June 23. II. A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier

This book is a true story of a boy solider who unwillingly killed people during one decade long of civil war in Sierra Leone. I had only heard about boy soldiers, but I did not know they existed in Sierra Leone. While reading this book, I was wondering how the author, Ishmael Beah became a boy soldier. 

He had no choice. The whole story can be summarized what he said at UN conference in New York City.

“I am from Sierra Leone, and the problem that is affecting us children is the war that forces us to run away from our homes, lose our families, and aimlessly roam the forests. As a result, we get involved in the conflict as soldiers, carriers of loads, and in many other difficult tasks. All this is because of starvation, the loss of our families, and the need to feel safe and be part of something when all else has broken down. I joined the army really because of the loss of my family and starvation. I wanted to avenge the deaths of my family. I also had to get some food to survive, and the only way to do that was to be part of the army. It was not easy being a soldier, but we just had to do it. I have been rehabilitated now, so don’t be afraid of me. I am not a soldier anymore; I am a child. We are all brothers and sisters. What I have learned from my experiences is that revenge is not good. I joined the army to avenge the deaths of my family and to survive, but I’ve come to learn that if I am going to take revenge, in that process I will kill another person whose family will want revenge; then revenge and revenge and revenge will never come to an end…”

Beah, Ishmael (2007-04-01). A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier (p. 199). Farrar, Straus and Giroux. Kindle Edition. 

The author liked to use the expression "as if..."

I went outside with the blood all over me and saw my mother, father, older and younger brother. They were all smiling as if nothing had happened, as if we had been together all this time.

Beah, Ishmael (2007-04-01). A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier (p. 164). Farrar, Straus and Giroux. Kindle Edition. 

He may not want to believe reality, also, he may want to escape from reality. The huge gap between cruel reality and serene ideals made him express his mind as "as if..." 

Some people may be insensitive to war; they are fanatical about video games that killing enemy or zombie, so they may not realize the severity of war. War is the real, and civil war in Sierra Leone stole children's future dreams and hope by forcing them to hold the gun and kill people. Unfortunately, war still happens around the world. When do we see the world that has no tragedy of war?