A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Solider (Chapters 6 & 7)

Lily Tikijian
October 10, 2008
Literature Period 6
Mrs. Pfanschmidt

A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldiers
Chapter 6 & 7

These two chapters were so hard to get through. I had to put down the book at least five times. Just thinking about being there and having to deal with everything that Ishmael and his friends had to go through makes me feel sick. Ishmael says, “People stopped trusting each other, and every stranger became an enemy. Even people who knew you became extremely careful about how they related or spoke to you.” I am a very open and trusting person. The thought of not being able to trust the people around me makes me feel so depressed and sad. If I had to deal with all of that, I don’t think I would want to live anymore. I almost started to cry when the villagers thought the boys were rebels and they said, “Drown the rebels!” But luckily they were saved and everything was okay. Well, as okay as it could be. For about a month, the boys were appointed as watchmen for a village. This is how they ate and got a place to live. I was realized that on that same page that there was a break from the war. Ishmael is telling us about farming and stuff. It gave me a chance to relax and calm down and clear my head. But, then again you turn to the next page and someone is getting set on fire and gets burned to death. I think that was one of the worst parts of the books so far. Just hearing the details about how they tied the priest to the post and set him on fire, it kills me to even think about it. That same night, Ishmael and Junior were separate because the rebels invaded the villages at night when know one was expecting it. Ishmael found one of his friends but then set off on his own and walked for five days without coming in contact with another human. One the sixth day he came in contact with some people but they didn’t seem to want to be near him, or trust him. He says that, “Even a twelve- year-old couldn’t be trusted anymore.” Even though these two chapters weren’t as bloody or gory it was still hard to read and get through. I truly feel for Ishmael and respect him for what he is going through and how brave he is. I don’t think I could even be like that.