Analysis Of A Long Way Gone By Ishmael Beah

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In the year 1943 the notorious twentieth century psychologist, Abraham Maslow, developed a theory concerning the hierarchy of human necessities. Maslow organized his theory into a pyramid consisting of psychological needs as the base, safety as the second tier, love/belonging as the third tier, esteem as the fourth tier, and self-actualization at the pinnacle. In the novel, A Long Way Gone by Ishmael Beah, the reader witnesses all tiers of the pyramid through the perspective of Ishmael. Ishmael begins his journey as a child, and is thrusted into the horrifying life of war. As result, he’s stripped of every tier in Maslow’s pyramid of needs, and must work to regain self-actualization. To begin, Ishmael lives his early child and the beginning …show more content…

Ishmael began traveling with his new companions after being separated from his brother and friends. He was then forced into terrifying isolation while stranded and lost in a jungle. After navigating his path through the jungle he encountered several boys he knew from secondary school in Mattru Jong. Although not the most familiar with these boys they recognized him and allowed Ishmael to travel with them. As they went from village to village, all the encountered were bare, desolate and abandoned towns. Once they discovered an old man left behind, he revealed that the villages kept fleeing in horror after hearing the news of several boys traveling together. After hearing this they continued their path to a village located on the beach. These villagers attacked and stripped the boys of their shoes leaving, which in its own way was a punishment without reason. Ishmael stated, “We didn’t realize what sort of punishment the fishermen had given us until we stopped running away from their village”(Beah 60). This forced circumstance left the boys walking on the ground which was being scorched by 120 degree weather. As a result, this venture taken with the group has left multiple villages with fear of annihilation. Forcing the villagers to fight or take flight. This directly affected Ishmael’s second and fourth tier on Maslow’s pyramid. The second tier was affected, because Ishmael’s life was in danger as he entered each village. The villagers could only assume the boys were rebels to protect their loved ones, and ensure their needs weren’t violated. Also, his fourth tier, which is labeled esteem, was affected when strangers began to assume he was a rebel. This violates that tier because he’s lost the respect of others who can’t find trust for strangers

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