Brainstorming Exercise for Presentations-- from Mike Lohre

Good day students, and I would like you to do some subject brainstorming on the blog here for this project, so that we all can see it, think about subjects together, and then decide on a partner and a subject that we have interest in and can pursue with some fire and intellect.

Use the COMMENTS feature below this very post to contribute your ideas.  Write a short paragraph about two different brainstorms'

--The first of these subjects should be practical: a career or occupation that you are actually interested in and might consider doing.  At the least, it is an occupation or job that we witness fairly regularly in the culture.

--The second of these subjects should be wilder.  Perhaps you can never see yourself doing this job, but man is it interesting, and you really admire the people who have the skill, talent, or guts to do this type of job.

So using the Comments feature, share each of your two brainstorm subjects and tell us why you think both of them are good subjects for this project, in your opinion.

Have fun and I look forward to seeing your creative results!

DEADLINE: Have these posted by noon on Sunday, November 3, at the latest.

Invention is a crucial part of any creative or composition process.

Journal Seven- Madi Conrad

Journal Seven- Walcott

One Major conclusion I made from my observation about Walcott is that he decided to become a firefighter by following in his father's footsteps. This was intriguing to me because many people i know, including myself do not usually want to follow in their parent's footsteps. They want to make their own path and follow their own dreams, wants, and desires. I found it very interesting that Walcott also chose firefighting as his job because he receives an inside feeling of happiness for saving someone's life by putting himself in harm's way. I feel that a lot more people have begum to understand that same feeling that Walcott has when doing his job.
A direct quote from the book, Callings by Dave Isay, is on page 55, when it communicates to the reader the beliefs that Walcott has developed in his world of being a good fireman. On page 55, it says, "..When you put yourself in harm's way to help someone else, that's really what makes you a good fireman" (Isay 55). This quote represents how Walcott has begun to build the choices in his life as a fireman.
My Research question for this chapter is, what are the technical differences between a volunteer firefighter and a firefighter who graduated from the academy's job? The results I found to my research question was that a volunteer firefighter still receives intense training and recieve an EMT certificate but, they many only assist to putting out fires unlike an academy graduated fire fighter.

I chose this image of the Chicago Fire Department Engine Co. 116 as Walcott said that was the engine he was on when he first started his job as a firefighter.

Journal 7 - Tammy Guo

In the chapter, Barabara Abelhauser found her calling, and it was to be a bridgetender. She was miserable with her old job as a state employee and wanted a job that promotes relaxation and peacefulness. The two major conclusions I made about this profile were that having the job of your dreams, you have to be okay with the downfalls of it since Abelhauser’s job as a bridgetender that has horrible pay and terrible benefits. Well, that did not stop her because this job made her happy, and she was excited to go to work, and most importantly, she loved it. She knew that money doesn't buy happiness. One could have all of these great things, but if they are not happy, does it matter that they have money and all of these benefits. Another conclusion is that though she does not have this great job that others would necessarily want, she gets to experience things others do not. She gets to see the entire city and see it in ways that others do not. Abelhauser also gets to see people and understand people in new ways. She hears everything people say and sees more than most people have. Though this job does not bring all good things considering she has seen people lose limbs, she still now understands more than what she used to and more than others. Through this job, she learned to appreciate people and things in the way she has never before. 

An excellent direct quote from this profile is, “Most people do not stop to smell the roses, but I get to smell the roses eight hours a day. It is amazing” (Isay 21). It reveals that she takes her time to take in the world and what it has to offer. She doesn't breeze over it and notices things that other people cannot, and it helps promote zen. 

A research question: What is the importance of bridgetenders? 

