A Long Way Gone - LC#4

Ethan Chan

Blog Post #4 – A Long Way Gone

Quote #1

““The rebels are responsible for everything that has happened to you.” I imagined capturing several rebels at once, locking them inside a house, sprinkling gasoline on it, and tossing a match. We watch it burn and I laugh.”

-Ishmael, Page 113

This quote shows how much Ishmael has changed since the start of the book. It's hard to imagine that Ishmael was once a peaceful boy who wanted to escape war. It now seems he became what he hated; he was sort of a rebel, because he killed others for enjoyment. I feel that laughing while killing someone is something only a psycho would do, and perhaps it's what Ishmael has become.

I think that Ishmael has become a completely different person since the start of the book. He used to be a hater of war, and now he doesn't care who dies. Even when some of his friends died, he just didn't care.

If you had become this insane and changed back, what would you think of yourself?

Quote #2

“Whenever I turned on the tap water, all I could see was blood gushing out.”

-Ishmael, Page 145

This quote shows how brainwashed Ishmael, as well as all the other child soldiers, had become. It's hard to believe that to Ishmael, all liquids remind him of blood. He has spent so much time on the battlefield, the only thing he's seen in months is blood. It just shows how hard it is to adjust to the new life in the city, when he's spent such a long time in the army.

I think I could slightly connect to this quote, but not very much. Whenever I do something for a long time, it becomes hard to get out of it. Even though it's the same concept, it's not even on the same scale as Ishmael's hardships.

If you were forced to kill people for many months without end, how would you feel after you stopped?

A Long Way Gone - LC#3

Ethan Chan

Blog Post #3 – A Long Way Gone

Quote #1

“I went to the river, dove into the water, and sat at the bottom, but my thoughts followed me.”

-Ishmael, Page 72

I thought this quote was very powerful because it has a strong metaphor. Even without the wording, I think this is very significant, because it shows how thoughts will follow you everywhere. His thoughts are very sad, and it's hard to let go of sad thoughts. I would never be able to let go of a sad memory of family if they had died.

I think this quote connects to me very well because sometimes, some sad things happen in my life and it's hard to let go. For example, one time, I had a nightmare 3 years ago, and I haven't forgotten. When you face something important in your life, it's very hard to forget.

Quote #2

“To this day, I carry the pain that my sisters and parents felt. When I climbed down after the rebels were gone, I couldn't stand and my tears froze in my eyes. I felt like my veins were being harshly pulled out of my body. I still feel like that all the time, as AI can't stop thinking about that day. What did my sisters do to anyone?”

-Saidu, Page 80

I think this quote tells us how terrible the rebels are. To have the pain of watching your sisters be raped and not be able to do anything, to not see them again, is a very saddening experience. It's hard to believe Saidu could put up with this. You simply can't forget things like that.

I think Saidu has had a lot of worries. I feel sorry for him, having to carry all of those painful memories. I think that Saidu should have lived longer, because through all the hardships he has suffered he deserves a break.

A Long Way Gone - LC#2

Ethan Chan

Blog Post #2 – A Long Way Gone

Quote #1

“Even a twelve-year-old couldn't be trusted anymore.”

-Ishmael, page 48

This quote really surprised me, because I had no idea how bad times had become. I was shocked that boys my age, even maybe a bit less, could not be trusted. It just shows how far a war can take a country, and the madness that overcomes the country in the process. Even children could not be trusted, and in fact, they were feared by many adults. War by children is quite possibly the worst thing to happen to this world.

Ishmael, a twelve year old boy, just tries to survive his daily life. He is on the brink of death, and could be killed any second. I really feel sorry for this boy, because even though he tries to make peace, he is rarely trusted due to the fear of rebels.

How do you think life would be if children your age weren't trusted, and were branded as traitors?

Quote #2

"How many more times do we have to come to terms with death before we find safety?"

-Saidu, page 70

I think this quote that Saidu said had a big impact on me. I didn't realize how many times these boys, and many others, had faced death and survived. This quote is significant because it reminds us of how cruel a country can be when you are marked as a traitor, and how difficult it is to struggle with death every other day.

I think this quote links to me because sometimes when I do something, I am at risk most of the time. It's a bit like Russian Roulette: either you live or you die. I can see how hard it is to live every time, but have part of life taken away from you each time you face death.

How would you feel if you almost died every day? Would you be able to find peace?

A Long Way Gone - LC#1

Ethan Chan

Blog Post #1 – A Long Way Gone

Quote #1

“But what kind of liberation movement shoots innocent civilians, children, and that little girl?”

