Ionising radiation in medical imaging Essay Example for Free

Ionising radiation in medical imaging Essay Contemporary medical practice is heavily reliant on mediconuclear and radiological procedures and investigations. To derive important diagnostic information, medical personnel must carry out investigations which may expose patients and the medical personnel to certain levels of risk. With the continued advancement of medicine and diagnostic examinations, many procedures which utilize relatively high loads of radiation to produce images are becoming more and more popular. To protect patients and radiologists from the harmful effects of radiation exposure, protection practices and standards are grounded on the understanding that any level of radiation may cause detrimental health effects, including genetic damage and cancer development. However, while protection standards have been crucial in reducing the level of exposure to harmful radiation, these estimates are just approximations. Some authors have argued that these approximations are indeed underestimates and that better estimates of risk should be calculated based on the age and sex of an individual. These concerns imply that doctors and radiologists must uphold the highest standards for radiation protection, including limiting the number of times a patient subjected to radiologic examination. The use of ionsing radiation in medical imaging began with x-rays discovery in 1895. Basically, ionising radiation consists of the component of electromagnetic spectrum which has sufficient energy to penetrate through matter and dislodge orbital electrons which are then converted into ions and captured in an electromagnetic film. Different types of electromagnetic radiations (gamma rays and x-rays) are utilised in different forms of medical imaging. Different forms of radiation also have different biologic effects. Imaging modalities such as single photon computed tomography (SPECT), cardiovascular computed tomography (CVCT), positron emission tomography (PET), and x-ray fluoroscopy have become indispensable diagnostic tools in almost every medical establishment. Even though these modalities are necessary for an accurate and timely diagnosis, the emission of both particulate and photon radiation means that the risks and benefits of these diagnostic techniques need to be evaluated. While it is easy to measure some radiation dosimetry parameters, others can only be estimated by using complex simulations and assumptions models. Generally, radiation dosimetry is presented in terms of physical measurements. Based on literature research, this paper discusses the risks associated with ionising radiation in medical imaging and the measures taken by both the patients and the medical staff to limit the level of radiation dosage. Risks Associated with Ionising Radiation in Medical Imaging Exposure to ionising radiation in the medical/hospital environment can either exhibit as deterministic or stochastic impacts. Deterministic effects are those effects whose severity is determined by the radiation dose. These effects occur when the radiation exposure goes beyond the dose threshold. The most common example of deterministic effects is skin burns. When the skin is exposed for a long time to radiation, particularly in the course of prolonged fluoroscopic procedures, skin burns may occur. Patients undergoing electrophysiologic ablation examinations which may take more than one hour are more at risk of suffering skin burns as a result of repeated exposure to relatively high levels of radiation doses. 3 Other deterministic effects include cataract formation, skin erythema, and epilation. Stochastic effects are those effects whose probabilities of occurrence are dependent on the dosage. For instance, effects such as radiation induced carcinogenesis always occur after a person has been exposed to variable doses of radiation for a long time. Generally, stochastic effects do not have a threshold dose; rather, long term exposure to ionising radiation may cause varying degrees of cell proliferation, division, and differentiation. Thus, it is extremely difficult to establish the exact level of exposure that can be incriminated in the development of cancer or any other associated effect. However, it has been demonstrated that higher doses of ionising radiation may cause chromosomal changes and subsequent malignancies. On the contrary, it should be noted that not all chromosomal alterations cause phenotypic illnesses. Exposure to high doses of radiation may induce malignancy in children, especially the development of leukemia. There are two different theoretical perspectives for discussing the link between medical imaging and cancer development at relatively low exposure levels. According to the linear no-threshold theory, the effects of radiation are not limited to a certain threshold of exposure. In essence, all radiation em itted have the capacity of causing malignancies and the risk increase linearly with dosage. On the other hand, the linear-quadratic theory states that low doses have an insignificant risk on developing malignancies and that the risk can only increase quantitatively with exposures to high radiation doses. In many international and national legislations concerning radiation and reducing exposure to radioactive emissions, the more conservative linear no-threshold hypothesis have been adopted as opposed to the linear quadratic hypothesis. This consensus ensures that no amount of radiation exposure is taken as being negligible and insignificant when it comes to malignancies and other associated effects. The Chernobyl disaster and the Hiroshima tragedy are two examples of the effects of high dose radiations that have been widely studied. Studies of the survivors have confirmed the hypothesis that in-utero X ray exposure increases the risk of cancer development. Again, it should be understood that radioactive emissions from nuclear accidents or explosions cannot be compared with the doses of ionising radiation that patients and staff are exposed to during medical imaging. Epidemiologic and experimental evidence suggests that low dose radiations can lead to the development of leukemia and solid tumours. Due to this link, workers in the nuclear industry and health care are often monitored and the level of exposure restricted to not more than 20 mSv per years (100 mSv in five years). The current growth in the use of computed tomography imaging has created renewed interest into the possible risks associated with CT scans. Some studies have established that computed tomography imaging, esp ecially cardiac CT imaging. According to Moloo (2009), cardiac CT imaging exposes patients to a lifetime risk of developing cancers. A radiation dosage of 2. 