Chapter 21 feelings

I thought that this was an extremely sad chapter. I thought that this chapter was sad for many reasons.

One of the reasons why I thought that this was a sad chapter was because the rebels went into the town where Ishmael was living in a that time. I thought that this was sad because there was a chance that Ishmael might of been killed by the rebels, or became a child soldier again, but maybe a soldier for the rest of his life. Another reason why I thought that this chapter was sad was because Ishmael's uncle died. This was sad because Ishmael lost someone who was close to him. Another reason why I thought that it was sad was because he left to go to Guinea, and had to travel alone. I thought that this is sad because he must do the majority of the things alone. I also found it sad that trust is gone in almost everyone. I say this because when Ishmael got to Guinea, he didn't look directly at the soldiers' eyes because he was afraid that the soldiers would realize the Ishmael was a child soldier leaving Sierra Leone. 

This is why I thought that chapter 21 was sad.

Chapter 19-20 feelings

These were also some of the best chapters so far. One reason why is that he went to America. That was good because he got to talk to the UN about the problem in Sierra Leone. That was good because it opened the mind of Americans about the problems in other countries. It was also good that he got to see parts of America, which he would otherwise not see. Another good thing is that Ishmael actually has a surrogate family. This is good because Ishmael has people he can talk to when he has any troubles. Another good thing was that Ishmael finally got to have fun. This is good because Ishmael didn't really have fun since he had to run away from the war.

Another good reason why I thought these were some of the best chapters was that there were no flashbacks about the war. There were also no violent nightmares relating to the war. This is why I thought these were some of the best chapters I have read so far.

Chapter 17-18 feelings

I thought that these chapters were some of the best chapters so far. I thought this because the kids aren't fighting in the war anymore.

My feelings for chapter 17 was happiness. I was happy because Ishmael had someone to tell his dreams to. I was also happy because Ishmael got to listen to rap music. This way, Ishmael got to relive part of his childhood. It was peaceful to know that Ishmael made a new friend. I thought this chapter was somewhat sad because of the memories. One of the memories was that he was shot in the leg.

My feelings for chapter 18 was also happiness. I was happy that Leslie found Ishmael's uncle. That made me happy because Ishmael lost everyone from his direct family, and didn't know about his uncle. That is why it made me happy. This is why I was happy that Ishmael got to meet his uncle for the first time. 

chapter 15-16 feelings

I found these chapters to be interesting. They were interesting because the UNICEF workers picked up some of the child soldiers like Ishmael and some of his friends. I was happy when the UNICEF workers picked Ishmael to take with them. I was happy because Ishmael didn't have to fight in the war anymore. I think that the UNICEF workers weren't thinking when they put the rebel child soldiers and the army child soldiers in the same room. I think it was a mistake because those soldiers still hated the other armies guts. Also I was glad that Ishmael is starting to get used to a normal life, and not killing someone everyday.

Choice books

I don't really care what books we read, but I would prefer to read science fiction books.

Chapter 13-14 feelings

I think that these chapters were the goriest chapters so far. One reason why these were the goriest chapters was because the soldiers attacked the rebels. Also the only movies they watched were war movies like Rambo and Commando. Another reason why is that they were hooked on drugs like marijuana. It was primarily bad because of all of the blood, and the desensitized children like Ishmael.  Another reason why is that the only thing that the kids thought of was about war. It was saddening because there was a reward for whoever killed the victim first, and the people didn’t think about the people they killed. It was also sad because after the first fight against the rebels, then Ishmael didn’t care about the people he shot, and found it easier to kill the rebels. I found it especially sad because some of Ishmael’s friends were killed. The two friends were Musa and Josiah. It was sad because Musa told stories that picked up Ishmael and his friends when they were sad, and since Musa died there was no more storytelling. This is why I thought that these two chapters were sad and the goriest chapters.

Chapter 11-12 feelings

My feelings at the beginning of chapter 11 weren’t as bad as the ending of chapter 11. For example, at the beginning, everyone was happy that they were going to see their parents again because they didn’t see their parents for a long time. Everyone was looking forward to going to the village. When they were going to the village, I also had the spark of hope of the kids finding their loved ones. Everyone that Ishmael and his friends find that Ishmael recognizes as a friendly person brought me joy because those people might help Ishmael find his family. I was upset when the got to the village, the rebels burned and destroyed the village. It also made me upset because Ishmael and his friends just lost their family because of the senselessness of the rebels. I was also upset that everyone went crazy because of the burning of the village.

