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A Character Analysis Of Beah And Kamara From The Sierra Leone War

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To Live Another Day Fear of the unknown drives all selfish decisions. In times of fear and danger, people must decide to save their own skin or to sacrifice their safety to help those around them. Throughout the war, Beah struggles with doing what is right while Kamara follows her instincts to save herself. With death happening all around Beah and Kamara, the two children dreamed of safety, yet that was taken away from them because of the deceptions from the RUF. The rebels turned villagers against each other when they needed community most. Beah and Kamara did not avoid this fate. The two children allowed anyone around him to get hurt if it meant he would live another day. However, Kamara manipulated others so she may live. In the Sierra Leone War, victims like Beah and Kamara only thought of their own safety; depending on their selfishness to survive. In the beginning when faced …show more content…

Unlike Beah, she was selfish before the war even began. Kamara would get frustrated and upset when her Aunt Marie gave her daughter Adamsay presents, she says, “ I got angry when Marie gave Adamsay new clothes or extra food to eat, I would yell at Marie; ‘She’s your own child and you like her better’” (19 Kamara). She shows just how much she thought about herself by calling out Marie for being unjust when she was just caring for her daughter. Kamara also refused to go pick up food and supplies for her family. She says, ‘“ No! I don’t want to go.” I decided to lie and say I wasn't feeling well… If you don't believe me I will go. But we may never see each other again’’ (27 Kamara). She emotionally manipulates her Uncle trying to convince him not to make her go and even lies trying to save herself. More so, she talked rudely to her elders because she was only concerned for her own life and never gave a second thought about all the other people in her village. Then when she finally encounters the rebels, she loses any hope of helping

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