Ishmael's Journey in A Long Way Gone Theme Analysis Essay

I was losing everyone, my family my friends. Even while Ishmael was losing his family, friends and others he knew at a young age, he continues to stride to do the best in life. Throughout most of his childhood he is terrorized by what happens around him hoping it would never happen to him one day. Soon enough he was drafted into the government army and forced to kill innocent civilians and act against his will. A Long Way Gone, by Ishmael Beah, tells of his life as a boy soldier and how he fights himself and others to get out of murderous state. Ishmael pushes himself to continue in his fight to exit his killer lifestyle day by day as a boy soldier. And even to this day Ishmael still goes by his moral to never give up and keep on fighting for whats right.

Many events happened throughout Ishmaels childhood, most being catastrophic. And out of those catastrophic events Ishmael thought long and hard that it was not time to give up. Not even when he was hopped up on cocaine and gunpowder, referred to as brown-brown, and forced to kill innocent civilians. He believed there was always a way out if theres a way in. Ishmaels journey through the jungle best examples his message to his audience. For many days Ishmael ventured into the forest accidentally after the deaths of his family. The most difficult part of being in the forest was the loneliness. Ishmael lived on animals and plants he found while hiding from danger that lurked around his unknown world. While in the forest Ishmael literally thinks too much and has a breakdown causing him to think that he will be forever trapped in the forest without help. Eventually he fought his way out but he was picked up by the government army and forced into cruel deeds. Even while in the Army he fought. He fought to stay alive and reached out to UNICEF to find help. That could have been the end of it, but he remembered what his father had said, If you are alive, there is hope for a better day and something good to happen. If there is nothing good left in the destiny of a person, he/she will die. Ishmael knew there was more to his life. This common moral is often overlooked and as a teacher yourself I bet you know when your students arent trying their best. I thought Ishmael was a very brave person on the inside and out. As a student in college right now he fights to supply more aid to those 40,000 boy soldiers still fighting for their lives in Africa. Although his most recent plan has been denied by the UN, he continues to try his best in life while producing a more efficient plan for which the UN can help the children in need in Africa.

Throughout Ishmaels life, he was constantly on the threshold of death and danger, but he was able to overcome those moments by doing his best and what was right. So what if Ishmael has accomplished so much in life. How does it affect us? Well it teaches us a point that most people have neglected and that point would be to always try your best and do whats right.