A Long Way Gone

     The audience for A Long Way Gone is basically anyone who reads it.  The purpose of the novel is to raise awareness of genocide and child soldiers.  Ishmael does a great job in addressing his audience by giving them examples of what happened to him when he was a child.
     Ishmael gave in great detail how he became a boy soldier.  After being captured into the "army" Ishmael and his companions met at the training ground where they were given new clothes and AK-47s (Beah 110-111).  Ishmeal went on to explain how he became addicted to smoking marijuana, sniffing cocaine, and taking white tablets (Beah 121).  The corporal challenged the boys to who could slit a rebels throat the fastest.  Ishmeal won and became junior lieutenant (Beah 124-125).