-Ishmael, page 14

This quote struck me because at first, I had thought the rebels were the good side of the war. It turns out that the rebels were actually evil, because in their quest for liberation, they had destroyed what they were fighting for. This made life for the narrator very tough in his home country because everywhere he stepped, he would be in constant danger. I can only imagine how difficult life would be if every second there was a possibility of death.

I think that this quote connects to the things I do in life, only not as drastic. Sometimes when I try to accomplish something, it has to be perfect because if I make one mistake, the whole thing basically dies. Like a game of minesweeper, caution is first priority.

Why do you think the rebels kill the innocent?

Quote #2

“A shudder racked my body, and I tried to think about my new life in New York City, where I had been for over a month. But my mind wandered across the Atlantic Ocean back to Sierra Leone.”

-Ishmael, page 19

In Ishmael's new life in America, he has trouble forgetting his bloodstained past. One of the many hardships one faces when immigrating is when the past comes rushing back. Even though Ishmael has a new life in New York, his mind is still in the Sierra Leone, where it was eat or be eaten. It becomes hard to forget your past if it is important.

This quote connects to me because there have been bad things that have happened in my life, and I sometimes don't want to remember them. However, no matter how hard I try, these events still come back to memory. I think that these events have been a big enough part of my life to never go away.

In relation to other events in the narrator's life, how important do you think the war is to him?

Field Trip Reflection

Ethan Chan

Part I – From Haven to Home

From Haven to Home was a very interesting exhibit. The main reason we went to this exhibit was because we are doing the immigration unit, and this would be a great way to learn about immigration, and how it has affected America. In this particular exhibit, we learned about the lives of Jewish people in America. I have learned that Jewish people have played a big part in the making of America. For example, Ruth Handler, who was a Jewish woman, had invented the Barbie doll. However, that's not all. Another example is Benjamin Siegel. He was one of the first gangsters in America, and he invented casinos. Most importantly, he founded Las Vegas. Not only did we learn about major people, we also learned about how they lived their lives. An interesting thing I learned was that Martin Luther King did not only help African-Americans, but Jewish as well. I learned that even though the Jewish beliefs stayed the same, their lifestyle changed. I learned that Jewish don't eat regular meat, but they eat kosher meat, in which the animal is killed painlessly. I learned so many interesting facts about Jewish life in America. Even though at first, Americans did not like Jews immigrating to America, they have played a big role in shaping the United States into what it is.

Part II – Children of Immigrants

1- This photograph depicts a woman at the St. Lucia celebration in the Swedish American Cultural Center, Chicago 1987. The woman has candles on her head, and is celebrating. This photograph struck me because of the candles on her head. I had no idea that some traditions required this, and I think that she has a large amount of dedication to be able to balance candles on her head. She goes far to represent her culture, and I respect that. I myself wouldn't be motivated enough to do this, and I admire her for her effort.

2- “The greatest thing I hope for in my life is to become a successful person and to have a family and friends to support me, not to be looked at by the color of my skin but who I am inside.”

-Samira Durakovic, Yogoslavia

From Between Cultures

I think this quote is really the biggest desire of not only immigrants, but many people. Discrimination by skin color is wrong, and what's inside is what really counts. The wording is also very powerful, and I was blown back by the power in this quote. Samira makes a good point, and I think this is a very meaningful quote.

Immigration Reflection - Start of Project

What is an immigrant? I would say an immigrant is a person who has moved from their country to another, whether it be for family, the better, or the worse. Many people want to move, because they think that their country is not the best place to live. Making the move may be a smart decision, or not, depending on what is believed. For example, the Chinese believed America was paved with gold, but all they got was manual labor. These obscene myths are why some people choose to immigrate. However, sometimes the are not myths, and it's for the better.

Many people choose to immigrate to the United States of America. A very big benefit is people can get jobs here. Many choose to leave their homes and go to America, whether it be legal or illegal, to make a living. Another reason to leave for America is for freedom. Some countries don't have the privileges of freedom, and they have to live by dictatorship. They come to America for democracy.

Throughout the years, the US has changed drastically because of immigration. We are not full Americans anymore. Some of us are Chinese-American. Some of us are Mexican-American. There is an unbelievable amount of cultural diversity. As a result, this has brought about many languages and traditions. Just look at HTM, we have Spanish class! Also there's so much more diversity in food. Some people may eat sushi, and some people may eat hot dogs. Because of immigrants, we all can be satisfied. My life has changed unbelievably because of immigration. If it weren't for this, I would be in Hong Kong! I love eating American food like pizza, and love the freedom we have as Americans. I wouldn't want my life any other way.

-Ethan