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A Long Way Gone Discussion Guide
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A Long Way Gone
Discussion Guide
Ch. 1-4
1. What did Ishmael, his brother and their group of friends do to entertain themselves and others before the war came to their town?
2. Why didn’t Ishmael and Junior find their parents and leave when the war broke out?
3. What are Ishmael’s dreams made of?
4. Why are the rebels fighting?
5. The narrator lets the reader know that the story will be told through “three worlds: my dreams, and the experiences of my new life, which trigger memories from the past.” Translate what this figure of speech means to the reader.
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A Long Way Gone Discussion Guide
Chapters 5-10
Ch. 5
6. Why do the boys decide to return to Mattru Jong again?
7. What happens when they get there?
8. Why is Junior selected for the rebels while the other boys are supposed to die?
9. What stops them from being killed?
10. What is Ishmael and Junior’s relationship like at the end of the chapter?
Ch. 6
11. What do we learn about the relationship between Ishmael and Junior early in this chapter?
12. Why does Ishmael want Junior to ask him if he is fine?
13. We learn at the end of the chapter that Ishmael will never see Junior again. What do you think will happen:
to Ishmael?
to Junior?
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A Long Way Gone Discussion Guide
Ch. 7
14. How does Ishmael end up alone in this chapter?
15. Why do you think his friend Kaloko chooses not to go with him?
16. When Ishmael encounters the family swimming, why do you think they decide not to help him or ask him to go along with them?
Ch. 8
17. What people does Ishmael think about when he is alone in the forest?
18. This thought, from his father, keeps Ishmael going:
“If you are alive, there is hope for a better day and something good to happen. If there is nothing good left in the destiny of a person, he or she will die.”
What do you think of this quote?
19. Why are villagers afraid of the “seven boys”?
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A Long Way Gone Discussion Guide
Ch. 9
20. When the boys are captured by the fishermen and brought to the chief, what happens?
21. Why do you think the man in the hut tried to take care of the boys when no one else did?
22. The phrase “A long way gone” appears in this chapter. What is its meaning as it relates to the boys at this point in the story?
23. How do Ishmael’s cassette tapes save him and his friends at the end of the chapter?
24. Why do the boys laugh about what happened to them?
Ch. 10
25. How do the boys find some happiness in this chapter?
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A Long Way Gone Discussion Guide
26. What happens to Saidu? How does it affect the boys?
27. Ishmael is told his family is in the next village. Do you think he will find them? Why or why not?
Ch. 11
28. What was the good news Ishmael was told?
29. What did Ishmael and Gasemu find as the reached the village?
30. Why did it affect Ishmael so when Gasemu began to cry openly?
31. What has happened to Ishmael’s family?
32. Why do you suppose Ishmael “tried to imagine what it felt like for Gasemu when his fingers vibrated to let the last air out of his body?”
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A Long Way Gone Discussion Guide
Ch. 12
33. Read the first paragraph. What might be the author’s purpose for beginning the chapter this way?
34. For the first time, Ishmael mentions he is suffering from headaches. Why do you think he has this problem?
35. This is the second time we have read where a man “coughs loudly.” What is the purpose of this action in Ishmael’s community?
36. How does Ishmael know the war is getting nearer to the village? (end of page 105)
37. What stunning news does Lieutenant Jabati deliver to the civilians once the number of soldiers has dwindled?
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A Long Way Gone Discussion Guide
38. What is the first thing given to the “new soldiers”?
39. What sentimental thing did Ishmael loose forever as he put on his new clothes?
40. How does the corporal get the young boys to show enough aggression in their exercises?
Ch. 13
41. On page 115, Ishmael writes “My hand began to shake and my heart beat faster.” Why is he having this reaction?
42. Do you think it was wise to take Josiah and Sheku into battle? Why or why not?
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A Long Way Gone Discussion Guide
43. What was the white capsule Ishmael took before leaving for battle?
44. List three instances where it seems that Beah has lost his humanity:
a. ________________________________________________________
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b. ________________________________________________________
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c. ________________________________________________________
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A Long Way Gone Discussion Guide
45. What does Ishmael say about losing Musa?
46. Refer to chapter 14 from A Long Way Gone to complete the character “sketch”.
Character Name: ______________________________________
Direct Characterization: Indirect (Physical Description): Indirect (Actions):
Indirect (Dialogue): Indirect (Thoughts): Indirect (How other characters react to your character):
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A Long Way Gone Discussion Guide
Chapter 15
47. What became Ishmael’s home, family and protector?
48. How old was Ishmael in January 1996?
49. Besides the fact that one of the visitors was a white man, how did the UNICEF workers stand out among the soldiers?
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A Long Way Gone Discussion Guide
50. Why were the UNICEF workers allowed to enter the camp unharmed?
51. Write the quote from the lieutenant that told the boys they were done with war.
52. How did Ishmael seem to feel about city soldiers?
53. On the verandah, Ishmael and his new comrades find themselves face to face with whom?
54. What big mistake did the naïve foreigners make?
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A Long Way Gone Discussion Guide
55. What was the message, according to Ishmael, the MP’s finally understood?
56. From what is Ishmael suffering at the end of this chapter?
Chapter 16
57. What position did Ishmael hold as a soldier?
58. Describe how Ishmael came to be known as Green Snake.
59. Use one word to label the author’s tone as he describes the visits to the city. Include one line from the text as your support.
