4th GINS post

In the past few weeks we have been exploring global issues novels as well as the study of consumerism and economics.  Our teachers have asked us to now make connects from our book that relate to our study of consumerism and economics.

The global issues novel I have been reading is "A long way gone" a riveting, breathtaking story about a young boys life in the war of Sierra Leone.  This novel takes you through the young boys life as he is trying to run away from the war but eventually the rebels catch him and he is forced to become a child soldier. The book also takes you through the struggles in the boy life and how he escaped the tragic place in one piece.

The boys name in "A long way gone" is Ishmael.  He is only 12 years old and he is with his older brother Junior, his best friend Talloi, and his other friend Mohamed.  One thing I really noticed reading this novel is what all the boys’ value. The thing they value most is food but another big value they have is music.  Before reading this book I would have never expected for these boys to value music so much.  The reason that music (rap in particular) is such a key value to them is because it is how they pass their time not having video games or homework and it also is something they love and have a huge passion for.  In a way music helps them cope with what is happening around them.

Even though Sierra Leone is a very poor place and does not have much of an economy you could say they run off a market style economy.  Some people there sell crops or whole food dishes in a market and others sell clothing and novelty items.  This way people buy and sell and contribute to the very small but running economy with no government contribution. Another key thing we have learned about that connects to my novel is the problem of scarcity.  Since Sierra Leone is a very poor place there are not even close to enough materials, land or, money for the wants and needs of the people. Most people there are living in very poorly built shelters and don't have much or any food everyday, and to top that they have to deal with the rebels and the war happening around them.

I think this novel perfectly reflects to one of our guiding questions "How would your consumer identity be different if you lived in a different nation?" If I were to be living in Sierra Leone I would not be doing this post right now I would be working and fighting for myself in a cold, cruel, place.  This book really shows you how your life would be living in that nation and how your consumer identity would be different.  It would be different in a way not having toys and games so often but rather to be buying food and definitely not as much as here in Canada.  While shopping you wouldn't be looking for cookies and cake like we do in Canada, you would be strictly focused on finding proteins and veggies to stay healthy and living.

Bibliography: 

http://www.alongwaygone.com/ishmael_beah.html                                 

-November 19 

3rd GINS post

Roundtable 2

Second GINS post

Round table discussion: https://soundcloud.com/petey99/gins-roundtable-peter-garrett

We have just recently completed a round table discussion about our global issue novels.  Please take a look and see if you agree or disagree with anything we said!

First GINS post

-What is the main issue being addressed in your novel?
The main issue in my book is child soldiers but a few other big issues that are addressed in "A long way gone" are poverty and war.


-Why did you choose this piece for your project?
 I read the back of the book and it was by far the most intriguing one of all.  I also herd from my teachers that it was a very deep book so that made me even more interested.  The biggest part that made me choose "A long way gone" was the issue of child soldiers as I dont know much about them and wanted to read and find the truth on them.

-What background knowledge do you already possess on this issue?
 I don't really know much about child soldiers other then they are young boys and girls that fight in wars and that it is illegal to be under 18 and fighting in Canada.  Since I don't know much on the issue I really liked this book because I would be able to learn a lot from it rather then already knowing everything.

-What questions do you have as you begin to read?
 A question I had on the very first page of the book was, "Who are the refuges?"  As I was reading the book I started to develop other questions about the rebels gang such as, "How did the rebels become so powerful?" and, "Where are the rebels getting their supplies?"  So far after 20% these questions have not been answered but I hope to find answers in the next part of the novel.  One last question I had was "Is this an accurate book"?.  Some of the things described in this book are just unbelievable so I was wondering if this information was true.

-What characters/players have been introduced so far?
Ishmael - Main character
Junior- Older brother
Talloi- Friend
Mother and Father
Gabrila- Friend
Mohamed- Best friend

Listsperation challenge 1

For my litsperation challenge I decided to do a drawing from the book I read “Rot and Ruin” This book is a thrilling and suspenseful zombie book.  I have read a ton of zombie books but this book in my opinion was a real winner.  My litsperation challenge was to draw what I think one of the zombies would look like from the book.  There is tons of great description in the book that I got to draw.  One thing I really took out of this is that I need to start taking art…  In the book the main character spends about half a page describing the zombies about how most of them have bullet holes in them and you can see bite or scratch marks on them from another zombie.  He talks about how most of them have deformed arms that look to have grown back after falling off.  In the book they also talk about how the boys play a game looking for a zombie with two ears.  Apparently they have never found a zombie with 2 ears and that’s why I have only drawn 1 ear on my zombie picture.  Also you may notice that the bottom the eyes are shaded, this is because the character in the book describes how there pupils are very small and the bottom of their eyes are always bleeding because they are burning and look they will explode from all the sun.  They also describe how is rare to find hair on a zombie as they mostly burn their hair off from staying outside so long and rotting.  The last thing he says is that they all have bad teeth and blood around their mouth.  This is what I think a zombie from the book would look like.