Review Response - Liam

I think William Boyd was spot on with his thoughts on the book. It is so true that eastern area's of the world have worse conflicts. Where in the West (Canada, USA etc...) would you ever find a situation like that of Sierra Leone's? He also mentions how Ishmael was and is extremely intelligent, and how usually child soldiers don't get the opportunity to express their opinions on conflicts such as Ishmael's. I couldn't agree more. Here is a 12 year old kid who has been handed an automatic rifle and has been drugged out of his mind. It's truly remarkable. A 12 year old kid, not even a teenager, makes his way through a conflict we can't even wrap our minds around the thought of. It's sad though, because had Ishmael not gone through what he did, then we wouldn't have his book. And without books such as his, we wouldn't be as aware of worldly conflicts as we are today. Sure we'd have CNN and other news, but we never would have the personal accounts of what happened.

William raises a good point however. The book was so detailed when it came to non-violent memories, but when it came to the bloodshed and death, it was graphic, but didn't seem like it was as clear of a memory to Ishmael. This says something to me about Ishmael, is that the killing became such a way of life for him, he didn't pay much attention to it. He became so desensitized to all of the gore, merciless killing and hatred that he brushed it off. When he saw the first blood, of the people exiting the truck in the first couple chapters, he doubled over, vomiting and nearly fainting. At the end however, the war has become a way of life for him, because of the influence, power, safety, and not to mention the large amount of drugs he had consumed.

Journal #4 - Liam

Wow. The final chapters of the book. I think I speak for most readers when I say that the book has taken us through a ton of different thoughts and emotions. I find it sad, how he reaches safety but he still struggles for survival. He's addicted to many drugs, he can't process thoughts, and he hates the people trying to help him, because he sees it as he's being given orders. His experiences turned him into someone completely different from the start of the book. He hurts the innocent, steals, does everything that he would never do before the war. This is what's sort of sad. He has finally made it to the final checkpoint, but it is the hardest of all to overcome. He is addicted to drugs, and kills without second though. He has been brainwashed into a war-machine, and listens to no reason. It isn't his fault, he had no control. It was this, or be killed. What would you have chosen?

Ishmael has gotten to the point where he literally feels no pain. He breaks a window with his bare hand, and moves it back and forth so he can be taken back to the hospital, where he is safe and given shelter. After everything he has done, he's still forced to use power and wit just to survive.

When Ishmael is asked to perform for the EC, UN and UNICEF at the center, it showed how he may appear to be lost, but deep down there is still a little of himself left. Esther asks him to sing his reggae songs, but he asks to recite Shakespeare instead. This shows how intelligent he remains to be. He was always fascinated by such things, and this event shows how not all is lost. Towards the end of the book, he is more or less appearing normal, however the horrors he experienced and took part in, will never leave his mind. Amazing book, incredible story.

Review Response - Natacha

In my opinion, I think this book review by William Boyd is very well written. He explains the history of child soldiers in all different parts of Africa. He also talks about the book in a very detailed manner without spoiling it for readers who have yet to read it.
I like how Boyd explained the different types of drugs and guns such as "brown brown", a mix of cocaine and gun powder. By making his review really descriptive I think it gets people really interested and makes them want to know more about Ishmael's journey . I also enjoyed how he makes Ishmael sound like an innocent child and doesn't accuse him of being a killer, certain cridicts wouldn't necessarily make him sound innocent.
In the end I really enjoyed this review and they is nothing I disagree with. William Boyd definetly covered everything from the history of the war to  after when Ishmael moved to the U.S.A. I wouldn't change anything about this review.

Brown Brown

Brown-brown is a form of powdered cocaine mixed with smokeless gunpowder. Beah describes it was largely used by the children in the war.

