A Long Way Gone post 5

A Long Way Gone - Ishmael Beah

Quote 1:

" It will take six days to send someone to get the medicine and return. He will die from the pain by then." - The Seargeant Doctor, Page 157

This quote really shows the quality of life Ishmael was living through in the war. In the pages before this quote appeared involved a three day walk in orger to take over a town for supplies. The town was occupied by rebels however, and Ishmael was shot. First of all, the lack of a vehicle was sort of shocking to me. The fact that the doctor could not just drive to get medicine from the base where Ishmael was stationed, really tells us something about how Ishmael was living before he came to America.

Personal Connection:

When I took a trip down to Tijiuana I saw a similar situation where there were not any cars, and people had to walk in order to get places. That seemed so alien to me, because not owning a car in the United States is strange. This was an important thing to understand however, because not every world country lives as well as we do.

Question:

Have you ever been to a place that was in poverty? What were some differences you noticed?

Quote:

"Before I shot each man, I looked at him and saw how his eyes gave up hope and steadied before I pulled the trigger. I found their somber eyes irritating."- Ishmael, Page 159

I found this quote disturbing to read. I think it relates to Ishmael's life back in Sierra Leone, because from the age of 12 years old, death was all he knew. Ishmael was actually able to look each man in front of him, in the eyes, without flinching, then shoot them in the head. It seems that Ishmael has gotten to used to the fact that people die around him all the time, and he has killed so many people, that it no longer bothers him to kill. He never seems to think twice. No remorse, no sorrow, no shame. 

Character Judgement: 

I think that Ishmael has no soul left iside him to feel the pain of others. Ishmael has gotten so used to killing, that it has become an everyday fact of life. I can hardly blame him however, because when it was encouraged by everyone, and he was hopped up on the drugs he had been taking, he would never think twice about what he was doing. 

Question: Is Ishmael losing his mind? Yes or no, explain whether or not he has any humanity left in him or not.