#3

The theme of fear is continued on in this section of the book. Ishmael Beah and the six other boys travel from village to village through Sierra Leone. The fear of attack while they sleep the boys sleep in shifts.

The boys have been set back to a time where there wasn’t external forms of entertainment such as music and movies for purchase. To find  comfort within themselves they tell their stories of how rebels had entered their villages and performed a ruthless desecration toward the town and its people.

Ishmael and his companions are captured and taken to Yele, which is where the Sierra Leone Military is occupying. After some time doing work for the village the boys are given a choice to become a soldier or face death from the rebels who had set up immediately outside of the village.

As the boys go through their training their minds become manipulated as the soldiers give them a false sense of revenge the could get on the rebels. Ishmael goes to play games with the fellow soldiers and after are given drugs and are sent to go fight. He sees the two friends that he came with die in front of him becomes enraged. The manipulation of the soldiers and the drugs given to him have given him obvious changes to his already unstable mental state. He has already changed from not being able to look at the dismembered figures of the pillaged villages and now can see blood and death with ease.

#DiamondsDancing

A Long Way Gone #2

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Fear

Ishmael Beach and the people of Sierra Leone are losing hope in their country. Throughout the first quarter of this memoir, Ishmael has encountered numerous people. “I felt someone was after me. Often, my shadow would scare me and cause me to run for miles.”pg.49 I underlined shadow to show how something simple can strike fear. Ishmael has a constant paranoia due to the fear of rebels, who feed on the innocence of others, and even the civilians, who are just as afraid of others as they are of them.

Finally exiting the forest, Ishmael runs into old schoolmates. They were heading to village run by the Sierra Leone Armed Forces and Ishmael joins them. After some time they encounter, an old man who was left behind by the villagers he was with. the village had cleared out because of rumors of Ishmael and his schoolmates were rebels that were going to take over their village. The fact a whole town can clear out because a group of young boys, oldest being 16, would pillage their village shows the fear the rebel fighters have put into the Sierra Leoneans. They had left an old man because he is unable to move at their significantly faster pace. This old man has also realized the changes that have been brought to Sierra Leone. “My children, this country has lost its good heart. People don’t trust each other anymore.”

Things I Noticed:

A common expression that can be used in this situation is THE SURVIVAL OF THE FITTEST. Since there is yet to be a sense of struggle between the militant groups, power relies in weapons. The rebels can walk about as they please terrorizing villages and killing those who live in them. The place where the boys are traveling to is run by the armed forces. There they seek protection and stability.

What do you think can also affect power in 1990s Sierra Leone or war torn countries in general?

A Long Way Gone #1

“A Long Way Gone” is the story of Ishmael Beah’s life as a soldier of the national army. So far I have read Beah’s transition from a regular Sierra Leone civilian to a boy soldier fighting in his country's civil war. Beah starts his book with himself being at his utmost innocence.

Things changed rapidly in a matter of seconds and no one had any control over anything. We had yet to learn these things and implement survival tactics, which was what it came down to. pg29

This quote from Beah symbolizes how quickly not just himself but everyone in the country had to react and adapt to their incoming situation. He is with his friends rapping and dancing over American music. While in his adventures had never become dangerous this specific Beah and his friends took had been the trip that just avoided a rebel attack. This splits his family. This splits his country.

I see this book as a good standpoint of the unspoken heros called refugees. Beah is rescued by UNicef in his war torn land where he was terrorized and was forced to drugs and murder. In the United States the views of the innocent in their troubled lands are silenced. Currently, the United States is taking in new Syrian refugees. Syria is having internal conflict with ISIS having strong control and terrorizing specific Muslim groups. I have yet to hear the stories of any of the refugees that have come from Syria. Media has put attention to the fact that ISIS may be sending people as refugees.

Animal Farm

Animal Farm is an American book which criticizes the the ideas of the Russian Revolution.

1a.)The way Joseph Stalin rose to power with militants The way Stalin used his army to put fear into the civilians of the USSR.

1b.)Napoleon is referenced the way the pig uses his attack dogs to strike fear into other animals and hold his power. 

The animals (russians) didn’t want to live under the rule of the humans (Czar). The humans were murderous and the animals (russians) were not safe under human rule. So when Old Major (Vladimir Lenin), gave them a realization that they were being abused and they revolted (The Bolshevik Revolution). The humans come back and attempt to take t“Four legs good, two legs bad.”he farm(Russia) back over and fail (The Russian Civil War).

“Four legs good, two legs bad.”

This quote shows that all of the animals on Animal Farm can live in unity. they had a common hatred Two legs bad represented the humans as being evil. This quote shows irony. The pigs end the story by stand on their hind legs. So similar to the humans that their differences cannot be told apart. This is recognized and the animals are going to repeat this cycle of revolution rise in power then a fall  with another  animal being kicked from Animal Farm.

Since the pigs were in control, there socialist ideals that had been presented by Old Major had been been twisted to justify their actions. When Old Major died, the rules had been changed by the pigs. Which once was “All animals are equal,” becomes “All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others.” They make a commandment that doesn’t make sense and puts the other animals down not knowing to question it. The pigs make this quote with its intention to confuse,

Boxer resembles Butters from the TV show South Park.

Boxer resembles Butters from the TV show South Park.

2a. As sweet and nice as butters is he will blindly follow the negatives around him such as Eric Cartman. Eric who demands a lot from Butters which is too unmentionable for a PG-15 blog.

