his single lifestyle. While reading, I felt a lot of happiness learning about this character and how life used to be before they were struck by evil. He asks them to help him carry some bananas to the village. They are still a little whiles away from the village and there was only a narrow path for them to take so they had to make the rest of the journey single-filed. Another part of this journey that got me was when Gasemu was talking to Ishmael about his behavior as a child. He remembers how Ishmael’s forehead used to glow they thought when he was extremely happy. But then when he used to get angry his forehead would glow even more so that didn’t make sense. He tells Ishmael that his forehead isn’t glowing anymore. I think this is because there isn’t a lot, if any, of his old self in him. He has completely lost himself throughout the journey. He is excited to see his family to get at least a little of himself back. Gasemu also tells Ishmael that his brother is also here with his parents. He says that his brother went out looking for him but came back alone. He says that he blames himself for losing Ishmael. I remember when they got split up and it wasn’t really anyone’s fault so it was sad to hear that Ishmael was beating himself up from the whole incident. Finally, they get close enough to hear the village well but they have to stop and take a break to rest after climbing up the big hill. Right after they start their journey again, they hear a lot of gunshots and they hurry their pace. Once they are closer they realize it is the rebels attacking the village. Ishmael does all he can to hold himself back from going to the village to try to help. After a bit of waiting, they go into the village. What they see broke my heart. Almost all of the huts were on fire and there were dead people all around. They all desperately start searching for any family members still alive. The result is zero for everyone. Watching Ishmael search for his family was horrible! He tries to find someone to blame his heartbreak on and he chooses Gasemu as his target. I feel like people going through this needed someone to blame their pain on because they couldn’t take all of it among themselves because it was just so heavy. All the rest of his traveling group also start turning against themselves, which was just another example of them losing faith in one another and the war tearing friendships and family apart. Seeing all of these kids become hopeless after being filled with so much hope was really sad. More rebels then come back and the group seeks shelter within the woods. They make their escape after being chased by bullets. Gasemu unfortunately is shot amongst the escape and he struggles to stay alive throughout the night. But soon, he dies after battling as long as he could. The boys then have to make the rest of their journey alone. Gasemu pointed them in the right direction so eventually they arrive at a riverside and board a boat that takes them to Yele. When they make it to Yele, they are overwhelmed with the feeling of safety they feel in this new place. The place was very crowded with families and young boys so the boys felt like they were in the right place. The boys are all assigned a task they have to do every day. Ishmael is happy about this because this helps distract him from his thoughts, which are still dangerous and plagued. But when his task is over and he is by himself, he has nothing to keep himself away from his thoughts. He suffers terrible migraines and nightmares in this village that cause him much pain. Soon, there are gunshots heard very close to the village and the soldiers in the village go out to fight. Soon, some come back but not many so the boys in the village now have to be trained. Ishmael’s two roommates, Sheku and Josiah, are very young and can barely hold their guns. They all go through training every day, all day and training becomes their lives. When they go to bed at night, Sheku and Josiah muttered things they heard throughout the day, which consisted of weapon sounds and other war things. When I read this it made me sad because these boys were so young and they shouldn’t have to be involved in war, but sadly they were. War was a huge part of their lives now and I think it will just take me a while to become comfortable with this piece of the literature. This section is the beginning of a big change in the novel and the reading from now on I think will be drastically different.

A Long Way Gone--Chapter 10

In chapter 10, Ishmael Beah says one of the most painful things of his journey was that he didn't know when or where it was going to end. If I were in a similar situation I would feel the same way. He and his companions are just forced to keep moving further and further away from the closest danger. This would be a horrible way to live. If I were in the same situation with no positive monumental thing in my future to drive me, I feel like I would definitely lose faith. These boys were just moving along because they had to. If they didn't they would be forced to join the rebels or their journey would be over. Neither of those seemed very positive for these young boys. This way of life is kind of short lived because I feel like sooner or later something will have to change. This lifestyle does not seem like it could possibly be long lasting. I think this is why the boys start to lose faith and start adapting to the rebels ways because they also know that this isn't a life long way to live life and that sooner or later something is going to have to change, and in their circumstances it would most likely be their death or enrollment. Also in this chapter, Ishmael Beah starts to wonder more about what has happened with his family. And later, while going through a village, a woman comes up to him and says that she knows about his family. She says that many families from his home area were in another village a little distance away. When I read this, my face brightened up. I was so happy that maybe something good might be in the cards for Ishmael. But I know that if he sees his family again and they get separated once again, it will be even harder for him to carry on without them. Throughout this chapter, there were many times when the boys said the mood felt weird, or they didn't have a good feeling about the night. While reading these parts, I became very scared because I didn't want something bad to happen to these boys when they had struggled so much to get to where they are. I think this theme of uneasiness is going to play a big part in the following chapters leading up to Beah's capture. A significant and equally tragic element in this chapter was Saidu's death. Throughout this chapter, Ishmael had recalled how much Saidu kept saying he felt like he was dying a little bit every day and soon there would be nothing left in him and he would be dead. Which is very ironic, because after the "ghosts" pass them on the road, Saidu is almost dead. And in the next village, they wake up and find him dead. I about cried when I read this. It was so sad for me to see this war over power the good in the world. I hate it when the bad guys win and this was a prime example of how they always do.