Book Promo

Ishmael Beah

“I know the nature of what it is to be forgotten, what it is to lose your humanity, and more importantly, what it is to recover from it and to have another life.” – Ishmael Beah

Journal #4 - Natacha

 The last few chapters of this book were my favourite and the most interesting in my opinion. Throughout the whole book Ishmael had to say goodbye to the people closest to him and almost every new person he met during is journey as a boy soldier. Even when he finally found family and it seemed that nothing else would go wrong, the town was attacked and he had no choice but to leave. This book is so well written, and extremely descriptive that you're almost able to feel what Ishmael felt at the time.

I really loved how fast Ishmael was able to make so many new friends and how he was able to go to New York City. I didn’t like Mambu at first because he was intimidating, but as time passed he seemed to become a good friend to Ishmael. I was very happy when Ishmael’s old friend Mohamed showed up.

The story is in his point of view, and you feel as if you are going through the same experiences that Ishmael did. For example, when Ishmael told us that he never saw Mambu again because he was sent back to war, he never saw Alhaji again because he was sent to another children’s center , and when he said “It was the last time I saw her. I loved her but never told her.” Referring to Esther, This line was so sudden and a rather simple ending to their friendship. As the reader, you know read about everything Ishmael went through and you know that he was always stubborn towards Esther but for the first time he says he loved her. Alhaji, who he spent so much of his war days with and was by his side for so long was never seen again, which is pretty sad because they went through the toughest times together. This book literally makes you feel a pain inside yourself. This book book makes readers so emotional, while reading it you will laugh, you will tear up, you feel happiness, you will sympathize and you will learn.

This book is, by far, the best book I have ever read and I would re-read it. 

Coat of arms

For some reason I find their coat of arms somewhat ironic. How about you guys?

Crowded

A large group of Sierra Leonians gathering for the election of a new president.

two incredible people

Laura Simms and her adopted child, Ishmael Beah!

Review Response - José

I agree with the review written by William Boyd from the New York Times. Because I think everything the boy did it was not his fault. He became a “product” of the environment he was living. He had to do drugs and kill other persons without mercy otherwise he would be killed. It was a survival instinct, we cannot blame the boy.

After reading the review, my perception of the story remains the same. I keep feeling pity for the boy because of everything he lost: family, friends, village. I try to put myself in the boy’s shoes in order to understand all the sufferings he had been through. I don’t think I would be able to keep my hope and fight for my life as the boy did after everything he faced.

Another point I agree with William, is the cruelty Ishamael gives us with such richness of details. He tells us the way they used to kill prisoners and even detail the day he cut a man’s throat and the blood that squirted. We can figure the images on our minds. It must have been very hard for a young boy such as Ishmael to witness all those ongoings. I can’t even imagine the blame he might feels nowadays. Even though he was treated and passed with success through rehabilitation, he probably thinks sometimes about what he did. It must have left scars on him.

The summary in the review is very good. William highlighted the main events of the book and transmitted them wisely.

Review - Response

        I would definitely agree with this review. William Boyd definitely made some very agreeable points that made me more aware of the meaning of the book and it's purpose. He started off by giving a little summary and background of Sierra Leone and the civil war and saying that the conflict was not so much about the war but between Ishmael's struggles within himself and his journey. I had never thought about it that way. I often wondered as well, how many people Ishmael Beah killed when he was a soldier.

        Boyd was able to explain and make me come to realization of things that I did not now how to put in words. It was interesting to read a response and agree with everything. He was able to summarize the main factors and points in the novel that we had discussed in class as a group. I would imagine the average person who has read this book would feel the same emotions and have the same thoughts.

        When he said “ Who of us in our 20s could accurately summon up our day-by-day lives as preteens?”, he recognized Ishmael's remarkable memory which plays such a big role in the book yet it is not specifically mentioned that Ishmael could remember very precise details that the average person would not.
        Overall his review was to the point. I was able to relate with his statements and agree with him on almost everything especially since he had actually been close to experiencing something similar.

