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.