Dinner+Table

1. How important was family in Ishmael's culture? Is the institution of family weaker or stronger in Sierra Leone in comparison to the institution of the family in Littleton, CO? 2. Ishmael survives for weeks with a few friends in the wilderness of Sierra Leone? How does he manage? Could we do the same? 3. Is Ishmael too young to be held responsible for his actions? When does one become responsible for their own behaviors? 4. Is Ishmael's survival due to his own inner strength of character or is it due to the fact that other people in his life extended a hand? Can we make it on our own if we are determined? 5. What is our responsibility to the people half way across the globe? Do we have any? 6. In "A Long Way Gone" the theme of human strength and man's spirit of endurance are presented in a glaring and profound manner. Beah overcomes addiction, hate, and death only to find himself a man whose had everything stripped of him. Yet, it is during this point in his life that Beah realizes just who in reality he is. What trials do we encounter that reveal to us the truth of our characters? Must we lose everything in order to realize we are only what we choose to make of ourselves? (A. Perez) 7. The concept of human redemption is also presented in Beah's book "A Long Way Gone". He becomes that which he loathes (killer in a civil war) and in so not only comes to hate himself, but rather lose himself in the midst of his confusion and anger for his situation. Yet, through it all he pulls himself through to rediscover his humanity on the most intimate level. How would you react to a situation where your humanity is being stripped from you? Could you tell if your humanity was being taken from you? Is it ever possible to lose your humanity? If so under what circumstances can it be lost, and how could it be regained? (A. Perez)