Questions - Theme - Mikayla

1. Aside from survival, what are the main themes? Explain.

Memory. Ishmael Beah is able to remember very important details from his life. It is important because without his memory from his childhood, he would have never been able to rehabilitate. For example; his music played a big role before he was a soldier so when nurse Esther gave him the Walkman and cassettes.

2.  Why does Ishmael recall a happier memory as things start to get depressing?

He would recall happier memories of when he was younger, to keep his hopes up and motivate him to get through his day.

3. How did Ishmael's personality change throughout the story?

At the beginning he was happy and fun. He enjoyed music, soccer and hanging out with his friends. When he became a soldier he completely changed in to a drug addict and murder who had no mercy. He went from being a harmless troublemaker to a killer. After rehabilitation he was happy again, but was never the same as before. That could also be because of maturity over time.

4.Why was it so important to talk about his life before became a soldier, during his rehabilitation process?

When he became a soldier, he changed for the worse and by recalling his childhood memories, Ishmael would be able to bring back his sanity and loving personality. Because of all the drugs, Ishmael lost control of his mind and his values.

5. When Ishmael stopped talking about his childhood when he becomes a soldier what does this signify?

Ishmael thought he would be a soldier for the rest of his life and it was his only purpose of life. He gave up and thought he would never get his childhood back.

6. How did nature life help Ishmael through his journey?

Nature life helped his journey because Ishmael appreciated and admired the beauty of nature. It made him seem innocent.

7. What impact did the wisdom of his family have on Beah?

His grandparents seemed very wise and spiritual. Ishmael mentioned many quotes he remembers from either his grandmother or grandfather and they seemed to lift his spirits and help him get through the terrors because he could related to the quotes.

8. Why is it important for Ishmael to share his story with the world?

It raises awareness to people are aren't affected by was. It allows us to see the reality of some countries less fortunate. For him, raising awareness to end child soldiers is very important for obvious personal reasons.

9. Why is Ishmael so successful today and play a big role in society?

Starting with representing child soldiers in the conference in New York, I think that really opened doors to being a spokesperson and making a difference in the world by working for the United Nations.

10. As Ishmael mentioned, he didn't understand why he was still alive of all his family members and friends, why him?

We would say it is mostly out of luck, because of certain series of events, he was able to escape. Needless to say, that would have never happened without his intelligence and will to survive.

Journal #4 - Jose

The last section of the book is the best one. Finally, good things started to happen with him. At first, he got a family. His new family is very nice and they treat him very well. Then, he got the chance to go to New York City on a UN conference about children facing war all over the world. He attended to the conference in New York and afterwards, he came back to Sierra Leone. I can’t understand why he didn’t stay there. If I was him, I would never go back to Sierra Leone.

He came back and started living a normal life. He was even attending school. His life seemed to be very happy. Suddenly, the rebels and the army got together to make a new government. Once again the boy would have to face the war and run for his life. I would be very scared and disappointed if I was him. After all he had been through, the war reached him again. At this point of the book, it was like watching a flash-back of the previous chapters. The soldiers and rebels were on the streets, shooting, raping and stealing everyone.

When the boy decided to run away from the city to Guinea, the neighboring country, I was very apprehensive. Because he would face a lot of difficulties trying to leave the city. Every checkpoint he reached, soldiers would extort him and the other passengers that were with him. After a long journey, the boy reached Conakry, Guinea’s capital. I felt very bad for him not having a place to sleep but then he went to the Sierra Leone’s embassy with other refugees looking for shelter. The book ends.

I didn’t understand the final of the book. How did he go to New York again? How he got money? What about his “new” family?

The book ends but many questions stay unanswered. The final is very “weak”, but, overall, it is a very good book.

Review

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/02/25/books/review/Boyd.t.html?_r=0

Journal #4 - Mikayla

                This was by far my favorite part of the section and saddest! I want him to continue his story! After reading the story I really want to meet Ishmael, or see him dance and sing. It was interesting how him and Mohamed reunited like nothing had happened and started singing and dancing.

