A couple of things really struck me as I read this novel. One is the pure brutality that some people had to endure before dieing. Not just emotionally—seeing family members slaughtered, but the physical torture. One particular scene which really affected me was when the rebels were forced to dig their own graves, then buried alive.
Something else that struck me is the natural instinct to survive. I know drugs keep Ishmael going, but not after he is rescued by UNICEF. Where does his strength come from?
What thoughts did you have while reading this novel? What affected you? What bothered you? What questions would you have if you were to talk with Ishmael?
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One of the thoughts I had while reading this book was how much violence Ishmeal had to see and cope with. It was so sad. Being 12 and having to see dead people getting eaten by flies... gross! One of the things that bugged me was the whole book. I didn't like the book at all. The thing that bugged me the most about the whole thing was that, to me, Ishmeal was trying to exagerate a lot of what he saw. Honestly, if this happened like 10 years ago, he would not remember everything and how everything that had happened. This is what I think about the book.
ReplyDeleteThe part where Ishmael shoots all the rebel captives in the foot really stuck out to me because I don't know how Ishmael could watch them suffer like that. I would ask him if that haunts him at all.
ReplyDeleteWhat bothered me was some of the choices Ishmael made. Especially when he decided to fight instead of walk out. He thinks he's going to avenge his family's deaths by killing the rebels, but you know what, the rebels are just like him. They are young boys that were captured and brainwashed. So they're fighting, killing and they're all the same trying to do the same thing. It really irritated me. If I were him I would've walked out and hoped I got lucky, if not, at least I could be with them.
ReplyDeleteIf I were to talk to Ishmeal I would ask him what it all was like. He was detailed in the book,but you never know. He could have been holding back.
ReplyDeleteWith them I mean my family
ReplyDeleteI think that Ishmael's strength came from knowing that the Rebels killed his family and adrenaline. I hated how good the author was at describing things. I almost stopped reading after I read that Ishmael and the other soliders had to have a competition to see who could cut the rebels throat the fastest! Gross!!
ReplyDeleteThe part where they had to cut the rebels' throats really bothered me. So did his choice to take revenge on the rebels. I would want to ask him more about why he did that, because the rebels he killed probably didn't kill anyone he knew. You can't take revenge on all of them for something just a few of them did.
ReplyDeleteThe ugly, brutal things Ishmael and the army did like when they buried alive some rebels which I thought was the most horrific thing they did. I would want to ask Ishmael if he felt at all like he was doing something wrong when doing those things.
ReplyDeleteHis extra strength came from that one girl he liked. This book really didn'y affect or bother me. If I were to meet Ishmael I would ask him how he was still able talk after cocaine and gun powder, marijuana, and pills. I would then ask him if he was having a happy life now care free and without a worry and if he still cared about the war. Then I would ask him about the baby, what that girl he liked looked like, and maybe one more imporntant detail from the book and if it was not exact then I would seriously (if not already) doubt him.
ReplyDeleteNothing really struck me in this book in particular. Some questions I would ask jim would be it he ever wonders what his life would be if he didn't join the army, what he wishes he did different with his life, how many time in a day does he think about his parents.
ReplyDeleteThe thought that struck me was how a human being can be so cruel to another. I was wondering throughout the whole book what did the rebels do to begin with? The question I would also ask Ishmael would be, if the army killed your family and your friends' families would join the rebels?
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