A Long Way Gone Character Analysis Beah

Family: You Never Know What You Have Until it is Gone Throughout the memoir “A Long Way Gone”, Ishmael told how he lost his family in war, through this experience he realized that his family is crucial to his happiness and well being, he also learned that he could form other family bonds with different people. “I wanted to see my family, even if it meant dying with them” (Beah 109). The definition of a family is not limited to blood relation, other loved ones can be family as well. In the memoir, Beah confides in Esther, she understand more than he realized. Esther, Beah’s nurse, considered herself as his sister to help Ishmael, and Beah accepted that. Esther and Beah may not be biologically “brother and sister”, but family can be made of anyone. Ishmael’s friends that survived with him were family. “It was then that we admitted that Saidu had left us. Everyone else was crying…” (Beah 89). Saidu is Ishmael’s friend who he considered family. He continually lost those he loved yet he continued to find others who he needed, and who needed him to love and treat as family.

Ishmael went through several trials during the war: his parents died, his brother died, his good friend saidu died, and he also lost all his known relatives except for one; Uncle Tommy. Uncle Tommy is Ishmael's uncle(his father’s brother). Although Ishmael never met Uncle Tommy, his father talked about him often. From the memoir, Uncle Tommy offers Ishmael a form of hope to grasp onto, he said "You can come and live with me. You are my son. I don't have much, but I will give you a place to sleep, food, and my love" (Beah 172). Uncle Tommy, never before meeting Ishmael, offered up his home, his food, and, most importantly, his love. This quote shows how strong an immediate connection can be when you love