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Eventually, do you think Ishmael was fighting because he had no other option or because he believed it was right?

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Eventually, do you think Ishmael was fighting because he had no other option or because he believed it was right?

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How else would they get the kids to fight, alot of them are under the age of fifteen and to get them to want to fight, you have to do something that might affect there personal lives

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How else would they get the kids to fight, alot of them are under the age of fifteen and to get them to want to fight, you have to do something that might affect there personal lives

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These kids don't choose to do this like an American choosing to go to war. They are forced into this life.

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Can it be argued that children already know how to use a gun based on the toys present in today's market?

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Can it be argued that children already know how to use a gun based on the toys present in today's market?

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An adult is someone who can function in society without the need for someone to assist them a lot. A kid is someone who cannot function in society without some one to help them

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An adult is someone who can function in society without the need for someone to assist them a lot. A kid is someone who cannot function in society without some one to help them

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Post what age you think is the borderline between child and adult

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Post what age you think is the borderline between child and adult

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Even a kid id scary if you hand him a gun, and he knows how to use it.

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Even a kid id scary if you hand him a gun, and he knows how to use it.

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People are not scared of the kids but rather what the kids can do when they are handed power. 

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People are not scared of the kids but rather what the kids can do when they are handed power. 

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What made Ishmael freze on the battlefeild

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What made Ishmael freze on the battlefeild

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He had said that he died a little inside every ḱjtime something bad happened

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He had said that he died a little inside every ḱjtime something bad happened

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Look at it this way. You are is Ishmael's shoes. What would you do? Would you fight for your right to live?

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WHy are gender roles tested at times of war?

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WHy are gender roles tested at times of war?

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Maybe he died from alot of stress or maybe got sick, if you got sick though I would think it would be obvious to other people so I think its more from a stress standpoint.

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Maybe he died from alot of stress or maybe got sick, if you got sick though I would think it would be obvious to other people so I think its more from a stress standpoint.

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When ishmael first got to the army, after training, they gave him new cloths and burnt his old ones...what is this symbolizing? 

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When ishmael first got to the army, after training, they gave him new cloths and burnt his old ones...what is this symbolizing? 

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Ishmael fights for his right to live. The drugs don't force him to kill people they just give him the courage to fight. He knows it is kill or be killed. It isn't the best world to live in but he has to do something to make it to the end. 

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Ishmael fights for his right to live. The drugs don't force him to kill people they just give him the courage to fight. He knows it is kill or be killed. It isn't the best world to live in but he has to do something to make it to the end. 

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Child soldiers cannot be used it is unfair to the children and parents.

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Everyone is talking about how this should never be forced upon a boy. Should this ever be forced upon anyone? Should someone ever commit these acts, even if they are a grown adult?

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Also this is a lot of detail Ishmael apparently remember, how much of what he says is true. There is alot of writing in this book and I know I wouldnt be able to remember that much 

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Also this is a lot of detail Ishmael apparently remember, how much of what he says is true. There is alot of writing in this book and I know I wouldnt be able to remember that much 

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I this Ishmael is so casual about describing killing because it was common when it happened. Someone wouldn't describe going on a run too much because it's common.

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I feel like Ishmael remembers the killing in such a short amount of time because his mind was so blurred by the emotion, adrenaline, and narcotics that are flowing through him.

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Everybody that has faced some sort of mental illness (such as depression) can relate to Ishmael. You aren't yourself when you are sick

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Everybody that has faced some sort of mental illness (such as depression) can relate to Ishmael. You aren't yourself when you are sick

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The cd was the last thing he had that was related to his childhood.

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We can relate to the way that Ishmael thinks that what he is doing is right and we sometimes think what we are doing is right when it isn't.

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We can relate to the way that Ishmael thinks that what he is doing is right and we sometimes think what we are doing is right when it isn't.

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We can relate to the book not on a direct level but looking deeper into it the book has more meaning. It isn't just about killing. It is about losing hope in who you are and all humanity. Although, we have not all been to this point through killing, we should all relate on some different level

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We can relate to the book not on a direct level but looking deeper into it the book has more meaning. It isn't just about killing. It is about losing hope in who you are and all humanity. Although, we have not all been to this point through killing, we should all relate on some different level

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I can relate to his [Ishmael] addiction to killing. Shooting a gun is very addicting, so I understand why he feels like he has to do this.

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I can relate to his [Ishmael] addiction to killing. Shooting a gun is very addicting, so I understand why he feels like he has to do this.

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I don't think we can relate to the war and killing but we can relate to loneliness.

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I don't think we can relate to the war and killing but we can relate to loneliness.

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We have no idea how it is to be a child solider when we are here living in a world superpower

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We have no idea how it is to be a child solider when we are here living in a world superpower

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Ishmael witnessed the destruction of the rebels and army and tried to escape it. How far did he have to be pushed from his humanity to fall into that nightmare he was trying to run away from?

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Ishmael witnessed the destruction of the rebels and army and tried to escape it. How far did he have to be pushed from his humanity to fall into that nightmare he was trying to run away from?

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Ellie I think that's a very interesting way of saying things how they are repulsive

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Ellie I think that's a very interesting way of saying things how they are repulsive

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Nice magnet connection, really speaks on a deep level m8

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Nice magnet connection, really speaks on a deep level m8

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Some children are fighting for there side because they believe in what they stand for not because they are forced into it.

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Some children are fighting for there side because they believe in what they stand for not because they are forced into it.

