Journal 6 (Josh Barnhart)

1) A long way gone is littered with characters of great significance although one stands out to me the most. I believe Esther without a doubt is the most meaningful character in the book. She transforms Beah from a monstrous killer into a sane human being. All of this is done through the presence of her love and caring for Beah. She ultimately melts his frozen heart by giving him the one aspect of life he so desperately cherished. This was a sense of family which he never thought he would get back. Esther clearly shows this on (Beah 167) by saying “Think of me as your family, your sister”.

2) I believe Ishmael's rehabilitation was a success he went from being a reckless young boy starting fights with guards to a peaceful civilian in society. He still has flashbacks of the war at times but I believe that is something that can’t go away. He has honestly seen too much for him to forget about his past. A child’s mind is like a sponge it’s always soaking up it’s surroundings. What’s most important though is that he’s learned how to handle these thoughts of his past. He no longer has violent outburst when reminded of his past but is now contained when this happens. Additionally Beah’s rehabilitation is 100% possible. I believe with enough help from doctors/nurses like Esther than anyone in need of rehabilitation can receive a fruitful outcome. If Beah were to move into my neighborhood I would totally accept him. As I mentioned before Beah has gained a sense of control over his traumatic mind there for I wouldn’t have to worry about him causing danger.

3) Through out the book A Long Way Gone Ishmael Beah uses numerous writing techniques to make you feel as if your in his shoes. One of these he does especially well is his use of imagery. There have been specific scenes in this book where I’ve had to take a break from reading because of how gruesomely vivid his writing gets. An example of this can seen on (Beah 125) when Ishmael slit the throat of a prisoner. He stated “ His Adam’s apple made way for the sharp knife and I turned the bayonet on it’s side as I brought it out.” Beah's description of this scene ultimately shows the reader how much of a vivid writer he truly is.


4)  The one passage that struck me the most in this book was on (Beah 191). In it Beah states “ No one my age in my country has a bank account or even dreams of having one, Much less property to declare”. This passage really got to me because it makes me great full to live in the United States. I often get so caught up in my life that I forget to think of how lucky I am to live in this country that’s economically successful. Here in America having a bank account is normal while in a lot of other countries it’s rare like Sierra Leon. Today I couldn’t imagine not having a bank account in the world I live in.