ALWG Theme Analysis Organizer

a long way gone
THEME analysis ORGANIZER

THEME analysis ORGANIZER

WHAT IS A THEME?

Actual Definition: THE CENTRAL/UNDERLYING MESSAGE OF A STORY. THE LESSON THE AUTHOR WANTS
THE READER TO LEARN OR UNDERSTAND.

INSTRUCTIONS:

As you read the novel, A Long Way Gone, you will record EXAMPLES of the theme “Human Nature,” and
ONE OTHER theme of your choice (“Horrors of War,” “PTSD: Guilt and Responsibility,” “Loss of
Innocence”, “Hope”)

You must find at least 10 EXAMPLES of each theme. Your examples can be direct quotes or paraphrasing
of events in the novel. Be sure to include the proper PAGE NUMBER(S) with each example that you
document. You are also responsible for explaining HOW your evidence connects to the theme you have
selected.

As you collect your evidence, you will develop a detailed description of the role of each theme in the
novel. As you write your descriptions of the theme, consider the following questions:

● How do the actions of the main characters reflect the different aspects of the theme?

● Does the theme develop or change over the course of the novel? If so, how?

● How do the examples you have chosen represent this theme? Explain in detail!

● Why is this theme important to the novel?

CLASS THEME: human nature
THEME DESCRIPTION: Human nature is a concept that conceals the fundamental dispositions and
characteristics including ways of thinking, feeling, and acting which was said that humans have naturally.
The term is often used to denote the essence of humankind, or what it 'means' to be human. Beah believes
that the theme of human nature is a reminder of the essential goodness of the world and that before the
war, nature is an essential to his understanding of the world. He often looks to the moon as a model of good
behavior and as his grandmother says, “no one grumbles when the moon shines.

WHY IS THIS THEME IMPORTANT?: It is an important theme in the novel A Long Way Gone because
throughout the novel, Ishmael g rows up with a strong connection to the natural world. He even sees his
own sadness reflected in the sky, trees, and animals. As he spends more and more time in the army,
Ishmael loses his entire connection with nature. He no longer cares about looking at creation, he just wants
to destroy. It's not until he leaves the army and goes into rehabilitation that he's able to get back some of
that connection to the natural world around him.
EXAMPLE #1: _Page 24_ EXAMPLE #2:_Page 4_

“In the swamp we ran past people who were stuck in “That night we were so hungry that we stole people’s
the mud, past handicapped people who couldn’t be food while they slept.
helped, for anyone who stopped to do so was risking
his own life.”
CONNECTION TO THEME:
CONNECTION TO THEME
This example of human nature connects to the
This connects to the theme of “Human Nature,” theme because normally they wouldn’t be stealing
because people are abandoning the villagers who are people’s food.
stuck or too weak in order to save themselves.
Due to their circumstances, they need to in order to
In normal circumstances, they might have helped survive.
them, but to save their own lives they chose not to.

EXAMPLE #3: PAGE _59_ EXAMPLE #4: PAGE _166_

My eyes widened, a smile forming on my face. Even When I was a child, my grandmother told me that
in the middle of the madness there remained that the sky speaks to those who look and listen to it.
true and natural beauty, and it took my mind away She said, "In the sky there are always answers and
from my current situation as I marveled at this explanations for everything: every pain, every
sight. suffering, joy, and confusion." That night I wanted
the sky to talk to me.

The connection to the theme is that even amid the CONNECTION TO THEME:
horrors of civil war, Beah can see a perspective The connection to the theme is that Beah makes this
when confronted by the beauty of nature. He and his statement in Chapter 17, after repeating his
companions had never seen the ocean, so the sight, fascination by the appearance of the moon in the
sound, and smell of it overwhelms them with joy. beginning of the novel.

In that moment remind this reminds the readers This again represents nature and this shows the
that they are still children at heart, are forced to readers that the natural world is greater than the
grow up too quickly because of circumstances world of conflict and human violence. This also links
beyond their control and that nature's beauty to the theme of memory in the novel because Beah
changes that. recovers his sense of family history. He invokes the
memory of his grandmother and her lesson about
man’s communication with the natural world. This
shows the reader that Beah remembers this
connection with the natural world and wants to
make himself whole again.
EXAMPLE #5: Chapter _3_ EXAMPLE #6: Chapter _13_

“With the absence of so many people, the town “We took the guns and ammunition off the bodies of
became scary, the night darker, and the silence my friends and left them there in the forest, which
unbearably agitating. Normally, the crickets and had taken on a life of its own, as if it had trapped
birds sang in the evening before the sun went down. the souls that had departed from the dead. The
But this time they didn't, and darkness set in very branches of the trees looked as if they were holding
fast. The moon wasn't in the sky; the air was stiff, as hands and bowing their heads in prayer. We
if nature itself was afraid of what was happening.” crouched into the forest and formed another
ambush a few meters away from our initial position.”

