Summary Ishmael returns to his Uncle’s home in Freetown and begins the school year. The students know that he was a boy soldier and fear that he’ll snap at any moment and hurt them, so they sit apart and refuse to speak to Ishmael and Mohamed. Ishmael begins calling Mohamed […]
Read more Summary and Analysis Chapter 21Summary and Analysis Chapter 20
Summary Ishmael finds New York City brutally cold and amazing. He spends hours walking the streets and watching people. He’s shocked by how different the city is than what he had perceived it to be from rap music. At the United Nations’ Conference, he meets other delegates and learns their […]
Read more Summary and Analysis Chapter 20Summary and Analysis Chapter 19
Summary Ishmael says goodbye to his friends in Benin Home and moves in with Uncle Tommy’s family. His adjustment to family life is challenging, as he’s not used to stability and happiness. He relies on silence and withdraws as much as possible. Allie, the oldest cousin, sneaks Ishmael out to […]
Read more Summary and Analysis Chapter 19Summary and Analysis Chapter 18
Summary Observers from the UN, UNICEF, and several non-governmental organizations (NGOs) arrive to see the rehabilitation center, and the boys put on a talent show. Ishmael recites a monologue from Shakespeare and performs rap and dance. The center’s directors are so impressed that they ask if he’ll become a spokesperson […]
Read more Summary and Analysis Chapter 18Summary and Analysis Chapter 17
Summary Ishmael’s first breakthrough in rehabilitation comes because his nurse, Esther, buys him a Walkman and rap cassettes. At first, it makes him angry, but then the music overtakes him and he begins opening up to Esther about his past. He tells her of a battle in which he was […]
Read more Summary and Analysis Chapter 17Summary and Analysis Chapter 16
Summary Ishmael and the other boy soldiers in the rehabilitation center behave like caged animals. They attack the cook, throw bowls and silverware at the nurses and counselors, break into the medical supplies for drugs, and drag their mattresses out into courtyard in the rain so that they can sleep […]
Read more Summary and Analysis Chapter 16Summary and Analysis Chapter 15
Summary Ishmael’s reality has shifted so much that his squad is now his only family and the forest and villages they capture are his home. His only thought is to kill or be killed. His gun both provides for and protects him. His thoughts and actions have become so simple […]
Read more Summary and Analysis Chapter 15Summary and Analysis Chapter 14
Summary Like the other soldiers, Ishmael relies on drugs to power him through his duties. He begins smoking marijuana along with taking the white energy pills. He also snorts “brown brown,” which is a mixture of cocaine and gun powder. The drugs cause sleeplessness, so he stays up late into […]
Read more Summary and Analysis Chapter 14Summary and Analysis Chapter 13
Summary The boy soldiers are given the day off from training to play. They form a soccer game and swim and enjoy themselves. When the lieutenant calls them back to service, the boys push and shove each other into the bushes. They are given guns and live ammunition for the […]
Read more Summary and Analysis Chapter 13Summary and Analysis Chapter 12
Summary After walking for days, the boys are captured by a group of soldiers and taken to Yele, a village occupied by the military. There, they are put to work chopping vegetables, carrying water, and washing dishes. It is a welcomed relief, but Ishmael suffers severe headaches daily. The village […]
Read more Summary and Analysis Chapter 12