Bridgetenders serve as the brains behind motorized and mechanical bridges, operating them as a form of traffic guard in order to allow watercraft and vehicles safe passage around a waterway.

website used: https://www.careermatch.com/job-prep/career-insights/profiles/bridge-tender/

The Ortega River Bridge Opening

Journal 7: Jacob Francis

           The story I chose from Callings was the story about Scientist Dr. Dorothy Warburton. Dr. Warburton grew up in a time where women were expected to stay home and take care of the children. Dr. Warburton didn't take that, she was determined to be a scientist. One conclusion that can be made from this story is to never give up no matter who tells you to. Dr. Warburton's father always wanted a boy but when Warburton came around he never expected her to be able to do much. "My father didn't really have much expectation that, as a girl, it would ever lead to anything" (Isay 43). Even though Warburton's father never thought she would amount to anything, she still became a doctor in human genetics.
A second conclusion that can come from this story is to believe in yourself even when it seems all odds are against you. At the time that Dr. Warburton spent at Columbia University, there weren't very many female professors or female students. As well with being one of the only females on campus conducting research, Dr. Warburton had four children! Dr. Warburton was committed to her work and never gave up on it.
A research question I had for this story was how many women had Doctorate degrees in the 1950s. I found that women only held 9.7% of all doctorate degrees in the 1950s. This was found from the National Center for Education Statistics.

This is a picture of Dr. Warburton with other genetic scientist in a research facility that specializes in Endocrinology.
 https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&source=images&cd=&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=2ahUKEwjh5_-WnbjlAhXGi54KHXvPCsEQjB16BAgBEAM&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.reifellowship.com%2Fprofessional-development%2F&psig=AOvVaw0YAyXrPzS8WWw0mGjVNLr4&ust=1572120977061269

Journal Seven from Teylar

Migrant workers working in the field.

In the story Callings by Dave Isay there is an interview with a man by the name Storm Reyes. Reyes grew up with neglectful and abusive field migrant farmworkers’ as parents. Because of the way he was raised, he didn’t really have any aspirations or dreams, and he sort of just did what he had to do in order to survive. 

One day when he was twelve years old, a bookmobile came to the fields where he lived. Since he wasn’t allowed to have books since him and his parents moved around a lot he had never really owned a book.”. . . because books are heavy, and when you’re moving around a lot you have to keep things minimal” (Isay 41). He took a few books home, read them and got hooked. It gave him the courage to leave the fields. He then devoted his time by going to school and getting higher education to become a librarian. When we did in class discussion, I asked how many children of migrant workers turned out to be migrant workers themselves because I was curious to see if there were more people with a story like Reyes’.

I

Journal Seven- Keaton H

Keaton Hipsher
English 1109
24 October 2019

     The story that I chose to do for this journal is about Marat Kogut the NBA Referee. Kogut personality is he is the type of person that never gives up, no matter if the odds are against him. Kogut knows he will succeed. Like for an example, the chances of being an NBA Referee are really slim there are about only sixty referee job spots. One major factor he had to over come was Kogut's mom didn't want him becoming a referee. Kogut's mom wanted to see him as a lawyer or a doctor because there were millions of job openings other than just sixty as a NBA Referee. One of my favorite things Kogut said after his dad asked him "how many referee there were in this country?" Kogut said, "It's about sixty. And I'm going to be one of them"(Isay,29).
     Two major takeaways I got from this little story is you can do anything you literally want to, you just have to grind and move up the ladder to the big prize at the top. Another thing I toke from this story is how you need to be there for someone the way Kogut's dad was for him through his journey. Also how his dad is still there for him watching every game when it is on T.V. just like he went to all of his high school and rec games that he refereed when he was sixteen.
     My question is- What was the first two NBA teams you ever refereed? Which I couldn't find.
But I fount one of his most memorable NBA assignments. The game between the Boston Celtics and the Los Angeles Lakers on January 30th, 2011, in the teams first meeting in the 2010 NBA Finals.

Marat Kogut has been an NBA referee for 11 seasons. 

