Imagery plays a prominent role in this novel. The utilization of imagery is used to establish two major things. One, it provides the reader with a better perception on the situation and create and illusion as if the reader is actually there. In addition, the imagery is used to demonstrate how Ishmael's mentality and morals are altered by war all through the novel. Towards the end of the novel, Beah reminisces much of what he had witnessed and endured in the war, which left him in a daze. At one point, he was enjoying his time dancing as if he had never lost his childhood, but then horrific memories started flooding his mind. He remembered a town he had attacked during a school dance. Beah had said, “…the blood covered the dance floor.” (184).
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The speech at the UN could also be seen as a use of imagery for he spoke of what it was like being a solider and why he had done so, for example revenge, loss of parents, and starvation. Not to mention, Beah stopped playing tennis and soccer because it reminded him of the horrible actions he had taken place during the war. This shows the reader that something as simple as children enjoying their time outside can be taken for granted. Even doing simple tasks such as fetching firewood would cause his mind to, “wander to things [Beah] had seen and done in the past.” (190). Beah then went on to saying, “Standing next to a tree with red frozen sap on its bark would bring flashbacks of the many times we executed prisoner by tying them to trees and shooting them.” (190). Beah has had his childhood stripped away from him and just like a domino it is effecting his present and future. The use of imagery captivates the readers or audience and allows them to understand that what Beah has encountered is reality; it gives the readers a firsthand look at the horrors. Beah does not shy away from the truth; rather use sharp imagery to get his point
The speech at the UN could also be seen as a use of imagery for he spoke of what it was like being a solider and why he had done so, for example revenge, loss of parents, and starvation. Not to mention, Beah stopped playing tennis and soccer because it reminded him of the horrible actions he had taken place during the war. This shows the reader that something as simple as children enjoying their time outside can be taken for granted. Even doing simple tasks such as fetching firewood would cause his mind to, “wander to things [Beah] had seen and done in the past.” (190). Beah then went on to saying, “Standing next to a tree with red frozen sap on its bark would bring flashbacks of the many times we executed prisoner by tying them to trees and shooting them.” (190). Beah has had his childhood stripped away from him and just like a domino it is effecting his present and future. The use of imagery captivates the readers or audience and allows them to understand that what Beah has encountered is reality; it gives the readers a firsthand look at the horrors. Beah does not shy away from the truth; rather use sharp imagery to get his point