In Sierra Leone, children are used as child soldiers to fight against the government. Children are manipulated and brainwashed into killing and torturing innocent people. Ishmael Baeh, a child soldier survivor tells his story to share his horrifying yet inspiring memories of the war. In his autobiographical story A Long Way Gone, which takes place during a civil war in Sierra Leone, Ishmael Baeh writes a memoir about his experiences as a child soldier. Ishmael Baeh left his hometown, Mogbwemo, in 1993 to the town of Mattru Jong for his friend’s talent show; little did he know that at that moment his life would turn upside down. At the age of 13, Baeh was chosen by the government army to join the war. After 2 years of being in the war and going through rehab, he successfully recovers and moves to New York and writes his memoir. In A Long Way Gone, Ishmael Baeh presents the idea that you should be held accountable for your actions even if you chose to do so. Accountability shows that Baeh should be held accountable for his actions. Baeh triggers a memory of him as a child soldier killing innocent people at a school dance. ‘’A memory of a town we had attacked during a school dance had been triggered’’. Ishmael Baeh chose to kill those people, if he actually had a second thought, the situation would have been a whole better. Baeh had a flashback on when he torments rebels so they can feel the pain he felt. ‘’Before I shot each man, I looked up at him and saw how his eyes gave up hope and steadied before I pulled the trigger. I found their somber eyes irritating’’. Baeh had no remorse for the people he kilt, all that was on his mind was revenge. To sum up, Baeh should be responsible for his actions because he had an option. Responsibility and realization allows people to reflect and realize what they’ve
