KYLE'S QUESTIONS

1) How do you Identify with Ishmael?
I would identify ismeal as a boy who was living a normal life then a war came and he learned to either be strong and become a man or die from giving up.

2)If you were Ishmael would you stay in town and fight or get out of town?
I would probably run away because they have weapons and i dont.

3) If you were put in Ishmael's shoes would fight for your country sooner than he did?
Yes if i knew about it sooner, but ishmeal didnt know the attack was coming

4)If you were to meet Ishmael in person what would you say to him?
I would compliment on how strong and brave he must have been to be anle to keep trying instead of just giving up and dying, when that would have been the easier thing to do.

5)Would you enjoy bieng rescued from the war?
Yes, because i would feel relief that i can live in a world where i do not always have to be scared of being seen and killed

6)Would you respond in a violent way like Ishmael did?
Only if i got to the point where there were no other options.

7)Would you be happy you went to live with family?
YOU BET YOUR BOTTOM I WOULD, because family is the only thing you can count on if your in this situation
8)Would you be a leader or a follower?
Leader

9) Would you try to get out of Sierra Leone?
Yes! if i stay i might die!

10) Would you be able to kill someone like Ishmael?
No! im mean but i still have a heart!!!

A long way gone questions

1.Who is Junior, how is he connected to Ishmael?

2.What country does this story take place at?

3.Who are the rebels, what do they want?

4.Does Ishmael ever find his family?

5. When does this take place?

6.What climate/weather is Ishmael dealing with on top of all of what he's doing everyday just to survive?

7.Can you relate to anything Ishmael is going through? If so, how?

8.Who is Esther? Why does she have such a big effect on Ishmael's life, while he knows her?

9.Does Ishmael ever become of the rebels?

10.What does Ishmael do with his life once the war and everything else is over?

11.Have you ever had the urge do damage Kyle B. or kyle G.'s face hole?

poem in honor of my teacher Ms.Lines

poem 1
Ms Lines, I'm happy that you're my teacher;I enjoy each lesson you teach.As my role model you inspire me To dream and to work and to reach. With your kindness you get my attention;Every day you are planting a seed Of curiosity and motivation To know and to grow and succeed. You help me fulfill my potential;I'm thankful for all that you've done.I admire you each day, and I just want to say,As a teacher, you're number one!

poem 2
Ms.Lines, The most admired teacher Would be caring, kind and smart.She'd always have her students Best interests in her heart. She'd help us love to learn.Her lessons would be clear.She'd motivate with praise,And always be sincere. She'd be upbeat and supportive,And a great role model too.She'd be the perfect teacher;She'd be just like you!

poem 3
Rarely does someone get to influence a person's life in a positive way for a lifetime,as a teacher can,fostering optimism and confidence,providing knowledge that leads to success,and being a good role model,as you have,and you are,and you will...forever.I'll remember you always.Thank you.

Just for you Ms.Lines, sincerely Ashley

chapter 21. .ITS THE END.

Some evenings, now that he has returned home, Ishmael will tell his family stories about his experiences in New York City. Afterwards, his uncle would respond by saying that it seemed like a strange trip. To Ishmael, it seems like something that had happened in his mind. Soon, he and Mohamed begin school again at St. Edward’s Secondary School. Ishmael is excited, because he has forgotten what it is like to be a student, to sit in class, to take notes, do homework, make friends and even provoke other students. He is eager to return, but is downcast when all the other students sit apart from them. They want to avoid Ishmael, because he had been a boy soldier. Their lives are tainted by their experiences, but Ishmael is confident that nothing could get any worse than it has been and that makes him smile. Then, on May 25, 1997, the war comes to Freetown. Gunshots erupt from around the State House and the House of Parliament, and they can see soldiers and army trucks everywhere. Ishmael and Mohamed look at each other as if to say, “Not again.” Then, they set the prisoners free from the central prisons and these criminals immediately set to find the lawyers and judges who had put them there. They tortured and killed them and their families. Someone comes on the radio and announces that his name is Johnny Paul Koroma and he is the new president of Sierra Leone. Somehow, the army has overthrown a democratically elected president. Later, they learn that the RUF (the rebels) have collaborated with the military to oust the civilian government. The whole country has now crumbled into lawlessness. Ishmael knows that he can’t return to his previous life, because he doesn’t think that now he can make it out alive. The “Sobels” (soldiers/rebels) begin looting the money in banks, halting, searching, and stealing from people on the streets, and occupying the secondary schools and campuses. Day by day, it becomes top dangerous to be out in the open and maybe take a stray bullet. Unfortunately, the Sobels also loot all the available food and so, going out in search of food becomes necessary. Ishmael has heard of a secret market where unavailable food items are being sold to civilians. So he and Mohamed head for this market and soon have many items they desperately need. Unfortunately, as they are about to leave, a Land Rover roars up and with a megaphone, a soldier orders them to put down their bags of goods and lie down on the ground with their hands on their heads. One woman tries to run and is shot in the head. This causes a general panic, and people begin running everywhere. Ishmael and Mohamed crouch and run, keeping their goods with them. Ishmael finally realizes that he cannot stay in Sierra Leone, so his long, arduous journey out of his country.
To be continued in next post.