CONNECTION TO THEME: CONNECTION TO THEME:
The connection to the theme is that nature often Ishmael seems to have grown up with the belief that
goes silent at times, and can sometimes foreshadow people and nature are closely intertwined. He's just
great difficulty. In the first attack Beah witnesses, killed a bunch of people, and he thinks that the
the normal sounds of night-time are missing. Birds trees seem sad because of all the blood spilled
and crickets don’t sing. Even the moon doesn’t come around them. The natural world has been polluted
out. Beah remarks this as if “nature itself was afraid and it mourns accordingly. This shows the reader
of what was happening.” This shows the reader that that Ishmael beah feels guilty about the people that
Beah is frightened by the empty town and the he killed and how he killed the beauty of nature. He
impending attack of nature. This shows the reader also feels guilty of how the war and conflict changed
that the moon, animals and the sky is hiding just as and killed his connection with nature.
the people of the town and that nature can
sometimes be difficult to have a connection with and
can also be a misleading guide.

EXAMPLE #7: Page _49_ EXAMPLE #8: Chapter _16_
“Even the air seemed to want to attack me and “The rain washed the blood off the leaves as if cleaning
break my neck.” the surface of the forest, but the dead bodies remained
under the bushes.”

The connection of this quote to this theme is that as The connection of this quote to this theme is that as
the boys are serving as soldiers in the army, Beah grows up, he changes his point of view of
nature’s “goodness” ceases to be so obvious and its nature every time throughout the novel as that his
nature changes in a way. Although at times nature point of view now says that nature is simplistic. He
provides nourishment for the boys, at other times, believes that nature does not care about the people
Beah is so afraid he thinks that nature will kill him fighting viciously within it. This quote was said when
and believes that sometimes nature can be Beah remarks after one battle that nature is no
dangerous and toxic. And, indeed, nature does come comfort anymore and that It washes its own
for him at times: he’s chased by wild hogs at one surfaces, but does nothing for the human dead on
point throughout the novel. This shows the reader its surfaces. This shows the reader that nature
that nature’s beauty proves to be deceptive and at changes each time throughout the novel.
times also dangerous. This is seen when the boys are
on the run, they come upon the ocean and are
stunned by its beauty, in contrast to the sand. Then
they are chased onto the sand by villagers who
assume them to be rebels. They now find the waves
to be dangerously large, and the sand hot enough to
burn them.
EXAMPLE #9: Page _1_ EXAMPLE #10: Chapter _1_

"We must strive to be like the moon.". “no one grumbles when the moon shines. Everyone
becomes happy and appreciates the moon in their
own special way.”
The connection of this quote to the theme is that
Ishmael grew up very connected to the natural world CONNECTION TO THEME:
and hearing stories about it. His elders felt there The connection of this quote to the theme of human
were lessons to be learned from nature, like this nature is that nature is essential to Beah’s
reminder to be like the moon which is the kind of understanding of the world. Its beauty seems to him
person that brings happiness and gratitude to the not just good in itself, but a reminder of the
world. This shows the readers that there are a lot of essential goodness of the world. Beah often looks to
lessons to learn from nature and that Beah is the moon as a model of good behavior. The moon
reminding the people to try to be the best person also is, to Beah, a reminder of the happiness of his
they can be. This quote advises people to strive to childhood. He can look to it and be happy that
make others happy and not only please themselves. something of his past lives on. This shows the
This section is telling the reader “to be good to readers that nature is a guide for Beah and shows
others” and that is one of the most important life him understanding of what is happening around him.
lessons to learn from nature.

EXAMPLE #11: PAGE ______ EXAMPLE #12: PAGE ______

CONNECTION TO THEME CONNECTION TO THEME









HOW HAS THIS THEME DEVELOPED THROUGHOUT THE NOVEL?
(DO NOT ANSWER UNTIL WE ARE FINISHED WITH THE NOVEL!)

