Lily Tikijian
October 6, 2008
Literature Period 6
Mrs. Pfanschmidt
A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Solider
Chapters 1 & 2
I could tell from the moment I picked up this book that it was going to be gut wrenching. We have learned a little bit about child soldiers in our history class and learned about there pain and suffering. Even though I haven’t read very much, I have read enough to know that this novel is going to be graphic and devastating. In the first twenty pages they are already describing the dead bodies that are on the street and the blood that is everywhere. This story takes place in Sierra Leone in January 1993. A twelve-year-old boy named Ishmael Beah is just a normal boy around this time. He has heard of the war but it hasn’t really affected him yet. He is just a normal boy who likes to be with him friends and likes rap music. Him and some of his friends are going to perform in a talent contest in the village of Mattru Jong. Then him and his friends end up in the town of Mogbwemo. There is where the war finally starts to affect him. He sees people who are injured, dead, and about to die. Ishmael says that they must go back to the town of Mattru Jong because they could no longer call Mogbwemo home. Ishmael has witnessed so many things already and it is just the beginning. On his journey back to the village he says, “ I barely noticed the journey, and when I drank water I didn’t feel any relief even though I knew I was thirsty.” I think this shows that he is already losing feelings that are normal. Later on in chapter two, he talks about killing and murdering people. He ends the chapter by saying, “These days I live in three worlds: my dreams, and the experiences of my new life, which trigger memories from the past.” To me, this is a haunting statement. It proves that his childhood is over and he is becoming brainwashed by the war and the killing. I can tell this book is going to be graphic and hard to get through but I am looking forward to reading the rest.
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2 comments:
I thought that it was very gut wrenching also. While I was reading the chapters, I almost had to put the book down because I couldn't handle the truth about the war. And another thing, He wasn't being brain washed when he didn't feel relief from drinking he was beginning to go numb of all feelings and emotions from the war.
P.S. I thought it was really funny when you deleed Max's comment. (-:
I'm glad you're enjoying the book, in spite of how hard it is to take at times.
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