            It was slightly uplifting when the soldiers found Ishmael and his friends because they would be protected, but also it as saddening because I knew that they would become child soldiers. It was pretty uplifting until the rebels were in the forest, and everyone in the village had to be trained to prepare for battle against the rebels. It was then sad because Ishmael will go on a killing spree killing people for three year.s

Chapter 10 feelings

I was glad at the beginning of the chapter because one of the villages welcomed them, and let Ishmael and his friends go hunting with them. I was happy that Ishmael and his friends finally got to eat in a feast with one of the villages because all of the other villages fled from Ishmael and his friends. I found it a little odd that everyone in that village was so kind to Ishmael and his friends because everyone from the other villages tried to avoid them. When they left the village Ishmael and his friends were having fun in a long time by dancing. I felt bad for them when they woke up and found out that all of the meat was gone. I was angry at the dog for taking their meat. I felt bad for what happened to the boys because of the rebels. I especially felt sad for Saidu because his sisters were raped, and he couldn’t leave the attic, because if he did he would be shot and killed.

            I found it odd that a crow fell out of the sky, and wasn’t dead. I think that Saidu got sick, then died because he ate the bird. It made me happy when a woman said that she had seen Junior, and the rest of Ishmael’s family. It made me happy because it was possible that Ishmael might be reunited with his family again. It was sad when Siadu died and was buried. 

chapters 8-9 feelings

Chapter 8 wasn’t as bad as I predicted it to be. I thought that there be lots of blood and violence because of the lack of violence in the previous two chapters. I felt bad for Ishmael because he is all alone in a forest with no one except for animals. I also felt bad for him because if he were to encounter an angry leopard, wild pig, or the like, then he will die.  Also felt scared for him because wild pigs rampaged after him in the middle of the night, and was chased for half a mile until he climbed a tree. I agree with the line: “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 or she ill die.” I agree with this because if you think something good will happen tomorrow, then you want to survive to see that happen, but if think that everything will be bad forever, then you will give up and die. I think what kept Ishmael alive is that he thought that he might see Junior again, or the war will end soon, so life will go back to normal. I felt grateful that Ishmael met familiar faces in the forest.

            The beginning of chapter 9 makes you feel like you were there at the Atlantic Ocean hearing the waves crashing into the shore. I felt bad for Ishmael and his friends when the fishermen took their shoes off and chased then away, so Ishmael and his friends’ feet were burning from the sand. I felt grateful for the man who helped eased the pain of Ishmael and his friends, and also gave then food and drinks. The man was so kind to Ishmael and his friends, I too wanted to know the fisherman’s name. I felt bad that Ishmael and his friends were caught by the same people again. Ishmael was once again saved by rap music.

chapters 6-7 feelings

My feeling about chapters 6-7 was sadness. I thought that these chapters were mostly on how he felt. I felt sad because the rebels destroyed the life of everyone in Sierra Leone. I also felt sad because Ishmael and Junior were separated and never saw each other ever again. I was also sad because a twelve-year-old boy was thought to be dangerous, and can’t be trusted.  I think that Ishmael was heartbroken because he lost his friends and siblings because of the rebels. I felt sad for the imam because once the prayer was started, nothing could be said unless it was related to the prayer, so everyone left quietly so the imam was the only person in the mosque, and was killed.

            I found it amazing that he was able to climb that coconut tree that one time, and that was the only food there, and wasn’t able to climb coconut trees again. I felt bad for Ishmael and his friends because they had to move in the bushes so they wouldn’t be harmed by the villagers.

Chapters 3-5 feelings

These chapters aren’t nearly as bad as the first two chapters. They weren’t nearly as gruesome. In the third chapter, it made you feel scared. I felt scared to what will happen to Ishmael and his family when the guns went off. When the guns went off, it made you wonder what will happen. In the third chapter it also made you feel sad. It made you sorry for the citizens of Mattru Jong. It made you sorry for them because of the attack of the rebels, and that the soldiers left the village before the attack. It also made you feel sad because handicapped people couldn’t be helped because both the handicapped person and the helper would be shot and killed. It also made you sorry for them because if they were captured and then escaped, they would die from the government’s military without question. You also felt sorry for Ishmael, his brothers, and his friends in the beginning of chapter 4 because they are all alone. This chapter was somewhat gruesome because of all of the severed body parts. Also you had to feel sorry for Ishmael because his brother was almost shot. In the fifth chapter, you felt sorry for them again because they were very thirsty and hungry. Also you felt sorry for them when the rebels found them and could’ve of killed the six of them very easily. 

Chapters 1-2 feelings

I felt that the first two chapters were gruesome, horrible, and saddening. I felt this because of all of the blood. I don’t like war, and even having kids my age fighting in the war makes it even worse.  I thought that it was gruesome because the rebels were destroying all of the villages and killing most of the villagers. I thought that the rebels and the government’s actions were horrible. One example was when the guy vomiting blood and had a bleeding arm. Another thing I thought was horrible about the rebels and the government’s actions was that several people were already killed in Ishmael’s grandma’s village. The other horrible thing was that a baby was shot, and the women dripping behind her. What I thought was sad because the refugees lost their homes, and had nowhere to go. I also felt sad when Mobimbi, Ishmael Beah’s village was destroyed and Ishmael, his brothers, and friends, couldn’t find Ishmael’s parents. These were my feelings of the first two chapters.