Journal 7- abby archer

For this journal, I chose to talk about McNair. McNair was the kind of person to not let others bring him down. He was determined to do well in school and to be the best version of himself. Unfortunately, during this time he had to deal with racism and discrimination. He did not let this problem in his society hold him back. “He found some books, and he politely positioned himself in line to check out. Well, this old librarian says, “This library is not for coloreds.” She says, “Young man, if you don’t leave this library right now, I’m going to call the police!” He just propped himself up on the counter and sat there and said, “I’ll wait” (Isay, 37). McNair continued to stand his ground which ended up helping him in his future. He became successful with receiving his PhD in physics and was given the opportunity to fly into space. All of his hard work had paid off, so it was a happy moment for McNair. I find his determination and adamant attitude truly inspiring due to the fact that it will help me throughout my college career. If I have the mindset of “He’d go as far as he could, then go one step beyond that.” (Isay, 38) then I will become the kind of person I have always wanted myself to become. 

My research question for this profile was, what happened to the NASA challenger space shuttle? What was the cause?Research says that the disintegration of the vehicle began after a joint in its right solid rocket booster (SRB) failed at liftoff. The failure was caused by the failure of O-ring seals used in the joint that were not designed to handle the unusually cold conditions that existed at this launch. Ronald McNair was the pilot. This disaster was known to be one of NASA’s darkest tragedy. 

This is the challenger space shuttle that exploded when McNair was the Pilot .

Journal Seven- Emaleigh Haimerl

Emaleigh Haimerl
Eng 1109 at 1:30 M-W
October 24, 2019

     Out of the story, one of the two major conclusions I have for Sharon Long is that she second-guesses herself. In the book, Long says "I didn't ever believe in myself, but they all encouraged me, and it felt good" (Isay, 23). When she had said that it made me seem like oh she doesn't think she is good enough at this but even when she didn't believe in herself there were people asking her to travel to Easter Island to fo molds of skulls for them.
     Another major conclusion I have is that even though this job gave her arthritis and she thought she wouldn't have anyone else call her once technology started doing so much that she still loved it because she never gave up and stopped doing it. The question I had for this profile is if she got arthritis from this why keep doing it and keep putting herself in pain.

This is a photo of a skull cast which is what Long had to make and she made about 86 skulls and that was in 2015. 

Journal seven Collin Thacker

English 1109
Collin thacker
10-23-2019
                                                     John Heyn, 56, talks with his uncle
                                                       Herman Heyn, 83, a street corner
                                                                     astronomer
   Two major conclusions i came up with were to never give up and  to always persevere.

I said to never give up because if there is something that you really want in life ( not like a Ferrari or big house) something that you want with every fiber of your being... then shoot for the stars (literally) because it is yours for the taking! Dont just give up on your dreams, pursue them and conquer your greatest fears. If you believe it, you can achieve it. So go now and have a clear mind and a steady foot and you’ll go far. The odds were against him as he said “...,but I had learning disabilities...” (Dave Isay 11) but he did just that, he never gave up!

I also said to always persevere because you will come up against conflicts and trials in life and the main thing is to never forget who you are and push through to reach the other side. It’s always easier said then done. But that is the thing though it CAN BE DONE! “You can spell Andromeda, but you cant spell anything they want you to in school.”(Isay 11) He learned what he needed to in his own way.

This is the andromeda galaxy known for its beauty and brilliant shine in the night sky especially during the winter months

Journal 6- Chas Martin

Chas Martin

English at 1:30

Mr. Lohre

October 16, 2019

Journal 6

1.      I think the most meaningful character other than Ishmeal Beah was Esther. Without her Beah wouldn’t have become the person he is now. He would have kept struggling in rehabilitation and kept fighting the new system he was taken into. I think the most influential part that Esther is apart of is when Beah opens up to her and talks about how he got his bullet holes. Esther never interrupted the story or I think Beah would have mentioned it in the book. That means that she just listened to the story and this shows that she became a person that Beah could not only trust but for someone he could open up to.