3 milliSieverts may result in a lifetime cancer risk of 20 cases per 100,000 women and 8 cases per 100,000 men. The risk to developing lung cancers is higher than that of developing other cancers. Using insurance claims documentation of 1 million clients, other researchers have also been able to establish that more than more than 70% of medical claims were associated with medical imaging procedures. Notably, CT scans of the abdomen and the pelvis, CT scans of the chest, and myocardial perfusion imaging accounted for the greatest proportion of exposure to cumulative radiation doses. It is also important to note that, even though not widely reported, a single radiation dose of an abdominal or pelvic computed tomography imaging far exceeds the recommended annual background radiation dose. For instance, cardiac CT imaging typically exposes the patient to a radiation dosage of 3-15 mSv, for mammograms the patient is exposed to 0. mSv, while pelvic/abdominal CT imaging exposes the patient to 10mSv. These dosages far exceed the annual background dosages and increase the likelihood of developing cancers. Castranovo (2008) asserts that even though the use of multidetector CT angiography has been extremely important in generating images in a very short time, it should be noted that the population exposure to radiation has risen from a mere 0. 54 mSv to more than 3. 2 mSv. 16-slice compute r tomography coronary angiography (CTCA) increases the probability of cancer developing in different patient organs. These risks call for an evaluation of radiation dosages, particularly in CTCA so as to ensure that the benefits far outweigh the risks associated with the procedure. In a study carried out in the United Kingdom, it was estimated that the course of catheter based coronary angiography exposes patients to fluoroscopic radiation and increases the risk of cancer in 280 per one million patients examined. Exposures to fluoroscopic radiation during electrophysiologic ablation have been estimated to increase the number of fatal malignancies in both men and women. 3 For pregnant mothers, exposure to radiation may cause teratogenesis. High dose variations may cause fetal malformations, central nervous system alterations, particularly mental retardation and microcephaly. Therefore, even though sick mothers may require medical imaging to aid in diagnosis, radiations have a potential adverse effect on the foetus and physicians should critically assess the need merits and demerits of using medical imaging as a diagnostic procedure, especially when there are safer alternatives. Finally, ionising radiations increases the risk of radiation-induced gene mutations. Germline mutations have the potential of altering future generations. Such radiations increase the frequency of genetic mutations in the population hence potentially altering future germ lines. In other cases, genetic mutations may lead to the development of either physical or physiological deformities, or cause genetic diseases. 12 It widely known that the main consequence of adverse exposure to ionising radiation is hereditary effects. Radioactive damage of gametes may lead to a wide range of mild or serious consequences, including mental defects and death (Edward). Precautions Required to Protect Against Ionising Radiation Medical professionals have an ethical and professional obligation to protect patients under diagnostic procedures that may expose them to adverse levels of radiation. The primary precautionary measure is training. According to the Ionising Radiations (Medical Exposure) Regulations (IR(ME)R) of 2000 in the United Kingdom, radiologists are required to undergo specialist training on the physics of ionising radiations and the measures which should be taken to protect against radiation exposure. The legislation also has provisions for patients to report to the IR (ME) R Inspectorate about incidents of radiation overexposure. Since medical radiation accounts for 14 percent of UK’s average annual dose, these legislations are an important regulatory tool protecting both staff and patients from unwarranted exposure to radiation originating from medical imaging procedures. It is also important to reiterate that these laws, as well as the provisions included in the International Commission on Radiological Protection are grounded on the linear threshold theory. Radiologists have an obligation to expose the patient and the staff to minimal amounts of radiation necessary for the successful completion of the procedure. Where appropriate, the dose of radiation used in cardiovascular computed tomography may be reduced by adjusting the scan parameters to suit every individual patient. Software based modifications can also be installed to reduce the level of exposure to radiation by changing computer tomography scanning protocols. For instance, the x-ray tube radiation output can be reduced by ECG-controlled tube current modulations. In interventional radiology, the decision to use radiation diagnostic techniques should be justified as per the requirements of the regulatory authority. Patients should never be exposed to radiation unless the practitioner has offered a prescription which complies with relevant national guidelines. In making that prescription, the medical practitioner should be guided by the efficiency of the