Beast Of No Nation Essay

639 Words2 Pages

Lucila Lope

Senior Seminar

Beast of No Nation

Human Rights Violations isn’t an uncommon issue that humans have faced throughout history. It is seen during many events, documented in books, and is experienced even today. Throughout this semester the required texts has opened our eyes to more incidents throughout history where human rights were violated. In “Night” we view a more recognized human rights violation, the mistreatment of the Jews. In Buddha in the attic we see how the Japanese were mistreated in the US and in some instants by their own people. And now in “ Beasts of no nation” with Agu, for he is an example of how violent times were in Africa and the unfair treatment of children and their recruitment as soldiers.

The Setting of “ Beasts of no nation” was during a time of much violence throughout Africa, government was corrupt; at times the only form of survival was to flee. Which is what the mother and sister of Agu a young boy who lived in a village being attacked did. Agu, his father, and his brother stayed so that they may stay with the rest who …show more content…

This is when we can start seeing the protagonist of the story, Agu’s rights being violated. Being left with the ultimatum of either joining the commander’s forces or Death. A decision like this shouldn’t Have to be made. The life of a child soldier isn’t a “normal” one; they experience and are forced to do things many children don’t have to do. In the book Agu tells us parts of his experience, if he were caught struggling he would be killed. To help him keep fighting, he was given drugs that were supposed to make child soldiers fight harder. This was also seen in the movie along with the unfortunate scene where he was used by his commander, for sexual pleasure. Being put into situations like this should never be forced upon and should be consensual; unfortunately due to time and circumstances this was not the

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