19 amd 20

Chapters 19 and 20 Ishmael’s life is slowly coming back together. It s pretty cool when Ishmael has a chance to come to America and life a happy and not a violent life. When becomes register to go to New York the book becomes happy again just like in the very beginning of the book before the war was approaching. Then when Ishmael is reunited with his uncle is something you would read in a fairly tale. It was nice to see a family member give Ishmael some love again like he got from his mother.

16-17

In chapter 16 and 17 were happy chapters, you were able to see that just maybe Ishmael still has feelings. The nurse shows a liking to Ishmael but doesn't trust him. And Ishmael is okay with this because he was thought to show no emotion towards humans because they could turn on them at any time. Ishmael is still amazed that she shows emotion towards him and wants to help him. Then when Ishmael goes on the talent show he shows some feelings mostly happiness. Ishmael might become a regular kid again after all.

15-16

In chaperts 15 and 16 Ishmael says something that shows just how mucj he has changed, “My squad is my family, my gun is my provider, and protector, and my rule is to kill or be killed.” That right their sums up about how far he has come and its going to take alot more than the war ending to make Ishmael a regular kid again. Then when Ishmael starting getting migraines and wouldn't let the girl touch him was a sign that he no longer felt nothing. Then he would punch glass and felt nothing while she took it out. Right now id doesn't look like Ishmael will ever become a regular child again.

I don't care at all. I'll be fine with anything that the class decides to read.

13-14

In chapters 13 and 14 I read about experiences that no human being should witness or go through. Reading about the drugs he was doing then he would go off and sometimes kill indecent people showed how much he was changing. The best way to know this is by the way he would react after his friends just died; he no longer would go and play soccer. When you realized that Ishmael no longer had any feelings towards anyone was not something I was use to hearing about because everyone feels even Okonkwo. After he thought every refuge he saw were the same refuges that took his family away from him was not going to end well. It seemed like he wanted to die, charging in and killing whom ever but God had other plans for Ishmael Beah. When Ishmael felt nothing while killing a man face to face was the final straw to realize he has completely changed and you would never know if he would ever change back.

Chapters 11 and 12

In chapters 11 and 12 is was hard to see the suffering of the boys but they would never have time to morn because just in the seconds passing they become vulnerable to the rebels. In these chapters Ishmaels luck plays the most important part in the reason for his survival. Ishmael finds out where his family is but only not to see them or even say how he feels about them. Needs someone to blame immediately finds the older man and starts treating him like a rebel treats a kid. He later will regret it because the older man will pass on. Then when the biys come by a normal village I though there might be peace in Ishmael life, so Ishmael can reflect on his life. But, instead it’s just a another village that is about to be attacked by the rebels. Ishmael’s future does not look bright right now.

chapter 10

Chapter 10


There were many touching moments that Ishmael showed us and the quote “How many more times do we have to come to terms with death before we find safety? … 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. It will be quieter than I am.” I think that quote by itself sums up what he is going through. In chapter ten Ishmael feels that it is better to be sad than to go back and forth with his emotions. That right there is not a good way to approach your emotions. I think the metaphor of the moon is exactly how Ishmael’s life is going and I think it now gives him a little hope as before he had no hope one bit. Now he knows that he has a chance to survive like the moon does every night.

chapters 8-9

In chapters eight and nine were happy and sad at the same time. Ishmael was happy that he found his friends but deep down knew it was not good because now people would assume that they are rebels. In these chapters people view all kids around Ishmaels age as rebels. When Ishmael was retelling his stories about his pass live made me really realize how he had a good life and his is life keeps going down everyday until one day he’ll reach rock bottom and at that time I think Ishmael will realize from hear he can only go up and I think he’ll eventually land on his feet. This war has had such a impact on Ishmael that now is afraid of every thing even his own shadow made me realize how afraid he is.

Chapters 6-7

Chapters six and seven were chapters that were hard to understand why every one was losing faith and how no one can trust anyone. In the earlier chapters you could see the boys began to spread apart but, in this chapter you could really see that the boy and even the brothers weren’t going to last much longer if they stayed together. Watching strangers not even being able to trust a young boy coming up to them and only asking for directions was something that I’m not use to reading or seeing. When we were reading about how the boys had to maneuver in the bushes to avoid being seen so they wouldn’t be killed was odd because in most cultures people would offer help. Everything that I’ve learned from my parents and why I should help those people in need is now being considered the wrong thing to do. When young boys can’t be trusted when they’re running from their lives and aren’t offered help is something not commonly read about or seen, right now I think that is why these chapters are hard to read.

Chapters 3-5

In these chapters it was hard to comprehend the heartache the boys were going through. I didn't really understand why the brothers were trying to distant themselves from each other. I think if I was in there position I'd want to be closer with my brother than ever. It was sad to see the boys starting to steal and cheat to get through life, when they were raised to do the exact opposite. When they stole the young boys corn and didn't care while he cried was not a fun thing to read about. As the boys were running from the rebels and didn't even really notice that people were struggling none the less to stop and help. The boys are changing in to people who they thought they'd never change into.

Chapter 1 and 2

After reading the first two chapters, you could really tell had disturbing this book is going to be. In the begging of the book it seemed like Ishmael was going to become a soldier until later through the book. When the boys left to go and listened to a rap concert, I knew this wasn't going to end well, but not in a million years did I think there families were going to die. When the boys returned to try and help there family I really thought Ishmael was going to be the only boy to come back. It was kind of disturbing to see how corrupt the government was and the reasons why the rebels were killing people made no sense to me. Then when Ishmael had the dream but then came back to reality and to see that his dream was better than reality is something no boy show have to cope with.