Journal 7 Philip Mattix

    In reading chapters 18 through 19 in A Long Way Gone, a character that stands out to me is  Uncle Tommy. Uncle Tommy was very kind and patient man. He acts as a positive father figure to Ishmael and helps him any way he can. When he first meets Ishmael he says ''After you are done here, you can come and live with me. You are my son. I don't have much,but I will give you a place to sleep, food, and my love.''. Through patience, humor and love Uncle Tommy wins over Ishmael. He calls him his son and welcomes Ishmael in to his family. Uncle Tommy was a very important person in Ishmael's rehabilitation.
     I believe that Ishmael's rehabilitation was successful and that it is possible. I would not mind if he moved into my neighborhood as long as he still had some kind of a support system and or supervision to help him.
    A scene that stood out to me was where Ishmael used sensory details to describe a hot day. '' It was already midday, but the tar road was already too hot. I watched a flying plastic bag land on the road and immediately began to melt.'' (Beah 185). Instead of just simply stating that it was hot out, Ishmael uses a visual example that makes the reading come alive, in a such a way that it pulls you in to the story. Beah uses this writing technique very well throughout  his book.
    A memorable passage that Beah writes, '',but I worried whether his family would accept me the way he had--without asking me anything about my war years.'' made an impact on me. At this point in his rehabilitation he has opened up to uncle Tommy but is still unsure about other people. He is afraid of people asking him about his past. This gives us an insight on what he is thinking and feeling.