2b. Boxer agrees with the ideas but cannot attribute deeper thought into them. He is devoted but is blind to the corruption that becomes of Napoleon and his following.

If I was in the book as a human i would have already killed an animal in order to show my dominance. If it were present day, I would already had cameras in the barn house. The first word of that meeting animals had, any animals that had replied to the story would have been sold or be  killed. I would of appeared with my weaponry and would have been ready to slaughter the animals. Since this is an animal reference and not talking about Russia it would be seen as that I am a dictator but farm animals would never be allowed to challenge my authority.

How do you think the story would of changed if the commandments were not changed and the pigs had to defend every decision according to the commandments? *Similar to Court*

Pride and Prejudice

This book tells the story of the Elizabeth Bennet and four sisters. The town has talk about the arrival of two wealthy gentlemen, Mr. Bingley and Mr. Darcy. Mrs. Bennet, mother of the Bennet sisters, wants to get her daughters married.

The way Mrs.Bennet attempts to pimp out her daughters makes me question how she would treat her son. Seeing as that the Bennet’s don’t have a son would their main focus for him would either do well in school and become a scholar or be a common factory or dock worker. I would feel as if being the only male I would become favored over my sisters. Saying that their son was a scholar, I see Mrs. Bennet being overly indulging in her son’s life. She would see any person that he would date or have interest in be looking to take away the future of her “So Special Son.” She would try her hardest to guide all of her son’s descisions. This is similar to the mother of Dwayne Wayne of the 1987 TV show, “A Different World.” Mrs. Wayne has an outspoken opinion of the people in his life.

The relationship of Mr. Bingley and Mr. Darcy reminds me of Bart Simpson and Milhouse Van Houten of the TV show, The Simpsons. Bart and Milhouse share advice with each other through their whole relationship. The way Darcy tells Bingley that Jane was not attracted to him is similar to the way Bart breaks down Milhouse that his sister Lisa was not attracted to him when developed his crush.

Darcy has the most general change in this story. Darcy was very cold hearted in the story began. At first he couldn’t look past class in search of a woman. He had seen Elizabeth as inferior to him because she was not in his social class. Elizabeth found out that Darcy tried to put a halt to the relationship between her sister, Jane, and his best friend Mr. Bingley. Upon seeing him, Darcy confesses his love and Elizabeth rejects him for ruining Jane and Mr. Bingley’s relationship. Darcy has taken aside all of his prejudices and decided to go after Elizabeth even though he rejected her before. Darcy writes a letter to Elizabeth explaining all his troubles in an attempt to clear the air. After Elizabeth finds out that her sister, Lydia has been swindled by Wickham and her parents had been bribed  to marry her to keep her family reputation. Here Darcy proves his change when he pays off the bribe and Elizabeth falls in love with him. Darcy repents for his wrongs to get Elizabeth.

What will be the title and setting?

I think the title of the book is great showing that it is the main two themes of this book excluding love. This story would take place in South Park. The commoners have little houses but the wealthy would have large exorbitant mansions and living like royalty. They would host balls and galas because they’d have space where their whole town can fit plus some.

Siddhartha

Siddhartha is a novel taking place in ancient India, about the son of a Brahmin, who who instead of following in his father's footsteps, he decides to go on a spiritual journey to achieve enlightenment. Throughout the story he looks to attain wisdom because he felt that he received all he could get from his home village.

💔📖🏃
Whenever Siddhartha experiences love or learns a lesson, he takes it on his own to leave not too long after. Before going on his spiritual quest, Siddhartha needs permission from his father. His father cannot sleep easy after Siddhartha hits him the news that he wants to follow the Samana lifestyle. In the morning, he allows Siddhartha to go. He knows he had to let Siddhartha to grow and make his own decisions.
Govinda, Siddhartha best friend, had decided to join Siddhartha on his spiritual journey with the Semanas. They had spent 3 years with the Semanas until talk of a Buddha. They left the Samanas and went to find the Buddha. Siddhartha luckily finds him sitting by a stream. The Buddha didn't need a teacher to reach enlightenment so Siddhartha feels as if he shouldn't have a teacher either. He leaves everyone including Govinda to survive and learn on his own.
Kamala, Siddhartha’s wife, had loved each other eternally and physically. Upon entering her town she gave him opportunity of riches which he took. They became wealthy then becoming connected. After sometime, Siddhartha has realized he has left his original plans to reach enlightenment. He leaves Kamala without warning. She understood completely but Siddhartha did not he left her with a child.
After some years, Siddhartha returns to the town where he had left Kamala. He had found her and in his arms he gave Kamala her final embrace before dieing and bestowing a son. Siddhartha takes his son to his life with the ferryman and away from his niche. He takes repeated abuse from his son. The ferryman knows that this was not the right place for Siddhartha to raise his son who was accustomed to town life. Siddhartha’s son runs away and takes the ferryman's boat. Siddhartha wants to chase after him but the ferryman knew this was best for the both of them.


The relationship between Siddhartha and Govinda reminded me of the adventures of The Cooper Gang of Sly, Bentley, and Murray. They had been friends their whole lives and went on journeys together. Murray had split from the group to go on a spiritual journey just as Siddhartha had. He had found a guru to teach him ways of life such as Siddhartha went to find Buddha. They both later found their friends after they been late in their findings.

This book has a simplistic feel to it. When reading it, you get a sense of being wiser. It can shows that it search of what you want, in this case spiritual enlightenment, there can be distractions everywhere as well as guidance from these goals can be
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