                I was so emotional when he met his uncle! His uncle seems so caring and generous because he gives Ishmael presents and food although he isn't the wealthiest man. It must have been so much for him and his family to agree on letting Ishmael live with them without really knowing the crimes he had done and personality he has. As Ishmael said, men in his society rarely cried so reading about his uncle made a big impact. I felt really bad for his friends whose family did not want them and who joined the army again. It just shows how strong Ishmael is even though he knew he couldn't stay any longer or he would join the army as well.

                It must have been hard for Ishmael to not be able to tell anybody his past. Not that he really wanted to, but all those girls shut him down because he wouldn't be able to answer their questions and it isn't his fault.

                Funniest part of this whole book is when he went to New York. Even before that when his uncle didn't take him seriously and thought they were just lying to them. Then when his uncle found out that he was actually there, he was just like O.K. well stay inside and tell us about it when you get home like it was no big deal! It was all just so comical how Ishmael was so confused with the little white things falling from the sky and how cold it was.

                It felt like a long and intense journey when Ishmael was trying to make his way to Guinea. It was relieving as a reader to know that he got there and was practically done with running away.

                Loved it!!!!

The Ishmael Beah Foundation

Ishmael created a foundation to stop child soldier enrollment. Check out his site: www.beahfound.org

Journal #3 - Natacha

         In this section of the book Ishmael starts his journey as a boy soldier. His lieutenant, Jacobi, gives them their orders but also decides to give them drugs and convince them that killing is alright or normal. Marijuana, cocaine and brown brown are just some of the drugs that Ishmael and the others boys became addicted to over the time. They caused the boys to not be able to sleep properly and to think differently. It disgusts me that grown adults would give kids so young drugs, not to mentions most kids at that age should even know what drugs are or be any where near drugs. The lieutenants have convinced Ishmael and the other soldiers that the rebels are responsible for killing their family so that they feel the need to retaliate and punish the rebels by killing them. In chapter fourteen, Ishmael kills a rebel prisoner by slitting his throat. He felt no remorse in committing this act of pure violence which shows how his character has changed and how he had lost his morals.

    Later in the book the boys get taken by some in-city soldiers who bring them to a compound which turns out to be a UNICEF rehabilitation centre called The Benin Home. As the workers try to help the boys by feeding them, they start to rage because they're going through withdrawal. After fighting against the nurses and doctors, Ishmael finally gets injected with a sedative to calm him down and so he can get some sleep. I congratulate the nurses and doctors who risked their lives to help the boy soldiers recover. I wouldn't be able to stay as patient as the workers at the rehabilitation centre.
   This portion of the book is just the beginning of Ishmael's recovery and I'm happy that he is given a second chance in life. 

Journal #3 - Liam

        This section of the book focuses on the really violent and cruel aspects of the conflict in Sierra Leone. On the very first page of chapter 12, there is a graphic explanation of what's happening. People lie with body parts missing, and act as if they don't realize. There are children, around 12 and 13 that lie lifeless on the banks of the river. This section of the book, and much like the previous parts have used words to create such a vivid image in your head, that you feel like you're watching the conflict unfold.

I find this somewhat sad. When you read of the young boys and their emotionless reactions to their surroundings, it's so sad. If you put a regular kid in our society in that situation, they couldn't deal with it, but the young boys in Sierra Leone are so desensitized to their brutal surroundings that they're used to the horrors. I couldn't imagine it.

This section of the book also gives the reader a sense of hope. When Ishmael finally reaches Yele, the reader gets a sense that everything will be okay. However that isn't the case. I think that this gives the book more depth, it isn't always happy and it isn't always depressing, it keeps the mood in balance.

As we get closer and closer to the end of the book, the suspense keeps rising. Ishmael seems to be in safety, but if he were to pass the outskirts of Yele, he'd probably be killed. So it's almost like all of the civilians in Yele are trapped inside the village. This creates a lot of suspense because the reader is concerned on what might happen.