60. The author uses a literary technique to describe his experiences during the war in this chapter. What is this technique?
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A Long Way Gone Discussion Guide
61. Discuss one act of cruelty committed by Ishmael. What images do you see? What is the mood? What is the tone? Include one line of text as support.
Ch. 17
62. What is the first thing the nurse gives Ishmael?
63. Why did Ishmael hesitate to trust Esther?
64. What is the next gift to Ishmael from the nurse?
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A Long Way Gone Discussion Guide
65. Again, the author uses a certain literary technique to describe more war stories. What is this literary technique? (Begins “During the second season…”)
66. As the soldiers lay in ambush and seeing that the village is empty, what does Ishmael begin to realize?
67. Why do you think the lieutenant insisted the doctor make sure that the boy stays alive?
68. What is the first thing Ishmael says when he awakens after surgery? (Remember to use quotation marks.)
69. Why would Esther begin to tell Ishmael that none of what happened was his fault?
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A Long Way Gone Discussion Guide
70. Do you think he was at fault for some of the things he did?
71. Why did the city amaze Ishmael?
72. How did Esther know so much about Ishmael?
73. What might Ishmael’s dreams mean?
Ch. 18
74. What kind of relationship does Esther, the nurse, want to have with Ishmael?
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A Long Way Gone Discussion Guide
75. What seems to be happening between Ishmael and Esther? What change do you see in his character?
76. How did Ishmael become popular at the center?
77. What did Ishmael’s performance lead to?
78. What sad news does Leslie bring the narrator?
79. Why did Ishmael begin to believe the tall man might truly be his uncle?
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A Long Way Gone Discussion Guide
80. Judging by their interactions, how are the men of Sierra Leone different from American men when it comes to showing affection toward one another?
81. Why would Ishmael see happiness as a thing that is frail?
82. The lorry is a pick-up truck which had been modified by putting a metal roof over the bed, bench running down each side, and the sides above the pick-up bed are open.
Is the lorry similar to any form of transportation in Rochester? ________
Name the form of transportation.
_____________________________________
83. Why doesn’t Ishmael worry about his little cousins bothering him with questions about his past as a soldier?
84. What are the dynamics of Ishmael’s uncle’s family? Explain the family ties.
Name _______________________________________ Period ____
A Long Way Gone Discussion Guide
85. What would you like or dislike about living in Ishmael’s community?
Ch. 19
86. Why was Ishmael concerned about living with a family?
87. What happened to Mambu and why?
88. How was Ishmael received by his uncle’s family? What is your evidence?
89. Where did Allie take Ishmael?
90. Why did Ishmael become sad during the outing?
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A Long Way Gone Discussion Guide
91. What is Ishmael interviewing for?
92. What is the box that gave Ishmael anxiety?
93. Why was Ishmael upset by the man smiling?
94. What did Ishmael’s uncle think of his going to America?
Chapter 20
95. What was Ishmael’s preconceived notions of New York City? Where did he get these ideas?
Name _______________________________________ Period ____
A Long Way Gone Discussion Guide
96. Why did Ishmael think that it must be Christmas every day in New York?
97. What did the children of this conference have in common?
98. Who is Laura Simms?
99. What is the thing that Laura gives Ishmael that she will later tease him about?
100. Name three things about the city that amazed the young people.
a. ____________________________________________________
b. ____________________________________________________
c. ____________________________________________________
Name _______________________________________ Period ____
A Long Way Gone Discussion Guide
101. What was special about Laura’s home?
Chapter 21
102. Who has joined the family? Where does Ishmael know him from?
103. Describe Ishmael’s school.
104. Why do the other children keep their distance from Ishmael and Mohamed?
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A Long Way Gone Discussion Guide
105. Just when Ishmael thought he could relax, what has happened in Freetown?
106. What has happened between the army Ishmael knew and the RUF?
107. Ishmael attempted to buy from the secret market.
d. What kinds of things can be purchased there?
e. Why did he have to resort to this?
f. What happened before he could make it home?
108. Describe the scene on the streets as Ishmael and Mohamed tried to make it home.
109. What did Uncle think could have happened while the boys were away?
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A Long Way Gone Discussion Guide
110. Why was Uncle allowed to die?
111. What is Ishmael’s new plan for survival?
112. What are some of the obstacles the travelers faced?
113. How was Ishmael able to avoid some of the checkpoint charges?
114. In what way can the monkey and hunter story told at the end be a comparison to Ishmael’s war experience? How might this story be an extended metaphor?
Name _______________________________________ Period ____
A Long Way Gone Discussion Guide
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