A Long Way Gone Chap: 21

It must be devastating for Beah to have to be thrown right back into the war. He has just learned to trust people again and has settled into his new life, then the war comes into the city. I was surprised that the rebels and the army joined forces to overthrow the government. I always thought that the army was fighting to protect the president but I guess not? The soldiers just come into the city and start killing people and basicly doing what they did to the other towns and villages they destroyed. It is a good thing though that Beah escaped the war and got to go live in America. At least for him things will be good. I didn't like how the book ended at all. It was talking about how he was in Guinea and was trying to get to America then Beah flashes back to a story that the village elder would tell the kids and then it just ended. Overall though I thought that the book was well writen and it really captured the readers attention.

A Long Way Gone Chap: 19-20

It is a great thing that Ishmael got to go and live with his uncle. That was a great thing for him and will help him a lot. He will be with the uncle's children and will be able to go into the city all he wants. It is a good thing that he became friends with Allie and that he helped Ishmael get to know the city. I think that getting to go to the U.S. for the conference will help Ishmael and the people that are listening. Ishmael will get to see New York and help the kids around the world to understand what is going on in Sierra Lione. He will be able to meat people that have gone through things simiar to what he had to go through and will be able to make new friends. Its looking as if the hardships in Ishmael's life will finally end.

A Long Way Gone Chap: 17-18

In these chapters things are really starting to look good for Ishmael. The boys have stopped fighting and instead are playing soccer and table tennis. Also Ishmael has become friends with the nurse. This is probably the best thing that has happened to him so far. He now as someone to talk to and let his feelings out. Being able to talk to someone about his dreams and the things that are bothering him will help Ishmael a lot. He will be able to have someone comfort him and help make him feel better when he needs it. Finding Ishmael's uncle is probably just as important as him being able to talk to the nurse and having her as a friend. With his uncle he can talk about the old times in his life with his father and his brother. This will help him to be a happier person and help him get out of the rehabilitation process faster.

Choice Book

I don't really care what the choice book is.

A Long Way Gone Chap: 15-16

It seems that in these chapters everything is going to get better. But, they don't get as good as you would have thought they would be. While Ishmael does get taken away from the war he is so used to it that he gets furious with the UNICEF people. The boys constantly beat up the people trying to help them and fight amongst themselves all the time. They disobey almost all the rules and when the staff tell them that its not their fault they throw things at them and/or beat them up. These boys were so used to the war that they can't live without it. In the next chapter though you see the boys starting to go through rehabilitation. They are slowly getting used to being off drugs and many of them have gone through rehabilitation process and are getting used to living a normal life. Chapter 16 shows promise for these boys and while it might not be over yet, their long journey through war and strife is nearly over.

A Long Way Gone Chap: 13-14

I think that it is wrong for the corporeal to give those boys drugs. I know that he probably thinks that it is necessary and maybe it is but giving a boy those kinds of drugs is terrible for their health. Because of the drugs Ishmeal went mad with anger and just started killing people left and right. He felt bad at first but after the drug kicked in he didn't feel anything at all. This is the begining of the desensitization for the boys and it will probably only get worse. In chapter 12 the boys have been completely desensetized. I didn't think that they would be able to kill helpless prisoners for fun this quickly. I thought that it would take them at least a couple more chapters for them to become desensetized to all the violence.

A Long Way Gone Chap: 11-12

That wold be devastating having wait and wait to see my family and then as soon as I'm about to see them, rebels come and kill them. I would probably react much the same way that Ishmeal did, you just wouldn't be able to think about anything else. I think that fighting would be something that most people would do in this situation, it's one of those moments when your speachless and raving mad at the same time. It is sad that the people are forced to fight even if they are boys, sad that it is necesary for their survival. That the boys all shake when they are given unloaded guns adds to the desparity of these boys. All of them are teenagers or younger and they are being forced to kill.

A Long Way Gone Chap: 10

These boys are having a run of good luck it seems(until the boy dies). They are finding a bunch of villages that aren't chasing them away or trying to kill them. Instead these villages are partying and having a good time. I wonder if these villages just haven't been touched by the war or if they are just trying to ignore it. I thought it was good that they started telling stories after they left the village. that way they could get their mind off of what is happening and on the story. I think that it would benefit them greatly to keep telling these stories, it would keep them from going insane or getting desensitized. It is very sad that Ishmeal is unable to cry for his friends and family, this shows that he has acepted that they are going to die and has basicly given up hope.

A Long Way Gone Chap: 8-9

Ishmeal is lucky that he has grandparents that teach him survival skills. Without the things that his grandma and grandpa taught him he probably wouldn't be alive. It was pretty disturbing reading about rivers so full of blood that they weren't running any more, and if I saw something like that I would be throwing up every time I would think about something like that. When he meets up with the boys from his school and they play soccer on the beach, and when they reach the hermits hut it shows hope for these kids and hope for the country even. If someone can laugh after going through all that they have they are either crazy or things are turning around for them, and i don't think these boys are crazy.I find it amazing how his rap music seems to save him almost every time he is in trouble, he is an extreamely lucky kid in that regard.

A Long Way Gone Chapters 6-7

It is extremely sad how nobody trusts anyone. Not even a 12 year old can be trusted in these communities. Even worse is how people try to hurt them. Chasing them out is one thing but trying to kill them? Even the best of friends are starting to turn against each other, not fighting but drifting apart. I was kind of confused at the end of the chapter because I thought that they were traveling with an adult and the adult seemed to disappear. I feel sorry for Ishmeal, he now has to go into the wilderness of Africa by himself, and with almost no hope of being accepted into a community since he is a boy.

A Long Way Gone Chap: 3-5

I thought that it was extremely contradictory that the rebels were killing the people that they were "liberating." They tortured that messenger by branding him and cutting off all his fingers. If they captured people they would draft the ones they thought were strong enough and then kill the rest. I don't understand why they would do this, they could occupy the villages peacefully without killing any civilians, then draft some and have supporters for their movement. not to mention people to rule if they win.

A Long Way Gone Chap: 1 and 2

The first page ashamed me. I cant believe that American kids would be that nieve about war. How can seeing people running around with guns shooting people be cool? At the beginning of the first chapter he is just like any other kid, listening to music, and running around with his friends. Then he sees the people that the rebels attacked, and his life really starts to change. This was sad to me because no one should have to be exposed to the harsher sides of life like that. One day they are going to see thier friends and grandma the next day they see people bleeding and dieing everywhere, I think that it would be hard to keep your sanity if you went through such an experience. Then in the second chapter you learn how badly the war still effects him. He is still having nightmares in the U.S.