A Long Way Gone-- Chapters 8-9

This section began with Ishmael talking about how he feels like he is constantly being chased. He also began to see evil in everything, including the air. I think it is completely awful for children as young as he is, to already know and be familiar with evil. It is bad for anyone to know evil, but especially bad for young children. Unfortunately though, it was these boys' lives, and they were surrounded by it during this time. But passing through villages that had already been beaten made him just move faster, and he says they were the driving force of his escape. After walking for several days, Ishmael finds himself lost in the forest. Because he is lost he spends a lot of time thinking, which is dangerous and hard for him to do at this time in his life. He couldn't remember how he got there or how to get out. So he was stuck: alone, thinking, and lost. He felt tormented by the images an memories his mind conjured up for him almost for punishment. He tried to chase them away by filling his time in other things, but i didn't help. He was brought back to the sad memories every time he tried to drift. Ishmael also says he was "afraid of thinking." This completely broke my heart. Your mind and thoughts are supposed to be your safe haven. But instead, for people going through this war and for people who had seen what Ishmael had seen, their minds were just another danger zone. It is sad to think that you can't even escape from the harsh reality because it is being replayed in your mind. I also found Ishmael's memories of his grandfather and his medical remedies to be sad. Ishmael talks about how his grandfather had medicines for anything but he didn't have one for the problem these people were facing every day, when they needed a solution or an aid of some sort to end the problem. In this section, Ishmael's loneliness begins to eat at him. He says the worst thing about being in the forest was the loneliness. But before Ishmael said it was bad that he was traveling in large numbers and now that he is alone he thinks it is also bad. It kind of shows that there is no easy or happy way in the situation. Another thing that kind of broke my heart in this section was when he remembers what his father used to say to him: "If you are alive, there is hope for a better day and something good to happen. If there is nothing good left in the destiny of a person, he or she will die." This was very hopeful to me but it kind of made me a little confused because it seems like nothing good is happening to/for Ishmael, so he should be dead but he's not. But it kind of also got me worried because according to this and the lack of goodness in Ishmael's life he will soon die, which we know he doesn't, but in this book you never know. Finally, Ishmael is reacquainted with a group of boys. This time, he accepted their companionship even though he knew it was going to be a problem to their safety because he hated being alone. Another sad aspect of this section was the old man in the abandoned village. I cannot believe how everyone could juse leave him to die just because he needed help, but I guess this is just the self preservation aspect coming back into the story. The old man says that it is better not to know his name so they can save that place in their memory. And later on in the reading, this happens again with the friendly man who shelters them in the next village after they practically burn their feet off. They get their shoes stolen from them when they are persecuted in another village for being part of the bad group. So they are forced to walk to long walk to the next safe village, barefoot on the hot ground. When they arrive in the village where they finally receive help, they find a hut and try to rest their legs. Soon, a nice young man comes and brings them food and water and cares for them. This gave me hope that even in this wreck of hatred and corruption, there could still be some decent people in the world of evil. He kind of gave me faith to continue reading and promised that not every person in this book were going to be disloyal or not trusting. And then, once again, rap saves their lives when they are being persecuted for being the evil devils once again, a cassette falls out of Ishmael's pocket and it intrigues the villagers and soon they are on their way again. God love that rap music.

