A Long Way Gone By Ishmael Beah

691 Words3 Pages

“A Long Way Gone”
Ishmael Beah, the author of A Long Way Gone, wrote this book based on his real life experiences of being in Sierra Leone, where he is forced to fight in the civil war as a young boy. Ishmael was twelve years old when this war began to affect him, his home village was ransacked and blood covered while he was not there, but when he returned, he saw it all. He, his brother, and his friends then had to look for food, water, and shelter, in other places besides their home village. They continue doing this and going to lots of different villages and in times of desperateness, would do unsettling things to stay alive. “In the back of the van there were three more dead bodies, two girls and a boy, and their blood was all over the …show more content…

This army that he is in becomes totally addicted and brainwashed, they do lots of drugs and believe the only way to avenge their family's deaths is kill the other side. These drugs they used were marijuana, cocaine and “brown brown”, which all “helped them” have the courage they needed to fight in war. Ishmael was a soldier for a while before he was then given to UNICEF, or United Nations Children's Fund, which then brought him to a rehabilitation center. Ishmael has lots of troubles when it comes to recognizing and accepting his past, or being able to conceptualize what the future might look like. He meets a nurse Etser at this rehabilitation center, which allows him to open paths, accept and forgive what he has done within the past, and have a better understanding of his …show more content…

During his time In Sierra Leone, all he did was suffer. no child should have to suffer in war at all times of their life until they die in that same war. He’s showing what an unfair life he has had because of the civil war, and needed a way out. His sources were his own personal experiences, which are absolutely despairing. He may be somewhat biased but it’s because he has seen so much in a short span of time, as well as tell what effect it has had on him as he was older. Ishmael is continuing to teach about the Sierra Leone civil war and how it can severely negatively impact children and communities. This story is a good reminder of why we should protect the youth, and shows the importance of mental

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