Tuesday, February 23, 2016

Journal Six By Tiff

The Most important character in the book that meant the most to me would have to be Esther. She treated Ishmael's wounds and encouraged him to talk about his experiences with her When Esther brought him a cassette of rap music and a Walkman, Ishmael has a breakthrough moment in his therapy. He begins telling her his stories and processing his pain. Esther's unconditional love and perseverance bring Ishmael back to the boy he had been before the war. Though his war experiences have altered him, he learns to trust Esther and reach out to others for help as well. Esther told Ishmael that you can’t blame yourself for what happened when you were a child you were just a kid.

I think Ishmael rehabilitation shows that if he can go through war fight his way though it like a real person and not being able to just be a kid and still come out of the war and go in to rehab then it shows anybody can do it you have to want to do it though you can’t just go in to rehab and not want to change that would be pointless you have to go in there with the faith encouragement from a friend and strength and  say to yourself "I want to do this I can do this" it’s going to make me a better person. it is possible for people to be rehabilitated you just have to want to chance and want to make yourself better. I think it would be difficult to let Ishmael move in to my neighborhood because for one I don’t trust someone easily i would have to make sure that he is back with the society after being away for so long. but i would differently give him a chance to proves he belongs here.

The lesson I can take out of this book is would be that no matter how kind and gentle a people are; they might also be capable of brutality. also that people can survive hopeless situations by holding onto their memories. I want to remember is that if someone needs an encouraging word or just a helping hand i will stand up and take that hand and help them out no matter what goes on I will stop what i am doing and lead a helping hand. on page 167 Ishmael says to Esther.  
                   "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."

What i want to know more about Ishmael and the book is What does Ishmael do when he gets back to New York from after begin there once then going back to Freetown then coming back again to New York? does he ever get in to the Rap Music Industry. Does Ishmael ever go back to Freetown since he is in New York. Something I have learned outside of the book is Beah has received numerous humanitarian and writing awards.  Also, He appears in Bling: A Planet Rock, a 2007 documentary that draws attention to the diamond conflict.


                                             Ishmael at a long way gone book signing. Feburary 2009



2 comments:

  1. I also find that Esther was a very important character in this book. She had been such an important part in Ishmaels recovery without her I'm not sure where he would be now.

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  2. I also want to know more about how Ishmael's life was after moving to New York City. It's amazing what a successful person he has become, after enduring what he has.

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