Maslow's Hierarchy Of Needs In A Long Way Gone

Maslow’s hierarchy of needs in A Long Way Gone
Maslow’s hierarchy of needs was evident in Ishmael Beah’s memoir A Long Way Gone. Throughout the novel, the development in Ishmael’s hierarchy of need was together with his development as a character. The development of his hierarchy of needs was directional, developing from physiological needs towards self-actualization. At the beginning of the novel, Ishmael is forced to live a vagrant life because of the war, living in constant hunger and on the verge of death. He was attempting to fulfill his physiological needs by finding and eating anything he can find, “I mounted the coconut tree quite fast and unexpectedly. By the time I realized what I was doing and thought about my inexperience in this

Furthermore, as the plot advances, when Ishmael became a rebel and fights in the war, he fought to achieve his need for safety. As he described, “[…] as we had no control over out future. We knew only how to survive.” (Beah 87) During the war, Ishmael killed to survive. The cruel nature of war had left Ishmael in constant fear and miserable for his future. While his physiological needs were morbidly satisfied by his addictive use of drugs, he needed to strive fully to survive the perilous war. Finally, after Ishmael was rescued by UNICEF and sent to a rehabilitation camp, he began his search for the fulfillment of his belonging needs. Traumatized by the cruelty of war, Ishmael was senseless when he arrived at the rehabilitation camp. As he described, “We got more upset day by day and, as a result, resorted to more violence.” (Beah 138) At the camp, Ishmael and other children committed acts of violence to satisfy their mental cravings. Their morals were torn by their horrid experience with war, and they were extending its effects into the rehabilitation camp. However, the staff treated Ishmael’s despicable actions with great forgiveness and understanding. The staff’s forgiving love ultimately transformed Ishmael to