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Was it not just fear, but also drugs? On page 149 he says:  The combination of these drugs gave us a lot of energy and made us fierce. The idea of death didn’t cross my mind at all and killing had become as easy as drinking water.

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The Navy Seals are NOT brain dead. They are protecting you from terrorists. 

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The Navy Seals are NOT brain dead. They are protecting you from terrorists. 

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Is ishmael really affected from sleep deprivation

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Is ishmael really affected from sleep deprivation

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How does a boy's mind interpret the acts of war different from a grown, trained soldier?

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on page 127, "The idea of death didn't cross my mind at all and killing becomes as easy as drinking water."

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on page 127, "The idea of death didn't cross my mind at all and killing becomes as easy as drinking water."

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He has seen these horrible things happen before and he doesn't want these bad things to happen to him.

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I think that hate isn't driven by fear, because they are both different emotions.

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I think that hate isn't driven by fear, because they are both different emotions.

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I agree with katie because the fear leads to hate

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I agree with katie because the fear leads to hate

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Did anyone connect Ishmael to Curley's Wife from OMAM and the loneliness that he expirences at times?

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Did anyone connect Ishmael to Curley's Wife from OMAM and the loneliness that he expirences at times?

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How do you think it would be different if he got caught by the rebels instead of the army?

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To connect with what Zach just said about the rambo movies - Ishmael talks about how him and his friends are practicing the thing they saw in the Rambo movies. Could the fun the children/soldiers got from practicing their moves be the closest thing to childhood they had? Like rp?

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To connect with what Zach just said about the rambo movies - Ishmael talks about how him and his friends are practicing the thing they saw in the Rambo movies. Could the fun the children/soldiers got from practicing their moves be the closest thing to childhood they had? Like rp?

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Do you think that the rap singers that Ishmael grew listening to with will play any role in his rehab?

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Do you think that the rap singers that Ishmael grew listening to with will play any role in his rehab?

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I thought it was interesting how the boys would admire how someone would kill another person, where most children usually admire someone like a celebrity. 

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I thought it was interesting how the boys would admire how someone would kill another person, where most children usually admire someone like a celebrity. 

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What does the humming represent?

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How much rehabilitation do you think Ishmael needed to recover from these things?

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How much rehabilitation do you think Ishmael needed to recover from these things?

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Why was it that the people in Yele did not seem to fear the war?

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Why was it that the people in Yele did not seem to fear the war?

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Do you think that anyone is right in this situation? Are both the army and the rebels are doing terrible things? 

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Do you think that anyone is right in this situation? Are both the army and the rebels are doing terrible things? 

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The war has taken away all of his humanity

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The war has taken away all of his humanity

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With these children loosing their families have they lost hope

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With these children loosing their families have they lost hope

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Somebody can take my place now if you want

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Somebody can take my place now if you want

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I agree with taylor the military gave them something to hold on to. 

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I agree with taylor the military gave them something to hold on to. 

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How does what Taylor is talking about relate to the military today? Is it any different? 

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How does what Taylor is talking about relate to the military today? Is it any different? 

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I like the comparison that Tegan made to the Nazi's.

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would it be better for him to be killing people in the army or for him to keep running away from the war?

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would it be better for him to be killing people in the army or for him to keep running away from the war?

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That is a good point mitch, that is kind of hypocritical on Ishmaels part 

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That is a good point mitch, that is kind of hypocritical on Ishmaels part 

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he would have not joined because no kid should be forced to do that.

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he would have not joined because no kid should be forced to do that.

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I think that the drugs taken by these children have turned into a brain wash more than anything.

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I think that the drugs taken by these children have turned into a brain wash more than anything.

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how long has he been apart of the army now?

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how long has he been apart of the army now?

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Did the army or the rebels take his childhood more?

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Is the army a bad thing? They are tricking these children to fight and kill.

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The rebels were trying to strike fear in people to try and decrease the resistance they would get in villages to come. If everyone fears you not many people will step up and resist, so it makes it easier to take control and possibly get a few recruits

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I agree I thought that he was going to be fighting with the rebels, but he his still doing the same bad things with the other side.

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how come ishmaels title in the army got upgraded

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how come ishmaels title in the army got upgraded

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I think that the military was a little bit better than the rebels because they kill in a more humain manner.

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I think that the military was a little bit better than the rebels because they kill in a more humain manner.

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I agree with Brooks. Everything that the military is saying is and advertisement. They are telling these kids that they can kill people because they are telling them that the rebels killed their families.

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The rebels aren't any better than army because they would just remind the kids they recruit about their dead families. But those kids would eventually kill the families of another kid or kids.

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The rebels aren't any better than army because they would just remind the kids they recruit about their dead families. But those kids would eventually kill the families of another kid or kids.

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Yes the army is better than the rebels because in the book one of the lieutenants said they kill for no reason

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Yes the army is better than the rebels because in the book one of the lieutenants said they kill for no reason

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When they burned the tapes, it almost symbolized that he left his old life and what he was like before

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When they burned the tapes, it almost symbolized that he left his old life and what he was like before

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He is losing the sense between whats right and wrong.

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He is losing the sense between whats right and wrong.

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I agree with mitch, he found safety with the gun

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I agree with mitch, he found safety with the gun

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The migraines were from intense stress and dehydration. The lack of sleep also didn't help Ishmael's physical and mental state BEFORE he was taken in by the army.