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Sierra Leone Independence
"That's what my father used to say when I would ask about what life was like in Sierra Leone following independence in 1961." (Page 14) -
Siaka Stevens, then a military coup
"His half brother Sir Albert Margai succeeded him until 1967, when Siaka Stevens, the All People's Congress (APC) Party leader, won the election, which was followed by a military coup." (Page 14) -
Child Soldiers
Child soldiers were being used in the civil war from 1991 to 2002.
"Young boys were immediately recruited, and the initials RUF were carved wherever it pleased the rebels, with a hot bayonet." (Page 24) Theme: Trauma
The trauma of the children was being used to fuel them with anger and revenge so that they turned into war machines. The groups that use the child soldiers makes sure that they are on their side while also being very effective on the war front. -
Attack on Mogbwemo
"According to the teachers, the rebels had attacked the mining areas in the afternoon." (Page 9) -
Attack on Kamator
“It was during that attack in the village of Kamator that my friends and I separated.” (Page 43) Theme: Loneliness
Ishmael gets separated from his family entirely and now he has to go through this war alone for some time. -
Speech in New York City
"There is an interview for two children to be sent to the United Nations in New York, in America, to talk about the lives of children in Sierra Leone and what can be done about it." (Page 185) Theme: Hope
There is a hope for the children in Sierra Leone so that they can be saved from this war and they would be able to recover just like Ishmael did. -
Rehabilitation
Ishmael is taken by UNICEF aid workers to be rehabilitated.
"A few hours later a truck came to the village. Four men dressed in clean blue jeans and white T-shirts that said UNICEF on them in big blue letters jumped out." (Page 128) Theme: Recovery
Even though Ishmael was lost because of becoming a soldier, the rehabilitation helped him gain back his humanity and remember his values in life. -
Guinea, Conakry
"As the bus headed for Conakry, I began to worry, since I didn't actually know what to do once I got there." (Page 216) Theme: Escape
Beah has been running away from the war for years, but this was the last time he would do it. -
Attack on Freetown
"Someone came on the radio and announced himself as the new president of Sierra Leone. ... Armed Forces Revolutionary Council (AFRC), which had been formed by a group of Sierra Leone Army (SLA) officers to overthrow the democratically elected President Tejan Kabbah." (Page 203) Theme: Trauma
This brings back memories of the soldier years Beah has been through before and he doesn't want to go through that again, which is the reason why he leaves. -
High School in New York
"My high school friends have begun to suspect I haven't told them the full story of my life." (Page 5) Theme: Trauma
Beah has a lot of trauma in his story and he has not shared it with his friends yet, but the curiosity of his friends keeps growing.