A Long Way Gone Essay

“My children, this country has lost it’s good heart. People don’t trust each other anymore. Years ago, you would have been heartily welcomed in this village. I hope that you boys find safety before this untrustworthiness and fear causes someone to harm you” (Beah 16). During times of war, trust and survival cease to coexist. Throughout A Long Way Gone authored by Ishmael Beah, trust is frequently undermined by survival. In order to secure safety, placing trust within others no longer remains an option; however, once safety is guaranteed, the idea of trust no longer exists. In order to secure safety, placing trust within others no longer remains an option. During times where the safety of an individual, family, or community becomes uncertain,

However, this trust can be rebuilt. This is shown primarily during Beah’s rehabilitation. At first, Beah “didn’t completely trust Esther. [He] only liked talking to her because [he] felt that she didn’t judge [him] (Beah 166). However, as time passed, Beah began to be able to trust again. Beah demonstrates a regained ability of trust during his first meeting with his uncle. He had directed towards his uncle that, that he did not even know him, as he had questioned the intentions behind his actions (Beah 175). However, Ishmael Beah was later able to open up as he pulled his uncle in for a warm embrace. During times of war, trust and survival cease to coexist. Throughout A Long Way Gone written by Ishmael Beah, trust is constantly undermined by survival. Though situations may arise where trust and survival concur, in order to secure safety, placing trust within others no longer remains an option, whether they be strangers, acquaintances, or young children. Once safety is guaranteed, the concept of trust no longer exists, as trust is either diminished by the war or facing misinterpretation. However, the novel does not have only negative outlooks on reliance and faith; trust that was lost can and was