2.      I feel like his rehabilitation went very well. He showed this when Freetown was taken over by the RUF and he stood strong and didn’t fall into his old ways. If Beah was to move into my neighborhood or any former child soilder in that fact, I’m not going to lie I would feel a little nervous. I wouldn’t push him out or separate myself from him but I would want to get to know him. I think everyone at first would feel a little uncomfortable but as time progresses we need to learn to understand that these are people just like you and I.

3.      I think Beah’s use of scene in the book was beyond beautiful. In some scenes I felt like I could imagine what had actually taken place. He described some moments with such passion that it had blown me away. I really haven’t felt that much power and inspiration from someone’s writing in a long time.

4.      I’m not going to quote the entire passage because it is long but I think my favorite passage was when Beah is describing the chaotic disturbance that took place when all the former child soldiers had started fighting. When Beah had described him fighting in the war I think it showed change for his character. When he was brought back to civilized world and it showed the scene where the fighting had taken place and the young boys had died. That scene shows us how twisted their young minds had become. The war never stopped for them, they could only think about killing one another no matter what the cost was.

Journal Six from Teylar

The character that has meant the most to me in A Long Way Gone is Esther. She is a big part of Ishmael’s life during his rehabilitation. She is caring and nurturing. She shows Ishmael that she cares about him throughout his stay at the center. She helps him learn how to be empathetic again. “None of what happened was your fault. You were just a little boy, and anytime you want to tell me anything, I am here to listen” (Beah 160). In this passage Esther gets him to understand that he did during the war was not his fault and that she was there for him. She has meant the most to me because she reminds me of my mother and grandmother. They are both nurturing and forgiving.

I feel like Ishmael was rehabilitated successfully. I believe that rehabilitation is only possible if the person who is being rehabilitated wants to be rehabilitated no matter what the situation is. It’s not really my choice to accept him into my neighborhood but if I did have a say in the matter, I would accept him into my neighborhood because I believe that everyone deserves a second chance no matter what they have done or what the circumstances may be. 

Beah uses wonderful dialogue and metaphors when he is describing the area around him. He isn’t bland when explaining the nature and what he encounters during and before coming a soldier. In chapter eight Beah is walking through a village that was attacked by the rebels. He describes seeing dead bodies of men, women and children on the ground scattered like leaves on thee ground after a storm (Beah 49).

My favorite passage of the whole story that really has stuck with me would have to be when Esther told Beah that none of the things he did during the war was not his fault and that she would be there for him of he ever wanted to tell him anything (Beah 160). This passage really stuck with me because it shows you how child soldiers think prior to coming out of the war. It also shows me as a reader how it is hard for them to accept things that they cannot change. 

Madi Conrad Journal 6

Madi Conrad

English 1109 at 1:30, M-W

Wednesday, October 16th, 2019

Journal 6

            Other than Ishmael, the character that has meant the most to me in this book was Esther. Esther has meant the most to me other than Ishmael in this book because she represents a role model to many out there. Esther has become a role model to me, as I would like to become someone who works hard while being selfless at the same time. Esther is one of the main people who helps Ishmael through his rehabilitation process. to me, Esther not only shows care for Ishmael but, also that she will be there for him in life. One specific example that Ishmael iterates in his writing when speaking about his rehabilitation process is Esther becomes someone that he cherishes as she has made him feel like he is back to his old self, “When I finished telling Esther the story, se had tears in her eyes and she couldn’t decide whether to rub my head or hug me” (Beah 159). In this line from the text, Beah finally came to the realization that even though he may not go back to his earlier self once he was forced into the war, but he would be able to make a partial recovery and Esther was one of the very few who was actually going to help him get there.

            I believe that it is possible for Ishmael to be rehabilitated. Ishmael’s rehabilitation process is very eye opening to me as he has come from such a deep, rough, and dark place that will be hard for anyone to escape yet a young teen. It was much harder for Ishmael to even start become and remember who he was before because he was forced into killing at the age where his brain was still developing. As a person who knows and is very close with many who struggle with PTSD from war, I would accept Ishmael to move into my neighborhood. Even though, Ishmael has had a rough past and started killing at such a young age, he did it for his survival and has also gone through a rigorous rehabilitation process to even make the improvements that he did. Many may not trust Ishmael to live in their neighborhood but I would because I like to look for the good in all people no matter who they are, and what they have done and are currently doing.

