The whole concept of what family is is challenged by A Long Way Gone. At the start of the book Ishmael has a seeming "normal" family, with a mom, dad, and two brother. Then he is suddenly left without them in the middle of the book, and must make a new one. This new family becomes his best friends which he travels with all over the country, trying to run away from the war. He cares for them deeply and what happens to them happens to him. After once again losing that family he finds a brand new one-his squad. The squad protected each other and left no one behind, even Ishmael, when he got shot in the foot and couldn't move. It was the first family that he actually felt safe and some-what love since his first family. This new and strongest family to date is also one of the most unconventional. It would seem that Ishmael wouldn't like these people, because they drug him, brain-wash him, and force him to shoot people, but in actuality they made him feel important, loved, and protected, which is what is the base of what a family truly is. At the conclusions of the book Ishmael is transported to his final family- one composing of his uncle, aunt, and cousins. This is one also unconventional according to our standards, but it is what Ishmael needs and deserves: a healthy family. A Long Way Gone challenged what family is by showing that just because your family isn't composed of your blood relatives doesn't make it any less of a family.
On page 128, the soldiers start singing the
Sierra Leone national anthem. The words Ishmael reprints are “High we exalt thee,
realm of the free, great is the love we have for thee…” Ishmael reprints these lines because he thinks that people in Sierra Leone believe that they are free, even though their rights are restricted. To be a free person in a free country you must have freedom of expression, and be able to make your own life choices. You should be able to chose whether or not you want to participate in an army- and Sierra Leone definitely does not give that right. A free person should also have the freedoms of religion, speech, press, and petition. The US gives all these rights and should be considered a free country.
I like how you pointed out his 3 different examples of family. It's interesting how even though they were all very different on the outside. On the inside, they were all built around the same ideals of feeling important, loved, and protected.
ReplyDeleteGeorgia, i agree that this story gave different views on family, and how there can be unconventional kinds of family. I also agree that you should be free to make your own life decisions, and that that's why the US should be considered a free country.
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