I still find it difficult to wrap my mind around everything that Ishmael, and other people of Sierra Leone and surrounding countries had to go through. It's unbearable, and we can't even begin to imagine what it might have been like, you'd only be able to find out first hand.

pink sky

Sierra Leone is famous for it's pink sunset skies

Questions and Answers -Natacha

Questions

1. Why did Ishmael change his mind about Esther?
2. Music comes back as Ishmael goes through rehabilitation. What role does it play and is it different than it was earlier in his life?
3. Describe the children's response to rehabilitation? Would you work with children in this rehabilitative setting if you were given the chance?
4. Does it surprise you that Ishmael spends a small portion of the book describing his journey as a child soldier?
5. Describe the contest Ishmael wins to be promoted as junior lieutenant.
6. What are a couple of things that motivate Ishmael in this portion of the book?
7. Describe Ishmael by giving a couple of character traits.
8. Do you think the title is appropriate for the story?
9. Why do you think the rebels are so violent? Do you think there's another way they could have gotten their point across without starting a war? How?
10. Describe Esther by giving a couple character traits.

Answers

1. Ishmael changed his mind about Esther because she gave him a Walkman.
2. It helps a lot through rehabilitation because it reminds him of his life before he became a soldier.
3. The children were really stubborn and negative towards changing because they were so accustomed to violence. It would be rewarding but at the same time it would be hard on your body mentally and physically.
4. Although it is very important and made a big difference on his life recalling all the details is like reliving the terror and it wouldn't be healthy. Also, it is possible that he doesn't remember certain thing because he was under the influence of drugs.
5. He was the quickest to cut a mans throat.
6. Ishmael seemed to really enjoy going around downtown. Another thing that motivated him was Esther's presence and his Walkman also motivated him.
7. Resourceful- he thinks of different outcomes. Cooperative- because he was able to lead when it was needed and follow.
8. Yes, the title of the book is appropriate for the story because he was long way gone from home, his mentality and being stable during his journey.
9. The rebels are violent because they are trying to get their point across, They want freedom. But the rebels are often seen ad the bad guys but the army is just as bad. Maybe if they had approached the government in a less violent way it wouldn't have started a war, but they probably felt powerless for that's why they were violent.
10. Esther is patient because she is able to work at different paces for the boys' recovery process. She is also loving and caring because she is willing to do anything to help Ishmael and the other boys.

So inspirational

Don’t be afraid to stand up for what you believe is right

Too often people stay silent when they see injustice

It is time to make a change in the world

And each one of you has the power to do it

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=835capnaTbA

Journal #3 - Mikayla

            It’s surprising how these drugs like cocaine, brown brown and sniffing gun powder can be so effective and last for so long. It’s hard to believe how senseless and mindless these boys are when they are intoxicated. They barely feel any pain or remorse for what they have had done to themselves and to others.

I really enjoyed the way the book turned around in this section. The fighting scenes aren't necessarily my favorite because it is difficult to picture them and fallow them. It was nice to finally see the light for Ishmael’s future when the UNICEF representatives came, although Ishmael was extremely reluctant to join.

I understand from Ishmael’s point of view why he was so stubborn and negative about it. Even though what he and his army were doing was wrong, he had become part of a family and routine which were the only things he had left.  They had also taken away his gun which was his sense of security which can be frightening to somebody who had been through so much trauma and violence. I would also hate how they say ‘It’s not your fault” every time a boy acts out.

It was entertaining to see how the two groups of boys first reacted to each other that first night, starting off by threatening each other just because Alhaji asked the other boys where they were from. Clearly they were all on edge.

The patience and personal skills nurse Esther has is so admirable. It must be so hard for her to watch these boys suffer but so rewarding to watch they heal. I can only imagine how happy Ishmael was when he got his Walkman and music. It had been such a big part of his life before the war and it was like we were reading about the young Ishmael again.