A Long Way Gone-- chapters 6-7

After reading these chapters I feel like we have a better understanding of what Ishmael and others were feeling during this time. Ishmael got more in depth about the emotions the characters were feeling, which I think is helpful because it gives us a better understanding of what people going through similar experiences were feeling. I think the experience with the village gives the reader an understanding of how the rebels worked. They would pop up when they were least expected and then wipe the village completely out. They attacked through little sneak attacks, which I think is why they were so successful in their attacks. In the beginning of chapter six, Ishmael Beah talks about how being in a large group of teenage boys was not to their advantage. This then leads to the end of chapter seven where the family bathing in the pond, even the young children were scared of the teenage boy. He talks about how the war caused everyone to be scared of everyone, even loved ones. This is such a sad reality of the war in my opinion. Even though this is definitely true, I feel like this is awful. How is a community supposed to act as a community if everyone is scared of everybody, including their brother or son. That is not how a community is supposed to act. This section of reading evoked a lot of emotion in me. I felt really mad how this war manipulated everyone's thoughts and feelings towards another. I hate power when it becomes destructive and turns good things like a community into something bad. It's is so sad to me how even though Ishmael was so nice and friendly they still thought he could be bad. It just shows how the rebels were so maniacal and deceiving, which makes their evilness even worse. Also, during chapter six it talks about another way victims of this war had to change their lifestyles as an impact of the rebels. The group of boys were guards in the new village they were staying in called Kamator. And then they had to become farmers, which was hard working and gave them a lot of back pains. It's sad to see how much of an impact evil can have on the world, and I think this showed a lot throughout this section.

A Long Way Gone-- Chapter 3-5

After reading this section, I still have some of the same first impressions. I am still completely appalled at how a society can live like this, and I am still very disturbed by some of the images and events that author describes so vividly, I might add, to us. I understand that the society didn't want to live like this and they would have been much happier with all of their family members still living, but things weren't really don't to try to stop this. Sure, there were soldiers but even they were scared of this crazy group. I would think once things have reached the highest level something would be done to stop it. It is hard for me to imagine something this obvious and malicious to happen in our country. Yes, Africa is different than America, but still something should have been done to try to stop the massacre. I also understand that these disrupting images are going to be throughout this whole book, because let's face it this wasn't a pretty picture, but I'm still shocked every time these horrific things are described. It's like when you go into a movie knowing all well that the main character dies from cancer. You are still shocked when they're diagnosed, and even more shocked and stunned when they die from it. After reading this bit of reading, I have become more compassionate for this young boy, Ishmael. In the beginning I kind of thought, "Oh, there were a lot of kids going through this exact thing, sometimes even worse things." But now, I still know that during this time there were dozens of stories identical to his, I really feel bad for him. To be put at gunpoint, just moments away from taking your last breath and then walking away from it knowing that could have been your last minute on Earth would be extremely difficult for anyone to go through. I also feel like I am really going to enjoy reading this book. Sad parts and all, I think this will be a great book to read.

Chapter 1 & 2--A Long Way Gone

From reading the first two chapters of this book, I think this is going to be a very tough book to read and discuss. After hearing about Invisible Children and learning about the Lord's Resistance Army, I knew this situation was a very tough and tragic one. But I wasn't quite expecting all of the extra stuff this book discusses. I think that because this book is told by a boy soldier, the events and tragedies will be even more distinct and intense because we are getting all of his thoughts and his extra input about being there first hand. Some of the first observations I got from reading the first two chapters is how many connections there are in this book and Things Fall Apart. For instance, many things that were discussed in Things Fall Apart are also mentioned in this book. I thought this was interesting because Things Fall Apart took place a long, long time ago, and this book is more recent but they both have some of the same ideas, and Africa is somewhat the same. However, I'm a little confused and overwhelmed with all the places and people that have already been mentioned thus far in the novel. Because the author actually lived and experienced the things he is writing about, he really gets the setting and emotions right. For instance, when he was telling about seeing all the injured and dead people trying to get away from the mining areas, I felt like I was really there, and I felt the pain he felt. Also, I am already getting some eerie emotion about the story. The way Ishmael Beah describes everything creates the mood of people's lives during this period and it translates to the reader very well. I feel like Ishmael will be a easy person to relate to because he is just an average, every day kid doing the same childish things as many of us do (i.e. starting a rap group, dressing in what is supposed to be cool, etc.) who got stuck in a bad situtation. This is definitely going to be one of those books you will never forget. While reading, I was amazed at some of what I read. It is completely mind-boggling to me for an event like this to have gone on and still be going on. Even though, I know this book is going to be very disruptive and heart-wrenching, I am excited to see what happens to Ishmael and his family and watch his story progress. And I'm excited to see how he feels about living life in twenty first century America after living a childhood like he did.