Favorite Quote

"When I'm alone in m room sometimes I stare at the wall and in the back of my mind I hear my conscience call" (Beah, 68) This quote refers to the lyrics in a rap song in the book A Long Way Gone however they are very  powerful to the events currently going on in the book. The quote states that sometimes when you have an important decision to make you need to stop and think about what you are trying to accomplish. This links with a long way gone because half of the struggle the children are going through mental because they are constantly running for their lives and have next to no time to just collect their thoughts and think about their next steps.The main character was just destroyed mentally after arriving at the village that had their family in it to late and he will never forgive himself. He stopped to help a man with his harvesting even though he thought he should check on his family but he didn't stop to think and he arrived to late. I was drawn to this quote after I read the part where ishmael losses his family because i was thinking about how Ishmael should h`ave ran to see them faster and i was trying to figure out why he did not but this quote really helped make it clear for me and gave me a greater understanding of the story and the message within it.

Setting

In Sierra Leon Africa there is a massive struggle with rebels going from town to town killing everyone in a attempt to "free" the legion. The book doesn't say what time period it is in however the book is based on the 30 year old authors childhood so you can assume it takes place in the 90s. More proof would be that the book has modern weapons like the AK47 and the people there drive trucks. What the rebels do is they go to towns and kill a lost everyone their but any men or children they find hiding after the matter they take and put on drugs making them more courageous and therefore more useful soldiers. If anyone resists they are commanded to be shot down by the people who do cooperate. As for the women they re violated and held hostage to help discourage any heroic behaviour by the military. This book reminds me of the movie black hawk down because the rebels behaved in the same way, executing people, holding hostages that sort of thing. They also fought without mercy and were very willing to sacrifice there lives if it benefits there group at all. If i were the main character in this book i would be absolutely terrified being surrounded by dead bodies and constantly having people after me. I also would hate how hot it is because it slows you down and weakens you for the next attack.

Protagonist

Ishmael was care free boy in Africa with one brother, who went to school, a mother and father, who home schooled him and many friends. Every night they would play rap cassettes and sing along to them pretending to be the people that wrote them. One day he left the village to see his grandma and when he got back he knew his world would never be the same. His whole village had been attacked by rebels and his parents had been slaughtered. Him and his grow of friends flee to different parts of the region fighting for their lives one day at a time.Ishmael is the quietest out of anyone and only talks if its very important. He demonstrates selflessness as well  going back to save captured friends and offering a share of food to fellow wanderers. He is strong and pushes himself on even though the road ahead is nothing to look forward to but he never gives up. Physically he is very skinny and gets more so as his adventure goes on and he battles starvation and dehydration. He is physically fit however because he is able to outrun rebels effortlessly and he can run for hours or sometimes for a full day and not stop despite all of the troubles he faces. along his journey each place he stops the rebels always seem to be right behind him. i think all Ishmael wants is to find a safe place to live its just he doesn't know where that is yet.

Ishmaels actor, Tyler James Williams

Plot Summary

A Long Way Gone is about a 12 year old boy in Sierra Leone, Africa who is thrown into a war when rebels start attacking villages, killing everyone living their or forcing them into becoming rebels, so they can "free" the region. Ishmael is thrown into this when his home village is attacked unexpectedly one night and he loses track of all his family and friends. Along the way he faces impossible obstacles and slowly reunites with his friends only to watch them suffer along with him. He gets captured multiple times and the rebels never show mercy. He has to fight against hunger, pain and loneliness on top of the rebels and the region will never be the same because no one trusts them and often they attack on first sight. However along the there are a few generous soles that save their lives. My favourite part so far is when it was one of the hottest days of the year and they had to walk on sand all day and they escaped with cuts on their feet that slowed their progress drastically. This book never stops being interesting because it seems everything Ishmael does is a struggle for his life so it always keeps you on our toes as to what he is going to do next. He often eats random things fro the wild and that will affect his body in many ways and could kill him.

ALL ABOUT ME

Hello, Im Kade Cote im 5'11 and I love football. I really hate the term YOLO because its pointless and obvious. I have never really read a very long book and all my life ive been more of a Diary of a Wimpy Kid type reader. I will admit i tend to drop books if the action doesnt start quick and that why Diary of a Wimpy Kid works so well for me. My favorite book of all time is called Nerds, its a pretty short kiddie book but its about kids that are given wierd powers that fight off crime and stuff. I hope you enjoy my blog and find my posts entertaining.