diagnostic intervention, the benefits and risks associated with the technology, and the availability of other alternative technologies that are less harmful. With respect to equipment specifications, all authorized diagnostic radiology equipment must meet the compliance requirements set out by national and international regulatory standards. Such specifications must take into account the possibility of human errors, equipment failures, or any other occurrence that may predispose medical practitioners and patients to unhealthy radiation exposure. Radiological procedures such as mammography, dental radiology, and interventional radiology should only be performed by specifically trained personnel using specifically designed imaging systems. Where appropriate, radiology units should have automatic exposure control systems and automatic brightness controls. These measures optimize patient doses. Operationally, regulatory agencies in the UK are charged with the responsibility of ensuring that the registrants and licensees comply with all the minimum necessary standards. This is achieved by specifying applicable operational parameters such as the types of equipment that can be used, safer procedures for examining the chest, thorax, abdomen, and lumbar spine regions as well as the skull and pelvis. Other measures may include changing radiation generator parameters such as the tube voltage range and tube loading, changing the focal spot, film processing conditions, and film-screen combination. 15 Conclusion The fact that recent advances in radiological and mediconuclear imaging procedures have become indispensable diagnostic tools is indisputable. Accurate and timely examination of clients through radiologic procedures saves lives and paves the way for scientific based treatment and management of diseases. The popularity of these techniques continues to soar to their speed and relative ease of use. Recent research has established that the current levels of radiation exposure for diagnostic purposes far supersede what had previously been thought. This realization has created a new wave of debates and studies into the benefits and risks associated with ionising radiation and whether imaging is crucial for accurate diagnosis. 4 Even though an accurate measurement of the incremental risk of ionising radiation in medical imaging is yet to be determined, the uncertainty of the relationship between doses and tissue specific responses should is enough to encourage only the use of low doses. The link between ionising radiation and cancer implies that both physicians and patients need to acknowledge the potential harm that CT imaging causes and strictly implement radiation protection measures. Every individual should be exposed to radiation dosage based on their phenotypic and physiologic characteristics. Recognizing the gravity of other associated risks such as teratogenesis and radiation induced gene mutations implies that additional care should be taken when using diagnostic imaging. Clinical decision making as regards the utilization of low levels of ionising radiation should be supported by a broad range of modalities which justify the risk-benefit ratio.

Investigating The Affect of Concentration on The Rate of Reaction :: GCSE Chemistry Coursework Investigation

Investigating The Affect of Concentration on The Rate of Reaction Aim- To find out if changing the concentration of the hydrochloric acid affects the volume of gas released in 5 minutes. Background Information The rate of reaction depends on four things:- 1. Temperature 2. Concentration 3. Catalyst 4. Size of particles/surface area The Collision Theory The collision theory explains the rates of reaction, the rate of reaction depends on how often and how hard the reacting particles collide with each other. The basic theory is that particles have to collide with each other in order to react, but it is not that simple, as it also depends on how hard the particles collide. If the particles do not collide hard enough then they will not react, they will simply just hit each other and 'bounce' off. This means that even if I am not investigating the rate of reaction when the temperature is changed, it will still have a big part to play in my experiment. If the temperature is different in the classroom when I do each concentration of acid it may have a huge impact on my results. To help keep my results as accurate as possible I could take the temperature of the room before I do each experiment. If the temperature in the room is below 20 C the particles will still be moving, but very slowly. This would cause the react to be very slow. At temperatures above 20 C the particles will be moving at a regular speed. Low Concentration High Concentration Activation Energy Activation energy is the energy needed to start a reaction. Each molecule has a certain amount of energy, when molecules collide they have to collide with more energy than they already have in order to react this is called a successful collision. If the molecules collide but do not create enough energy this is an unsuccessful collision and the molecules do not react. I am going to focus on the concentration. If the concentration of the hydrochloric acid is increased, then so will the number of collisions. If the acid is more concentrated it means that there will be more particles in the same size space compared to a diluted acid, this means collisions will be more likely and more frequent as the particles are closed together. Apparatus I Will Need:-  · Conicle flask  · Glass syringe  · Bung  · Delivery tube  · Marble chips(5 grams)  · Hydrochloric acid(50 cm )  · Stop clock Other Apparatus that I May Need:-  · Stand (to hold up gas syringe)  · Thermometer (to take the temperature of the room before do each concentration.)  · Weighing scales (to weigh out marble chips). Method I am going to change the concentration of the hydrochloric acid to

With reference to Emily Bronte’s characterisation of Cathy and Heathcliff, discuss whom you may feel most sympathy for and why?