            One thing from my active reading that really pulls me into A Long Way Gone was that when Beah is communicating in the book he uses specific lines here and there to make you feel as you are one of them, going through the same traumatic experiences, while fighting for your life. The main sentence that stood out to me the most in this book that represents how he makes you feel as if you are one of the child soldiers fighting along side him is when Beah explains how devastatingly empty and difficult his journey of being a child soldier was, “For five days, I walked from dawn to dusk, never coming into contact with any human being” (Beah 46). In Ishmael’s book, this was one of the many lines he used that provided so much detail in such a short sentence. Beah has a way of being able to put the reader into the story with very little detail.

            My favorite passage that I was really struck by the writing is when Beah describes how his innocence has been robbed from him, as it states on page 17,  “Whenever I get a chance to observe the moon now, I still see those same images I saw when I was six, and it pleases me to know that that part of my childhood is still embedded in me “ (Beah 17). This was my favorite highlighted section of the text as Beah starts off the book explaining how the majority of his innocence has been robbed from him even at the start of the war. As a child soldier, Beah struggled a lot more than just anyone in the way of being robbed of their innocence, as the brain is still developing as he has been pulled into war. So he is left with a lot less of his memories and skills from when he was a child.

Journal 6 Jacob Francis

Jacob Francis
English 1109
16 October 2019

       One of the characters that meant the most to me besides Ismael was Uncle Tommy. This is because besides Esther, I think he made a huge difference in Ismael's rehabilitation. I think this because even though he wasn't around and didn't play a big role in Ismael's life before the war, he was there for him after and during his rehabilitation. Uncle Tommy was the only actual family that Ismael had after the war and I think it helped Ismael remember who he truly was, rather than the monster he had been trained to be. Uncle Tommy came to visit Ismael every week, I think that helped give Ismael relief in a way. Ismael was able to relax and spend time with his true family, which I think is a huge factor after everyone in his immediate family had been killed in the war.

      I think his rehabilitation couldn't have gone any better, he had Esther and he still had some family there for him through the entire process. However, If Esther or Uncle Tommy weren't there I can't say it would have gone the same way. This is because those two play a role in Ismael's rehabilitation that can't be replaced.I would be perfectly fine with Ismael moving into my neighborhood. I think this because by the end of Ismael's rehabilitation he was mentally stable in my mind and I truly believe that.

     One thing that I really like about Ismael's writing is that he is very good at showing the emotion of characters. One specifically I really felt a connection to. When Uncle Tommy first came to see Ismael, you could feel the regret and empathy Tommy felt for not every being there for Ismael before. "... I am sorry I never came to see you all those years... I wish I had met you before today" (Beah 172).

     My favorite passage was one where Ismael was remembering the teachings his grandmother had told him. "In the sky there are always answers and explanations for everything: every pain, every suffering, joy, and confusion" (Beah 166). After reading this quote I stopped and thought about it for a while. This quote probably meant so much more to Beah than he could explain. After being through what he had been through this quote was probably so important to his rehabilitation even.

Journal 6- Emaleigh Haimerl

     A character that has meant the most to me in this book besides Ismael was Esther. she meant the most to me because she helped rehabilitate Ismael and never gave up on him no matter what. A specific example of her impact was when she got Ismael the cassette and he was happy but then covered it up really fast so he didn’t show emotion.

