The first thing I want to talk about is how simular both sides of the war are. At first I always thought it was black and white. The rebels were bad, the military good. After reading about Ishmeals life in the millitary though, I thought the book was talking about the rebels at first. "We also attacked civillian villages..." (122.) Ishmeal constantly said how angry he was to be bossed around by the civillians after he was saved by UNICEF, and even said that days before he would be "the one to decide whether they live or die." The way things sound, the war is divided into two side. One side, such as Ishmeal, are fighting against the rebels to avenge thier parents who were killed by them. The other, like the boys in the camp, are fighting IN the rebel army to avenge thier families and friends who were killed.
The book got interesting there, though Ishmeal and his friends got a little scary there with all those drugs and killing. The camp is where you realy saw how his nature was so warped though. Sorry this post isn't longer, but I'm typing this from a labtop and don't realy have alot of time. Well, Happy New Year!
I thought that Ishmael's migraines play a role in Ishmael begins fighting and smoking his migraines fade away and as soon and he is striped of both his migraines return. "My head began to hurt"(137). I think that is was unbelievable how easy killing became to Ishmael. " The idea of death didnt cross my mind at all and killing had become as easy as drinking water"(122). I agree with Tim on the whole rebel good/bad deal. It seems as though both sides are fighting for the same thing, to avenge their family and friends' deaths. Have a Great 1st!
I also agree with Tim. Both sides of the war are similar. I don't really know good from bad at this point in the novel.
There has been so much happening at this point in the book. Ishmael has been hoplessly lost to the RUF: "We went to work killing everyone in sight" (143). From the way he says that it leads me to think that killing people is his "duty".
Also on pages 124-125 Ishmael and a couple other boys are ordered by their corporal to kill prisoners and Ishmael slits the prisoners throat as if it were a game. He does not know what is right or what is wrong anymore. I can only think of what will happen is Ishmael encounters any of his family members and what he will do to them.
I agree with Kelsey. Ishmael only is totally content when he is killing people.
After reading the book closely I came across one of the most moving quotes I have ever read. "The soil refused to absorb any more blood that day" (150). It can only make one think about how this went on and was unbeknowgst to the world for so long.
This part of the book is insane. They boys were these innocent and only wanted to find their families and not they kill with no remorse. It's crazy but then I looked at the situation and realize that If I were in the shoes of a boy soldier I'd be in the same position. They have nothing to believe or turn to except for thinking killing people will make losing your family better. It would be hard to see that killing people isn't going to bring your family back. "Whenever I looked at rebels during raids, I got angrier, because they looked like the rebels who played cards in the ruins of the village where I had lost my family" (122).
This book is so interesting to read. I'm glad that I'm reading it.
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4 comments:
Wow, not used to being the first post...
The first thing I want to talk about is how simular both sides of the war are. At first I always thought it was black and white. The rebels were bad, the military good. After reading about Ishmeals life in the millitary though, I thought the book was talking about the rebels at first. "We also attacked civillian villages..." (122.) Ishmeal constantly said how angry he was to be bossed around by the civillians after he was saved by UNICEF, and even said that days before he would be "the one to decide whether they live or die." The way things sound, the war is divided into two side. One side, such as Ishmeal, are fighting against the rebels to avenge thier parents who were killed by them. The other, like the boys in the camp, are fighting IN the rebel army to avenge thier families and friends who were killed.
The book got interesting there, though Ishmeal and his friends got a little scary there with all those drugs and killing. The camp is where you realy saw how his nature was so warped though. Sorry this post isn't longer, but I'm typing this from a labtop and don't realy have alot of time. Well, Happy New Year!
I thought that Ishmael's migraines play a role in Ishmael begins fighting and smoking his migraines fade away and as soon and he is striped of both his migraines return. "My head began to hurt"(137).
I think that is was unbelievable how easy killing became to Ishmael. " The idea of death didnt cross my mind at all and killing had become as easy as drinking water"(122).
I agree with Tim on the whole rebel good/bad deal. It seems as though both sides are fighting for the same thing, to avenge their family and friends' deaths.
Have a Great 1st!
I also agree with Tim. Both sides of the war are similar. I don't really know good from bad at this point in the novel.
There has been so much happening at this point in the book. Ishmael has been hoplessly lost to the RUF: "We went to work killing everyone in sight" (143). From the way he says that it leads me to think that killing people is his "duty".
Also on pages 124-125 Ishmael and a couple other boys are ordered by their corporal to kill prisoners and Ishmael slits the prisoners throat as if it were a game. He does not know what is right or what is wrong anymore. I can only think of what will happen is Ishmael encounters any of his family members and what he will do to them.
I agree with Kelsey. Ishmael only is totally content when he is killing people.
After reading the book closely I came across one of the most moving quotes I have ever read. "The soil refused to absorb any more blood that day" (150). It can only make one think about how this went on and was unbeknowgst to the world for so long.
This part of the book is insane. They boys were these innocent and only wanted to find their families and not they kill with no remorse. It's crazy but then I looked at the situation and realize that If I were in the shoes of a boy soldier I'd be in the same position. They have nothing to believe or turn to except for thinking killing people will make losing your family better. It would be hard to see that killing people isn't going to bring your family back. "Whenever I looked at rebels during raids, I got angrier, because they looked like the rebels who played cards in the ruins of the village where I had lost my family" (122).
This book is so interesting to read. I'm glad that I'm reading it.
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