INDIVIDUAL THEME: _Loss of innocence_
THEME DESCRIPTION: The theme of loss innocence is the main theme in the novel A Long Way Gone and it is
really common and is used throughout the novel. It is usually thought of as an experience or period in a
person's life that leads to a greater awareness of evil, pain and/or suffering in the world around them.
A quote that symbolizes that is "Whenever I get the chance to observe the moon now, I still see those same
images I saw when I was six, and it pleases me to know that that part of my childhood is still embedded in
me.

WHY IS THIS THEME IMPORTANT?:

EXAMPLE #1: Chapter _1_ EXAMPLE #2: PAGE _110_
"Whenever I get the chance to observe the moon “I ran towards the fire but the cassettes had already
now, I still see those same images I saw when I was started to melt. Tears formed in my eyes, and my
six, and it pleases me to know that that part of my lips shook as I turned away”
childhood is still embedded in me"

CONNECTION TO THEME: The connection to that theme is that the destruction
The connection to the theme is that throughout the of Beah’s rap music is also the point at which one of
novel, Beah keeps remembering the times when his the fundamental string from his childhood were cut
grandmother talks to him about the moon and how from him, this shows being one of the factors to his
much happiness it brought to people. And after key to survival and the connection with him to his
remembering these memories, he would stare at the true identity, this makes him closer to losing his
moon and imagine different shapes he could see sense of humanity and innocence.
inside it. This shows the reader that even when
Ishmael had lost most of his childhood to the civil
war and experienced violence firsthand, he still
remembers parts of his childhood and that this must
be a relief for him that some part of his former self
still remains.

EXAMPLE #3: PAGE _23_ EXAMPLE #4: PAGE _119_

“My heart was beating faster than it ever had. Each “Everytime I stopped to change magazines and saw
gunshot seemed to cling to the beat of my heart” my two lifeless friends, I angrily pointed my gun into
the swamp and killed more people”

This connection of this quote to the theme is that CONNECTION TO THEME:
Ishmael has not yet been exposed to the horrors and The connection to the theme of loss of innocence is
the violence of war, until the rebels attack his that the last strip of innocence comes in Ishmael’s
village of Mattru Jong. He begins to experience the first kill as a young soldier. Fear and revenge was
horrors of the war firsthand by hearing the sounds kept in his mind when he made his first kill in the
of the gunshots and the screams of the terrified swamp and they were secreted with every pull of the
villages. This shows the readers that he has lost his trigger. This makes the reader know that he is no
innocence and sense of humanity by experiencing longer the inexperienced child he was before and
the violence of the war which then changes him later that even he feels the change in his character.
in the novel.

EXAMPLE #5: PAGE _44_ EXAMPLE #6: Chapter _11_

“Some nights I saw the head of a man. He had a "Are you still a troublesome boy?" He pulled on my
medium beard and wore a sailor's hat. Other times I nose. “There is no time to be troublesome these
saw a man with an ax chopping wood, and sometimes days," I said. "I see that you look very sad. Your
a woman cradling a baby at her breast. Whenever I forehead used to glow naturally when you were just
get a chance to observe the moon now, I still see a child. Your parents and I used to discuss how
those same images I saw when I was six, and it unusual that was. We thought it was because you
pleases me to know that that part of my childhood is were happy all the time. Your mother said you even
still embedded in me.” smiled while you slept.”

This quote connects to the themes of innocence, This quote shows the theme of loss of innocence as
childhood and memories. One of the things that Gasemu remembers Ishmael from when he was a
comfort Beah is his childhood. In this quote, he happy little boy, but he can see that something's
thinks about seeing images and stories on the moon, changed about him. The happy and passionate boy
just like his childhood. This shows him because he whose face used to glow is gone. This makes Gasemy
remembers these memories from a long time ago, think that someone else has replaced him now,
shows him that his innocence hasn’t totally lost or someone much more violent and less human such as
stomped out of him. This shows the readers that he conflict and the horrors of the war. This shows the
is happy because he hasn't lost his innocence and reader that even Gasemu feel like something has
humanity fully but still shows us that he lost a big changed with Ishmael Beah and this shows that even
part of his innocence in the violence of the wars he people think he has lost a part of his innocence.
fought in.