chapter 20

Ishmael arrives in New York with conceptions of the city coming from his rap music. He expects it to be dangerous to walk the streets and so isn’t really looking forward to it. He is also surprised when he arrives in the middle of winter, because he doesn’t even know what the word winter means. He is wearing the light summer weight suit of his country, but it is absolutely freezing outside the airport, and it is also snowing. For some reason, Dr. Tamba has a jacket, but he and Bah do not. Nonetheless, when they enter the city, it seems to glitter with all its lights and the falling snow. Ishmael is completely overwhelmed. Furthermore, there are many, many people walking the streets, so Ishmael knows it is not as dangerous as he thought. They arrive at the hotel and he has a room of his own for the first time in his life. Unfortunately, he doesn’t understand how to adjust the radiator and since it is set at its highest setting, he is soon roasting. He doesn’t understand a country where it is freezing cold outside and extremely warm inside. The first person he meets at the conference is a girl from Norway named Kristen who gives him a nametag. Unfortunately, in spite of her winning personality welcoming him to the conference, he cannot adjust to the food and wishes he had brought his own. life becomes difficult over and over for ishmeal and i think he feels that there is hope for things to get better.

chapter 19

Ishmael is finally “repatriated” to live with his uncle. He is worried about what to do there especially if his nightmares and migraines return. He also feels such guilt over being the only one in his family to have survived the war. Nonetheless, he packs his few belongings and with his heart beating very fast, he says goodbye to Mohamed, Alhaji, and Mambu. Mohamed embraces him, but Alhaji just claps him on the shoulder. Ishmael never sees this longtime friend again. Esther gives him her address and tells him he can come any time. As soon as Ishmael arrives at his uncle’s house, his uncle picks him up and carries him to the verandah. He says in a formal manner that he welcomes him like he would welcome a chieftain. Then, everyone else in the family hugs him, and his aunt makes him a chicken dish for supper. This is a great honor, because chicken is only served on special occasions. Allie shows him where he will sleep, and Ishmael is impressed by how neat and clean the room is. His chores are made very clear, and this calms Ishmael’s nerves. Later, his uncle and aunt go for prayers at the mosque, and when they returned, they play a cassette of a storyteller. That’s when Ishmael finally begins to feel comfortable with people who are happy all the time. A day or two later, Allie gives Ishmael a set of dress clothes and tells him they are going to a dance at a pub. They have to sneak out so his uncle doesn’t know. Once he arrives, Ishmael feels somewhat out of place, because everyone seems to know someone else. So, he begins to dance by himself in the corner. Then, he is approached by a girl and they start to dance. They date for a few weeks but she begins to ask to many questions about ishmeals past and there was just to much pain and memories for ishmeal to start revealing to strangers. Ishmeal went to a job interveiw where everything is very strange to him. There were tall buildings and a box that transported them through out the building (escalator). when ishmeal tells the man of his reason to get the job the man just smiles and that angers ishmeal, and ishmeal does not know why.

chapter 18

One day, during his fifth month at Benin House, Esther comes by and Ishmael tells her, “I feel as if there is nothing left for me to be alive for. I have no family, it is just me. No one will be able to tell me stories about my childhood.” Esther tells him, with a hug, that he can think of her as his sister. She reminds of him of his childhood friend, Abigail, with whom he could laugh and laugh. He wishes Esther was Abigail so they can “laugh with all their beings, longer and without any worries as he had done with Abigail . . .” Then, Esther smiles at him, and he forgets about his loneliness for the time being.The following day, Esther tells Ishmael that there are visitors coming to the center and they want the boys to hold a talent show. Esther wanthakespeare him to sing his reggae songs, but Ishmael suggests a monologue from shakespeare. She says yes to that idea, but still wants him to sing. the visitors are from the European Commission, the UN, UNICEF, and several NGOs. When they arrive, they melt into the crowd of boys to get to know them and then sit in anticipation of the talent show. It consists of stories like the Bra Spider, Ishmael’s monologue, and a short hip-hop play that Ishmael had written about the redemption of a former child soldier. Mr. Kamara, the center director, is so impressed with Ishmael’s play that he asks him to be a spokesperson for the center. Ishmael’s rehabilitation continues as he finds a real family but he still has a way to go.