     I feel like Beah’s rehabilitation was good for him because it helped him kinda transition back to how he used to be and he was showing his feelings again and eventually actually dreamt of his parents for the first time since the war started. I think it is possible for rehabilitation to work for everyone as long as they want it to work. I would accept Ismael to live in my neighborhood and I would just watch and make sure that he didn’t try to kill me. I would accept him because he is just a child and didn’t really have a choice about going into the war, he did what he had to to survive.
     In the book, a technique that I liked is how Beah gave so much detail that you could picture it in your mind. When he talked about Saidu’s death and when they were on the porch I could picture what was happening.
     A quote that impacted me the most was when Saidu said “Every time people come at us with the intention of killing us, I close my eyes and wait for death. Even though I am still alive, I feel like each time I accept death, part of me dies. Very soon I will completely die and all that will be left is my empty body walking with you” (Beah, 70). This impacted me the most because it really shows how hard running from the war was on them.

Journal 6 Marissa Hardin

My favorite character was Esther. She is very kind, caring and has a good soul. “None of what happened was your fault. You were a little boy, and anytime you want to tell me anything, I am here to listen.” She stared at me, trying to catch my eye so she could assure me of what she just said.”p. 160 She looked past all the bad things Beah had done and accepted him. She sees the good in people, no matter what they have done.

I feel very proud and happy for Ismael. It’s possible, I’ve seen it. I would accept him to move to my neighborhood because he is a good person. You can’t just judge someone for what you think. You don’t know what they’ve been though.

Beah was very good at describing things. He described them so well that you could picture it into your mind and see it, like a movie. I liked that about his writing because it was interesting and not boring.

“When I was a child, my grandmother told me that the sky speaks to those who look and listen to it. She said, “In the sky there are always answers and explanations for everything: every pain, every suffering, joy, and confusion.” That night I wanted the sky to talk to me.” P.166 I really like this passage because it is written very well. It stood out to me because it is very emotional, and we have all felt like Beah at least once to twice in our lives.

Journal six- Corinna Hardin

Another character that was important to be besides Ismael, was Esther. She is a very important character. She was the nurse that helped Beah get better. So he can go into rehabilitation. She was very good at her job, she was very caring. She treated him like he was her only patient. My favorite thing Esther said to Beah was, “Think of me as your family, your sister.” (Beah 167) I really liked this quote because it showed that she really cared a lot for him.

     I was amazed and proud about Beah’s rehabilitation. Yes, I believe it is possible. Beah is one of many people to prove so. He may have been a chiller soldier, yes he killed people. He also lost his friends and family in this chaos as well. This made him mentally unstable. That’s what war does to a person. I think if people get the right help from someone, they can truly get better. Esther did just that. She was a hero. Would I accept him to move into my neighborhood? Sure, I would. You can't control these things. You never know who someone truly is or what they’re capable of. If they had a bad past you shouldn’t judge them. Beah got help and he is better. He should be able to live in a safe environment like we are. He deserves to live a healthy, safe, and happy life. After all he’s been through. 

     Beah was a very good writer. He had some great writing techniques. I would have to say he was best at imagery. He was very specific about his war scenes. He explained how gruesome it was, and it really made you feel like you experienced it with him. That’s what he wants you to feel. He described how his family and friends passed away. It was heartbreaking. You can feel his pain through the pages. In the end it wasn’t all that sad, he found a new family & home. He described how he loved Esther, after everything she has done for him. His adoptive mother shared the love for reading and writing as well. He shared connections with others. His writing describing all these scenes, makes you feel his emotions while living that moment. He evokes his emotions to tell the story. “I had passed through burnt villages where dead bodies of men, women, and children of all ages were scattered like leaves on the ground after a storm.” (Beah 49) This passage was very descriptive and made you feel the pain he experienced when he witnesses this. It saddens you, you imagine this terrible scene in your head just to try to visualize the pain he went through. That’s good writing.

