In A Long Way Gone by Ishmael Beah, the key motifs: survival, perseverance, and family support the theme, challenges can be faced by using perseverance and maintaining hope. Survival is one motif because Ishmael, the main character, is motivated to survive as he witnesses many horrific events. “All the captives stood at gunpoint watching as the rebels proceeded to interrogate the old man” (Beah, 2007, p.g. 32). Ishmael constantly ran away from the rebels to hide. He had to escape the rebels and have hope that he would find a safe place or his family again. Perseverance is also an important motif in Ishmael’s life. “In the daytime, instead of player soccer in the village square, I look turns at the guarding posts around the village, smoking
