Book - A long way gone, discussion ideas.

     From A Long Way Gone, many values of life and death shown in the book were revealed during discussion. The book, A Long Way Gone, tells a true story about a boy living in a world of danger. Rebels of his country attack and he is forced to flee village to village, gripping onto his life as he sneakily escapes multiple situations of death. A Long Way Gone written by Ishmael Beah, shows cruel scenes of the rebels by describing their way of torture by misusing their guns. The rebels are fighting to make a point. In discussion of the rebels, the rebels are believed to be in this rebellion for such an amount of time, they forget what they are fighting for. Life and death shown in the book were scenes when the narrator had to to anything they could to survive. Examples of his quick decisions are when he steals corn from a boy much younger than him with his friends. He steals a cob of corn and allows the boy to run away crying, but this was beneficial to him because the boy's mom offered his friends and him more corn. Ishmael also almost faced death when he decided to return to Mattru Jong when he was in need of money. He believed money would help him but no one valued money enough to exchange for food because if they were to become without a home, they'd need the food for themselves. Life and death situations caused Ishmael Beah to commit to actions he wouldn't have committed if he was not as desperate.
     In discussion with the group, things in the book went from worse to terrible. Kids such as Beah at his age of twelve couldn't be trusted anymore because everyone feared that they were rebels in disguise. Ishmael Beah found a family at a river and noticed that they didn't trust him, so all he could do was ask him for directions to his next destination. Villages not torn apart yet had strong volunteered men guarding the village for rebels. Ishmael and friends and family were rounded up by the men and almost drowned because of the preference of the villagers. The villagers chanted for a drowning of the kids, but after being questioned, they were let off.
     The group agrees that Ishmael Beah portrays a worthless way rebels use their money. The picture on the front shows a boy holding a gun and walking alone with broken sandals. No one would and could help him because they were hiding in fear. Rebels tore apart the homes of the residents and caused people to go desperately trying to survive.
     A Long Way Gone gives a sense of nonfiction because of Ishamel's luck. The end of discussion closes with  Ishmael and the new seven boys. They are rumored to be the seven boys, and have encountered muscular men together. The boys of the book adapt to their circumstances, and for that reason, they can overcome obstacles that some can't.