     My favorite passage from this book was, “I told him that I was sorry that we couldn’t find him any help, that I hoped he knew that I really loved him and wished he could have been alive to see me as an adult.” (Beah 208) This is my favorite passage because I relate to it. I’ve lost a few family members. I was young also. I wish I could have cured them back to health, or saved them from unexpected situations. The world doesn’t work that way though. I wish I would've gotten to spend more time with them, so they could have watched me grow as well. I didn’t really get to say goodbye and tell them I loved them. I know they knew though. When your family dies, it’s very upseting. When it’s an unexpected death, you really don’t know how to feel. You have many questions and just wonder why. Why my family? It really is the worst kind of sadness you can feel. Beah wasn’t expecting the war to happen. He didn’t know what was going to happen next. I feel like we share similar feelings toward situations like these. 

Journal Six- Tammy Guo

In the memoir, A Long Way Gone, a character that meant the most to me was Ester because she made a difference in Beah's life after the war. Ismael Beah was a child soldier that has been through so many horrific and traumatizing events in his life at such a young age. After the UNICEF rescued Beah and other child soldiers, they were sent to a rehabilitation center, and the staff there was trying to help the boys recover. Beah feels that no one means it and understands until he met Ester. Ester, a nurse at the rehabilitation center in Benin House, she meets Beah and wants to get to know him better. She brings tapes of rap music as a gift for Beah and wants to help him recover. She makes a connection with Beah and lets him know that he can trust her, and eventually, he starts to open up to her. Everyone there tells Beah that it is not his fault, but he does not believe it, but when Ester says it to him he, "began that day to believe it. It was a genuine tone in Ester's voice that made the phrase finally begin to sink into my mind and heart. That didn't make me immune from the guilt that I felt for what I have done" (Beah 165). Ester made a big difference in Beahs life and has helped him make the process in his recovery. Beah starts to dream again about his family and remembering his past life. The music also helps him recover since it was part of his past, and now he can focus on what he is interested in again. Ester has helped Beah, and now his memories are no longer blocked, and he can reconnect with the world.

I feel that Ishmael's rehabilitation is helping him recover back to his healthy life and returning to a normal state of mind. During this long process, it will help Beah recover mentally and physically, and that will help him remember his memories. The human brain is not fully developed yet at the age of twelve, and having a child go through war, use weapons, and do drugs will mess up the child. The stages to get Beah back to a stable mindset are going to take time, and it is going to be hard. Eventually, he will recover but not fully recover because the war was way too much for him and the other kids. Beah will always remember what happened during the war, all the people he killed, all the dead bodies everywhere, and all the pain he endured. I would accept Beah to move into my neighborhood because he is just a child and is not a threat, and I believe he will help make a difference and having people around him that accepts him will help him even more in his recovery. Beah could meet others and build a connection with the community and where everyone understands him and will not make him feel ashamed.

A specific technique Beah uses in the memoir is his use of metaphors and similes. This technique helps the reader visualize and to make a comparison between things and understand the event or feeling. Beah does an excellent job of conveying his feelings and things he experiences and shares it with the audience. In the memoir, when the boys are raiding villages, Beah describes it as, “We undressed the prisoners and tied them until their chests were tight as drums” (Beah 123). He makes connections, and the comparison helps others see how tight they tied the prisoners to a drum. This technique helps the reader get a better understanding of what occurring and putting the audience in his shoes.

My favorite passage that I have highlighted while I was reading where the writing struck me was In chapter thirteen when Lieutenant Jabati started to train the boys and taught them how to use a gun. Every boy got them their gun, and when Beah held the gun in his hands, he remembers all of his friends he has lost and died. The boys were ordered to shoot the rebels and others, and Beah was an excellent killer after that Beah, “stood there holding my gun and felt special because I was part of something that took me seriously, and I was not running from anyone anymore” (Beah 124). That was my favorite passage that I was stuck by because after Beah held that gun and started to shoot others, it has changed him. He sees a gun as comfort and that it is the only thing he has left and that he is finally done running. He somewhat safe but not in an excellent healthy way since a typical twelve years old would see a gun as a comfort toy. It reveals that Beah has changed, the traumatic experiences and pain are too much for him, and the gun is all he has left.

