TOY SOLDIERS

As I'm reading the book, A Long Way Gone by Ishmael Beah I am beginning to calm myself down from the first half of the book. It is so gruesome and mind boggling at points that I had to put the book down and take deep breaths. Although I'm scared to continue reading at times, I think it's it a magnificent book, and story. The story touches on how a horrendous war destroys a country's cultural past, and trust.

The war goes on for at least 3 years causing men, women, and children to run away from what soon will catch them leading to an awful death, or a brainwashed life. But what happened before the war seemed to be a beautiful, loving country. Ishmael talks about how he would play soccer, dance, sing, help work, learn, and hear stories. And when this is all taken away from them they don't think much of it. They carry it with them wether it's through the memories or the RUN-DMC CDS. And when there are moments of hope and peace they laugh, and try to rebuild their past. But now that their families and friends aren't there they are trying to rebuild their culture somewhere new. 

Another immense topic I think the story explains is trust. Especially in the first half of the book when he is walking from village to village in a group of 7 boys. Because children around the age of 12 to 15 were often boy soldiers his group was always mistaken for rebels. And there is a scene when they reach an almost deserted village with just one old man sitting on the "stoop" of a building. He explains to them that his village heard rumor of 7 rebel boys that were coming and everyone ran away leaving him (the old man) behind. He goes on to say how before the war you boys would be welcomed to this village but because the war had turned us all against each other, we just look for our own "Survival." 

I think these things, Trust and Culture need each other. To begin culture you need a foundation of trust between everyone, and once the trust is formed the things from the past that was brought with you (Culture) like the cassettes, the stories, the dances, and the games will repair the past. I guess it really isn't as simple as that but to me nothing ever is. I'm not saying everyone should stop fighting, and I'm not saying they should take out the nukes. I'm just suggesting that they should stop pointing fingers and try staying alive in a friendly manner.