Journal 2 - A Long Way Gone [Pages 33-93]

On page 91, Ishmael and his friends reach the outskirts of the village where they were supposed to be re-united with their families. As they arrive, however, they meet up with an old man of the village and past acquaintance of Ishmael's home village, Gasemu. Shortly after, they agree to help the old man carry bananas back to the village. Do you think it was right for them to have stopped to help Gasemu? Also, do you think it was better in the long run that they were away from the village when the rebel fire began to take place? Are you of the opinion that being re-united with their families at that moment before the crisis was more significant than their lives? I believe that although seeing their families was their only motivation to keep moving, it was better for them to have not been at the scene of the massacre. There was no evidence that their families had beenn killed when they return to the huts to look, but at least they have this information to give them further hope as they continue on.