Ch. 21-25 (Wrap up)

Emmanuel Jal child soldier

As Emmanuel's life continues he is really starting to see his story of his life come together and is able to be passionate about his life towards others. Emmanuel discovers his love for music and starts off by raising money for his charity CASSY to help refugees. His passion towards life helps him and pushes him forward everyday. With multiple people who Emmanuel receives guidance from he is able to achieve greatness and achieve what he has set out to achieve. As flashbacks stay within Emmanuel's head, the fear he had once had of him being a young soldier will stay with him forever. "I never wanted to forget the message the war child had taught me." (Pg. 246) As Emmanuel explains his life in the last few chapters I realize how my life and his connect. We both like giving and making people who can't help themselves receive help from people like us. Giving to charity is something great and it is what me and Emmanuel share in common. Even though Emmanuel's life will continue with great success and happiness pictures of the war in Sudan and his time as a child soldier will always flow into his mind. "Pictures flooded through me-villages burning, my brothers and sisters running from war, I wanted the world to hear." (Pg. 239-240) Emmanuel's passion was through music and that is his way of telling the world his stories and how hard life really is to be in war. Emmanuel makes everyone aware of the situations of war and the challenges people face. Is Emmanuel a hero? To many he is, but what helped Emmanuel to believe? His strength to once again put trust and belief towards God brought him to where he is today. "Now we are in a better place." (Pg. 245) As Emmanuel has overcome so much in these years, the journey of his past, present and future will always stay with him. "We had traveled so far together to reach this place and I would carry him with me as I started a new journey."

Closing Remarks!

War Arabs Running refugee

Child soldier Hope Identity Lack of food Determination

Beatings Yearning

Education Miracle Mourning Anger Never say never Urge Emma McCune Listening

Jenajesh Alone Love life

Emmanuel Jal rap artist

Emmanuel has successfully escaped war and survived to tell his story and to touch lives. From child soldier to rap artist, Emmanuel is able to tell his story through his book and lyrics.

Congratulations Emmanuel Jal,

You have touched many

Ch. 15-20 (Determination)

Jal has been waiting forever for his time to shine on the battle field. He was determined to fight and fighting is what he wanted to do. "I want to kill Arabs." (Pg. 145) After all these months and efforts Jal has put into working towards being a child soldier he is still longed from killing his enemy which brought him here in the first place. Although Jal is determined to fight something is holding him back, the Captain. "You are too small for battle, Jal there are tankers, minefields, and big weapons." (Pg. 146) His determination and fight paid off when he finally reaches the battlefield. Jal's determination brought upon what he wanted but lets not forget how this adventure really started. Jal wanted to go to school, he wanted to fly that was the one goal he had in mind. When Jal escapes from Kurki 1 to go find another battle which has who he is looking to attack in Waat, he is determined to get there no matter what the case. Throughout the time Jal is travelling through the desert he is faced with challenges which he has overcome. Could it be is belief and faith towards his God, because luck must be on his side because Jal is "just one of about a dozen who'd survived the desert from Juba." (Pg. 174) Is he a miracle child? A few days after Jal arrives in Waat a women who goes by the name Emma starts to school Jal and takes him away from war. This is what Jal has been determined to do for so long, go to school. As much as Jal wants to be back in war to kill the Arabs, Emma assures Jal that, "You are too small to live in war, too young to see the things you have." (Pg. 179) Emma finally takes Jal away from war and brings him into her life. Jal is learning to speak English now through school and learn new things about others culture that he never learnt in war. Although this seems like the ultimate joy for Jal, he misses war and this world isn't for him. "I didn't understand this world and I never would." (Pg. 184)

Jal's determination and fight finally got him what he wanted originally. He wanted to go to school. Jal is determined with everything he does and is why he gets to where he is in the book now. This is Jal's strength and has the right mindset. What if Jal had fallen like his two friends Lam and Lual? He understands what needs to be done to survive and is the ultimate reason why Emma was able to take Jal away from war. He was able to make it to Waat without falling.

Ch. 9-14 (Character Identity)

This post is going to involve a letter which Jal is writing to his mother. It will discuss his experiences and challenges that he has come over since the last time Jal has seen his mother.

