How Does Beah Use Metaphors In A Long Way Gone

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In his memoir A Long Way Gone, Beah uses rhetorical techniques like metaphors and anecdotes to showcase how your innocence can still be regained. For example, he says “My squad was my family, [and] my gun was my provider and protector” (Beah 154). This metaphor showcases his initial loss of innocence during the war, which happened after he had lost his family when the rebels attacked their village. The personification of his gun and the comparison between his squad and his family highlight that he has been transformed into a mercenary, as he can no longer depend on anyone else to protect or provide for him, the typical duties of one’s family. Beah also describes one of his dreams where he “sat in the rain for a while,” and let it “clean the