Journal #3 - Jose

In the beginning of this section, the book gets happier. The boy is taken out of the war and brought to a rehabilitation centre called the Benin Home. The Benin Home is part of a project from UNICEF (United Nations Children Fund) who help children all over the world who are involved in war. At first, he didn’t want to go there, we wanted to keep fighting. As he said, he was ready to die for his country. Because of this feeling, he and the other boys, were protesting against the rehabilitation.


I think it is a wonderful thing, what they did for those children. I wouldn’t have enough courage to work on a hostile environment surrounded by dangerous kids as the volunteers did. Also, when the boys did something wrong, the workers wouldn’t get mad at all and they would say: "It’s not your fault". I would have probably given up them.


When Leslie found the boy’s uncle, I guess it was the best part of the book so far. It was very nice to see something good happening with Ishmael after all the bad luck he had. After many years he was reunited with a family member. The only bad part it that his friends hadn't found any relatives.

In my opinion, the most important character of this sections was the nurse, Esther. At the beginning, the boy was very rude with her, although, she was always very nice to the boy. After many attempts, she awaked the boy’s sense of humanity and they became very close to each other. Maybe, if she have given up, the boy wouldn’t have been reinstructed to live in society and never had a family again.

Journal #2 - Liam

This section of the book really made my thoughts go crazy. It almost seems that when the boys are on the coast, in the tiny hut with the man who's name is unknown, that they are untouched by the war. It seems like they're getting better, they're not depressed anymore, they aren't lost. It seems almost slowly they're recovering. I think this, but then I remember the title, and how it says Memoirs of a Boy Soldier. I think to myself that things will get better, but then I realize how things are about to get much worse in the book. 

I cannot believe how physically and mentally tough these young boys are. Their feet are shredded, they outrun death on almost a daily basis, and yet they're still going strong. I honestly have no idea how they do it. Is it just their will to live? To find their families? Looking back on the first part of the book, when Ishmael was alone in the forest, I have no idea how I'd keep myself safe from my own thoughts. The horrors he'd witnessed, and then being all alone, with no companions and hardly any food, I'd over-think everything and drive myself insane. It truly amazes me how strong these boys are individually, and how much stronger they are as a team.

I'm also surprised at the generosity of the man who's name is unknown. When the boys usually encounter other people, the people run away in terror, fearing their lives. The man who owns the hut however, greets them with much generosity and hospitality. He feeds them, gives them shelter, and even heals their wounds. This actions stick out. The boys are so used to being on the bottom, and so used to having a survival of the fittest situation, in which case they never win. When the man opens up to them, it shows almost a contrast in what the boys are used to, and to myself as the reader, it gave a little light to a fairly dark topic.

Journal #2 -Natacha

        For this part of the book I was hoping something good was going to happen for Ishmael, and chapter 11 really gave me hope until the last couple of pages. The chapters in the second quarter of the book are intense, sad and horrifying.

       In chapter 11 the boys find some sort of hope and I'm so surprised because of everything they've been through. If I were in their position I would not be as optimistic as they are. I think it shows how much faith and will power these boys have and it really shows us how strong you have to be to tolerate such misery at such a young age. 

       I think that Kanei is a really positive character because he's the first to break the silence by saying that he has a feeling that they will find their families or at least news of them. He even stretches his hands high as if he's trying to reach the sun. I can only imagine how happy the children are thinking about possibly reuniting with their families in the next village and how anxious they are. 

      I feel bad that Ishmael didn't get to see his family but at the same time if he was with them he could have died and not been able to write this memoir and tell us the stories that many people who lived through the Sierra Leon civil war wouldn't be able to tell because their luck had ran out. So I think of Gasemu as a blessing in disguise although it is sad that Ishmael didn't get to see his family and say goodbye. I could never imagine my self seeing my family dead without feeling the need to kill myself, I wouldn't have the strength Ishmael had to continue on with his life after witnessing such horrifying thing.

       Through everything Ishmael still manages to stay strong.