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"Their faces were dark as if they had bathed them in charcoal, and they stared intensely at us with their extremely read eyes" pg.100
Significance: This really made me wonder how horrified he would have been because right after he talks about the smashed head and spilled guts of soldiers. This probably made him think of American soldiers and what they do to dead bodies. There is a huge difference between soldiers of a third world country and American soldiers because of the different lives they live. He must of been wondering, what am I doing here? How the heck did i get into this? Every minute I read this book makes me want to explore more about what this war is about.
Personal: I feel I connect to this quote because at that moment he said that his head was spinning like when your almost going to pass out and you can hear your breathe louder and louder. I've been in those moments and I was like a bear being shot with tranquilizer darts. I was scared of everything and confused.
Question 1: Did you think that Ishmael wanted to help those people or just follow orders from that guard sipping water?
Quote #2: "In the daytime, instead of playing soccer in the village square, I took turns at the guarding posts around the village, smoking marijuana and sniffing brown brown, cocaine mixed with gunpowder, which was always spread out on the table, and of course taking more of the white capsules, as I had become addicted to them" Pg.121
Significance: This was surprising to me because in America we are ashamed of people who do drugs, but in a third world country, to relieve the pain and stress they have to do drugs. I am pretty sure that when Ishmael was telling his friends this, he was probably thinking about all the pain he suffered and how now there is no need for that.
Personal: I don't think I relate to this much because I don't plan on taking drugs anytime in the future. I have felt pain so much that I've always buried it inside and hide myself from reality. I would not say that drugs is the answer but crying out for help is the closest thing to Ishmael.
Question #2: Do you think that Ishmael was hallucinating about his family and other memories while on drugs? If yes, how do you think he felt even if he was in a state of almost unconsciousness?
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
A Long Way Gone #3
Posted by Michael at 5:50 PM
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3 comments:
Quote #1: I think that he must have been very scared and disturbed by what he saw. I don't think that, even though he had seen these types of things a lot, that he could ever get used to it. I think that the reason he felt dizzy was because he always feels this way when he is near a dead body or a lot of blood.
Question #1: I think that Ishmael always wants to help people when he sees someone that needs help or is suffering. I think that he was also afraid that if he did help, he would be hurt by the ordering guard.
Quote #2: I think that this was surprising to me because I always thought that he was a good influence. I think that this also may be another way that he is coping with the war and his losses. I still think that Ishmael is a good person but he is not making good choices at this point in the book.
Question #2: I think that he may have been hallucinating about his family but he may have been hallucinating about any family. Seeing that almost everyone in the war has been separated from their family or has had a family member killed.
Quote #1: I think that this part of the story was very shocking. I think he feels dizzy because of the amount of shock and terror he's experienced while having to witness the war. I agree with you about the difference between soldiers in a third world country and a country like America. I also think theres a difference because these soldiers are rebels and they kill anyone and everyone.
Question #1: Im sure he wanted to help those people. I think if anyone was in that position they would have wanted to help, but he was probably too afraid to help because of the guard.
Quote #2: I was surprised by this too. But some drugs that are illegal in America are legal in other countries. I think this quote shows that instead of playing like kids, he is getting into more adult things and growing older.
Question #2: I think that along with hallucinating, Ishmael could have just been high and thinking about his family.
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