EXAMPLE #7: Chapter _18_ EXAMPLE #8: Chapter _21_
We sat together on the stoop and briefly talked “But on the first day of school in Freetown, all the
about our childhood pranks. "Sometimes I think students sat apart from us, as if Mohamed and I
about those great times we had dancing at talent were going to snap any minute and kill someone.
shows, practicing new dances, playing soccer until Somehow they had learned that we had been child
we couldn't see the ball… It seems like all those soldiers. We had not only lost our childhood in the
things happened a very long time ago. It is really war but our lives had been tainted by the same
strange, you know," he said, looking away for a bit."I experiences that still caused us great pain and
know, I know…" I said."You were a troublesome boy," sadness.”
he reminded me."I know, I know…"

This quote has a connection between the theme of This quote is related to the theme of loss of
loss of innocence as Mohamed and Ishmael innocence in a way that even Ishmael and Mohamed
reminisce about childhood, even they are are trying to do the things kids do in their age such
acknowledging that something has changed inside as going to school but even their classmates are
of them. They acknowledge that they're not the kids terrified of them and think they are dangerous. This
they once were. Even though it wasn't that long ago shows them that they cannot recover all the years
that they were dancing and playing soccer, to them they lost, but they can move on from that point of
it seems like another lifetime. This shows the their lives as much as possible. This shows the
readers that not only Beah is feeling these changes reader that they cannot recover the lost parts of
but that more young adults his age are experiencing their innocence and their sense of humanity lost in
these changes throughout the war. the violence of wars throughout the years but all
they can do is forget that they lost a part of their
character and just move on.

EXAMPLE #9: PAGE _13_ EXAMPLE #10: PAGE ______
“Some of the children had risked their life to attend
the conference. Others had walked hundreds of Sorry I could not do the last one because I could
miles to neighboring countries to be able to get on a
find many quotes showing loss of innocence but I
plane. Within minutes of talking to each other, we
knew that the room was filled with young people who couldn’t analyse them.
had had a very difficult childhood, and some were
going to return to these lives at the end of the CONNECTION TO THEME:
conference. After the introductions, we sat in a
circle so that the different facilitators could tell us
about themselves.”

This quote shows Beah for the first time that he is
not the only one that lost his innocence and that
more children out there has lost their innocence and
sense of humanity. This shows him that wars have
stolen the innocence which is used to describe
people from many children who fought in the war.
This makes the readers feel pity for the children and
adults out there who lost their description of their
character.











HOW HAS THIS THEME DEVELOPED THROUGHOUT THE NOVEL?
(DO NOT ANSWER UNTIL WE ARE FINISHED WITH THE NOVEL!)

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a long way gone

THEME analysis ORGANIZER

EXAMPLE #1: _Page 24_ EXAMPLE #2:_Page 4_

EXAMPLE #3: PAGE _59_ EXAMPLE #4: PAGE _166_

EXAMPLE #5: Chapter _3_ EXAMPLE #6: Chapter _13_

EXAMPLE #9: Page _1_ EXAMPLE #10: Chapter _1_

EXAMPLE #3: PAGE _23_ EXAMPLE #4: PAGE _119_

EXAMPLE #5: PAGE _44_ EXAMPLE #6: Chapter _11_

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ALWG Theme Analysis Organizer

Uploaded by

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Original Title

Copyright

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Copyright:

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ALWG Theme Analysis Organizer

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a long way gone

THEME ​analysis​ ORGANIZER

EXAMPLE #1: ​_Page 24_ EXAMPLE #2:​_Page 4_

EXAMPLE #3: ​PAGE _59_ EXAMPLE #4: ​PAGE _166_

EXAMPLE #5: ​Chapter _3_ EXAMPLE #6: ​Chapter _13_

EXAMPLE #9: ​Page _1_ EXAMPLE #10: ​Chapter _1_

EXAMPLE #3: ​PAGE _23_ EXAMPLE #4: ​PAGE _119_

EXAMPLE #5: ​PAGE _44_ EXAMPLE #6: ​Chapter _11_

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THEME analysis ORGANIZER

EXAMPLE #1: _Page 24_ EXAMPLE #2:_Page 4_

EXAMPLE #3: PAGE _59_ EXAMPLE #4: PAGE _166_

EXAMPLE #5: Chapter _3_ EXAMPLE #6: Chapter _13_

EXAMPLE #9: Page _1_ EXAMPLE #10: Chapter _1_

EXAMPLE #3: PAGE _23_ EXAMPLE #4: PAGE _119_

EXAMPLE #5: PAGE _44_ EXAMPLE #6: Chapter _11_