A Long Way Gone

The title in the story "A Long Way Gone" refers to how far away Ishmael got from his home and his family. I think the title is perfect for this story. In this book, Ishmael was pushed farther and farther away from his home town, and he was forced to learn how to live on his own. Even though it was hard for him, he stayed very strong throughout everything he had to go through. A Long Way Gone is the basic summary of Ishmael's life. Not only does it show how far he has traveled, it shows how he has matured as a person, and everything he has achieved.

Ishmael started out as a young thirteen year old boy that was completely oblivious to what was about to happen to him and his family. As the story proceeded, he became older and his personality, maturity, and state of mind changed several times. His mind went from feeling secure to unstable, and back again. He never really felt safe in the end because of what the army had done to him. He was far off from what a normal teenager should experience at that age.

In the end, Ishmael was sixteen and he had seen many disturbing things. He learned some life lessons, and was strong enough to tell his story to the world. A Long Way Gone was what created Ishmael Beah. Some may look at it simply as a boy a long way gone, or maybe as a boy that has achieved and gained so much that he should be known as the boy is who now, a long way home.