Epiphanies

During the civil war Ishmael became more distant from his family and friends. I think the war itself was an epiphany for everyone living in Sierra Leone. It was a life changing event that scarred Ishmael for life. During the war he became isolated and preferred traveling by himself instead of groups. I understand why he would prefer to travel alone because people feared groups that maybe the rebels, mostly if it was a group of boys.Everyone was already cautious, anyone could have been a rebel or a spy, there was no trust not even for people that they knew themselves. I think it was smart for Ishmael to want to travel alone because even when he was with his brother and friends everyone seemed like they were in their own world, and traveling in a group made it harder for villages to accept that they are not rebels. Not knowing where your loved ones are is challenging and loneliness is the worst part in traveling alone but there is a better chance of survival, since food resources are scarce if you are travelling in a larger group there are more people to feed and little is available for yourself. In conclusion the change of heart and Ishmael's personality has it's pros and cons.

-ryan