Dear mama,

I miss you, I miss your snuggling and warmth you used to give to my siblings and I. I hope that everything with you is okay because I have been worried ever since I thought you were taken away. What a difference my life is without you, challenges arise and I just don't know who to look to. In the last little while which I have been apart from you and the rest of our family I have learnt many things. Something which is most prominent and I have even noticed about myself is I have finally found myself an identity. When you really know yourself things seem to just click in to place like everything is worth living for. Ever since I have been brought to Pinyudu, I have learnt so many life lessons that are going to help me out in the near future. One lesson that I have learnt which seems crazy is "Love, friendship, pity.... all weaken you in war." (pg. 88) After this was acknowledged to me I have decided that chief is right and in order to be successful in war, friendship can no longer last. Mama it has been so long and I can't believe I can't see your face anymore. You would be so proud of what I have accomplished since I agreed to become a child soldier. I have worked through so much, "I was beaten almost every day." (pg. 79) I also worked through tough challenges and more. All to fight for my country and get revenge on what was done to us. I was small but I achieved the best test score. I worked harder than I would have ever imagined that I ever would. "I had the highest rank among the small boys like me and I felt proud." (pg. 91) Ever since I have come here to become a child soldier I was so excited to get my chance to fight. I finally did get my chance to fight but it really didn't feel right at some points to see what had happened to us happen to others. It wasn't right, and thats why I am going back to where I belong, I had to try and escape from war. 

With all my regards,

your loving son

Jal

Ch. 1-8 (Power Struggle)

For this blog post I will analyze the song Wavin' Flag by K'naan and how it relates directly to the book War Child specifically from chapters 1-8.



There are multiple stanzas in this song which directly relate to how Jal is living, thinking and feeling throughout the first 8 chapters of this book. "I came the farthest Among the hardest survival," this quote from the song is one of the many examples that relate to Jal's life now. As the reader notices in chapter 5 Jal escapes from the sinking of the ship. He came the farthest among the hardest of times swimming against the current to save his life when the struggle was to hard for others. Jal overcame the hard times to rescue himself to survive and make it to school in Ethiopia. Specifically it explains the troubles and tough times Jal has escaping from the water onto land again on pg. 45-46. 


When thinking about how lucky Jal was to have survived the sinking of the ship it wasn't all that exciting when he took his journey to Ethiopia. Walking forever he said it felt as the journey seemed like it would never end. As the journey took longer and longer Jal became food deprived as well as waterless. He was struggling to survive but the thoughts that one day from this school he was going to be able to fly a plane in the air kept him moving. This reminds me of the quote from the song, "So we strugglin', fighting to eat And we wondering, when we'll be free
So we patiently wait, for that faithful day It's not far away, but for now we say." This quote states exactly the feeling Jal and his classmates are going through. Fighting to eat, it discusses the lack of food and water they have in chapter 7 specifically on pg. 51-53. As it says in the next line they are patiently waiting for that faithful day, this reminds me of when the school boys are waiting to finally get to the school, they can't wait till then after all the way they have traveled sacrificing so much. Of course for Jal though, he can't wait for the day to get to school but on top of that for the war in the villages in his country to come to a end.


Near the beginning of the book in the first couple of chapters Jal realizes that it is all about family during the tough times they are going through, and realizes he can't continue moving villages until with his family he has been travelling with the whole time. He would wait up at nights until his mother would come and cuddle the children to sleep. This reminds me of the quote from the song which says, "I heard them say love is the way Love is the answer that's what they say." This quote is stating exactly what Jal believes in. Love is the answer, love is the answer to stopping the struggling and sores Jal and his family face throughout the war between the Arabs. This is stated in Ch. 3 specifically on pg. 27 where it describes Jal's mother cuddling them and that God will protect them.


This is how the song Wavin' Flag by K'naan relates directly to War Child Ch. 1-8.

Why is Empathy is important

Empathy-if someone else is sad you are sad


Empathy is feeling others emotion and understanding the emotions of others. It is important to understand other cultures around the world because we want to share emotion and show that it is okay to share emotion with others. It is important to understand other cultures around the world so we can feel what their emotion is and understand what they are feeling. This is important because it will take away from future conflicts which may irrupt.