Similarities Between The Bite Of The Mango And A Long Way Gone

The books, The Bite of the Mango by Mariatu Kamara with Susan McClelland and A Long Way Gone by Ishmael Beah, are memoirs about two young Sierra Leoneans lives before, during and after the Sierra Leone Civil War. The Sierra Leone Civil War was a conflict about governmental power in the country and it lasted many years. Both memoirs recount the way that the civil war affected their lives and determined their lives’ paths. Kamara and Beah, had similar experiences of living through the Sierra Leone Civil War yet their experiences were also different.

For most of Beah’s adolescent life he lived in Sierra Leone during the Civil War. As a young boy he faced many adversaries but was happy with his life. Beah grew up in a rural village and he did

At the beginning of his journey he was separated from his family and never saw them again. Thus, all alone at the age of 13 he had to make many crucial decisions about his journey and his life. Throughout Beah’s journey many people acted hostile towards him because they feared that he may have been a rebel; rebels would destroy villages and heinously murder villagers. Consequently, Beah did not receive help from people as he traveled to escape the war. After months of traveling, Beah stopped at a village and the soldiers stationed there gave him the options of either fighting or trying to escape the rebels. Beah chose to fight and became a child soldier because trying to evade the rebels would most likely lead to death. He was told by his lieutenant that “Our job is a serious one and we have the most capable soldiers, who will do anything to defend this country. We are not like the rebels, those riffraffs who will kill people for no reason.” (Beah 123). Beah was brainwashed by his officers to believe that he was fighting for justice even though he senselessly murdered many people and destroyed many lives. Eventually Beah was taken to Freetown, Sierra Leone’s capital, and was rehabilitated by The United Nations Children’s Fund. Beah’s journey to escaping the civil war was long, full of death and traumatic. Beah was without his family and was in constant fear. In contrast, Kamara’s escape from the war was quick, she found

Again, Beah was alone when he escaped Freetown and also when he illegally entered Guinea. Beah was fortunate that he reached safety but he had to leave his friends and extended family behind. His escape was not easy or prepared, he had little money to travel and he did not know much about traveling out of the country. He wrote that “Everyone I tried to ask for directions didn’t understand what I was saying.” (Beah 214). Beah eventually ended up in New York City where he finished high school. Kamara unlike Beah, left Freetown before the war reached the city. Kamara went to Toronto where she completed high school. Kamara was very lucky because foreign sponsors helped her leave Freetown. Kamara’s travel was paid for and she traveled with another Sierra Leonean woman. Like Beah, Kamara had to leave her friends behind but unlike Beah she had to leave her immediate family behind too. Kamara wrote about how hard it was to leave behind the people she loved, “I sat down in front of Adamsay and put my forehead against hers. ‘I love you,’ I whispered. ‘I always will. And soon it will be your turn.” (Kamara and McClelland 166). Kamara did not want to leave but she knew that it was in her best interest. But, Beah was very motivated to leave because he was afraid he would lose his life if he stayed any longer. Kamara had more aid and preparation when she left Sierra Leone than Beah yet they were both fortunate