Journal six- abby archer

The character that means the most to me in this book is, Esther. Esther is not like the other nurses and that’s what I liked most about her. She is unique because she cares so much about her patients in which the children are able to trust her. It’s a slow process but children like Ishmael end up loving her. At first, Esther would always say “it’s not you fault”. This would frustrate Ishmael and it took awhile for Ishmael to actually believe it and to actually trust someone again. Esther helped  Ishmael with his PTSD, depression and anxiety and got him to where he is now. She was genuine and she meant every word she had ever said to Ishmael.

Ishmael’s rehabilitation was a long process but he was able to work on his mental health and was able to become the person he is today. He will never forget what happened or what he felt during those dark times being a soldier, but he can now accept what happened and he has moved on to better things in his life. I would accept Ishmael to move into my neighborhood due to the fact that he has traveled to different places to talk to children about how you can rehabilitate and how you can become better mentally and physically after being a soldier. He is not a dangerous person anymore. He has been helped and he is able to live in a normal society, in fact that what he needs.

“I concluded to myself that if I were the hunter, I would shoot the monkey so that it would no longer have the chance to put other hunters in the same predicament.” (Beah, 218)
I highlight this quote because it made the ending of the book unique. The monkey seems to represent the war in Sierra Leone (the government) and that Ishmael is willing to do anything to stop the violence to save his country and especially his loved ones.

Journal Six- Keaton H

Keaton Hipsher
English 1109
15 October 2019

     The character that meant the most to me in this book other than Beah is probably going to be Esther. Why I say that is because she is really the hero of this book in my eyes. Esther is really trying and making Beah back into the person he was before the war. Esther brought music back into Beah's life with the giving him a Bob Marley cassette and the Walkman, along with a really nice notebook and pen. So that shows that she is making an effort since she knows he did like music. But not even that all the people part of the UNICEF group and the nurses would always say "None of these things are your fault". But when Esther said it to Beah he began to believe it because of her genuine tone, as it finally started to sink in to Beah's mind and heart. 

     

      How I feel about Beah's rehabilitation is if he didn't have Esther I think it wouldn't of went that well. I believe he did so good because of all the little things Esther did for him. I probably wouldn't want him to move into my neighborhood just because I would judge and see him as a cold blooded killer if I did not know his back story.

      One thing I have taken from my active reading is that it crazy how he was in a position of dying or surviving. "This gun is your source of power in these times. It will protect you and provide you all you need, if you know how to use it well."(Beah, Page 124) He really does a nice job of putting us into his shoes. 

     My favorite passage in this book has to be when Beah says "It was the last time I saw her. I loved her but never told her."(Beah, Page 181) Why I say this is one of my favorite things I highlighted is, because it shows that Beah is starting to get his feelings back and is starting to act like his normal self again. But why I was kind of stuck by the writing was because if he knew that was the last time he was going to see her why didn't he tell her how he felt? 

Research Journal from Teylar Poindexter

My favorite inspirational quote from Gbowee.

Leymah Gbowee is a 2011 Nobel Peace Prize winner, social worker, Liberian peace activist and a women’s rights advocate. Gbowee is best known for leading a nonviolent movement that helped bring together Muslim and Christian women. This movement helped play a huge role in ending Liberia’s 14 year civil war. This astounding historic achievement paved way for the election of Africa’s first female head of state, Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf. Gbowee received the Nobel Peace Prize for her work in organizing leading the women’s peace movement. Gbowee is the founder and president of the Gbowee Peace Foundation that is based in Liberia. Her foundation provides leadership and educational opportunities to youth and girls in West Africa. She decided to open up this foundation because of the affects she saw the war take on Liberians. She trained as a trauma counselor to help treat former child soldiers because the impact that the war has had on her personally.

                                                    

https://www.nobelprize.org/prizes/peace/2011/gbowee/biographical/

https://nobelwomensinitiative.org/laureate/leymah-gbowee/