a long way gone is a memoir about children trapped in a cycle of brutality and abuse during the sierra leone war. it is also a story about coomunity, family and survival. explain

A Long Way Gone is a true story about a boy named Ishmael. His childhood is pretty normal; his family is happy......... at least until civil war breaks our in Sierra Leone. The advent and initial chaos in the city cause Ishmael to become separated from his family; they are then murdered by rebels. The novel allows the reader to live through this experience with him, to cheer for him during his rehabilitation, and to witness his eventual ability to love again.

For your essay you can cover three main topics;

The first would be the darkness and cruelty of war, and its similarities to what we would consider Hell. Ishmael lives through horrific experiences, sometimes they're hard to imagine, and yet all of them are real. The vision of this hell through the eyes of a civilian forced to witness and endure it are often overlooked; this novel looks them right in the face.

Your second topic could be hope; without hope you cannot survive. Ishmael works his way from the depths of despair to overcoming these events and finding a reason to live. He makes working toward ending conditions like the ones he was forced to endure through his work with the UN.

Lastly, love. When Ishmael was left with nothing else and no reason to stay alive, love comes back into his life. Initially it is found in his relationship with the other soldiers, a bond of trust, the feeling of brotherhood. Then Uncle Tommy is introduced, along with a new family, and the feeling of safety and unconditional love it affords him.

Your conclusion can cover all three topics and a brief closing about the actual war itself. Good Luck!