Chapter 12 starts out very gruesome, which I feel is foreshadowing in a way. It shows us what this war was really like, through our own eyes. I feel that the “secure village”, is a false sanctuary. A place that refugees of the war can go to and try and have a normal life, but it gives them false hope. A hope that is soon destroyed. Now, as for Ishmael’s headaches and nightmares, I think it is PTSD. He went through so much as a 12-year-old, and it’s not fair. He keeps getting his hopes up, only to be destroyed. A 12-year-old should not have to worry about if they are going to survive, or if they are going to be captured, or if they are going to get killed. When the rebels surrounded the village and Ishmael had to join the fight to stay alive, I felt like crying. I can’t ever imagine going through this, and still being able to talk about it. A 12-year-old should not have to learn how to shoot an AK47 or taught how to kill someone.
Question chapter 12: At this point in the war, which side do you think would win?
Chapter 13
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I put the book down and cried. This war has broken Ishmael so much, that he is no longer an innocent little boy. The war turned him into an emotionless killing machine. He abuses drugs so much for a 12-year-old and watches violent movies to satisfy his needs. Sadly, I thought that the military was better than the rebels, but they are just the same, except on different sides. They will do anything if it means getting what they need. They believe that having a reason will justify what they are doing when it doesn’t. I especially couldn’t handle it, when they used rebel prisoners for a game. A throat slitting game. No matter what they did, they are still human. I was really affected when Ishmael participated in it and was happy about it. He enjoyed it. This war broke him beyond measures. This war put children in the place of adults and turned them into killing