I am aiming to discuss (the above) whom I may feel most sympathy for and why out of Catherine (Cathy for short) and Heathcliff. Wuthering Heights is a novel written by Emily Bronte between 1846-1847 and is vastly influenced and dominated by the characters of Heathcliff and Catherine and their eternal, everlasting love for each other. The novel is told through the eyes of several narrators and most of them do not understand the depth and intensity of Cathy and Heathcliff and so they cannot describe it. This book is extremely complexed and our sympathy for each character constantly shifts from one person to another as Bronte keeps giving us reasons to change our views. Even though Heathcliff is an unreclaimed creature, without refinement and whose purpose in life is to seek revenge on all those who have wronged or crossed him, Bronte changes our views by changing his status from hero to villain. Emily Bronte constantly changes the characters status and this adds intrigue to the book. Another example of our fluxuating views is when we first meet Cathy as she clearly talks about disliking her whole life in her diary and this makes us sympathise towards her as she practically thinks that nothings worth living for. However when Nelly describes the treatment that Cathy gave Heathcliff, ‘spitting at the stupid little thing' (Pg30, line 14), we all change our views about her and instead we sympathise with Heathcliff because of his mistreatment and we start to detest/dislike her. There are many gothic elements in Wuthering Heights. An example of this is when Cathy's ghost taps at the window of Lockwood's bedchamber when a snowstorm throws him on the mercy of Heathcliff's grudging hospitality and he saws the child's arm on broken glass, (Pg20). Throughout the book Heathcliff is linked with bestial nature and called ghoul, goblin and vampire and this is no surprise. Cathy was, at first, awful to Heathcliff but when they became to love each other they were thought to be inseparable. However after her father dies she decides to marry Edgar Linton for further social development and not for love. This hurt Heathcliff as she said, to Nelly; it would degrade her to marry him and Heathcliff was silently eavesdropping in the dark to her heart-breaking words and so he ran away. ‘It would degrade me to marry Heathcliff' (pg67, line 13). This significant event creates sympathy for both Cathy and Heathcliff. She still loves him and she insists that she wants what's best for him-‘whereas, if I marry Linton, I can aid Heathcliff to rise, and out of my brothers power' (Pg68, line 12-13). However Heathcliff flees Wuthering Heights without listening to the rest of the conversation and so he does not know of Cathy's true intentions. During childhood, Heathcliff is brought in off the streets and is abused by both Catherine and Hindley. Even though Catherine grows to love him, Hindley becomes more and more abusive towards him as Heathcliff is quickly becoming the household's favourite. Heathcliff however, defies being understood, and it is difficult for the readers to resist seeing what they want or expect to see in him. As Heathcliff becomes older Mr Earnshaw sends his son, Hindley, away to college and this feeds Hindley's revenge. The novel teases the reader with the possibility that Heathcliff is something other than what he seems-that his cruelty is merely an expression of his frustrated love for Catherine, or that his sinister behaviours serve to conceal the heart of a romantic hero. We expect Heathcliff's character to contain such a hidden virtue because he resembles a hero in a romance novel. Traditionally, romance novel heroes appear dangerous, brooding, and cold at first, only later to emerge as fiercely devoted and loving. However, Heathcliff does not reform, and his malevolence proves so great and long-lasting that it cannot be adequately explained even as a desire for revenge against Hindley, Catherine, Edgar, etc. As he himself points out, his abuse of Isabella is purely sadistic, as he amuses himself by seeing how much abuse she can take and still come cringing back for more. However even though Heathcliff's childhood excuses his behaviour later on in life, it is only acceptable to a certain extent as he takes it too far. He does this by ruining the lives of the people who have wronged him or taken something/someone (in Edgar Linton's case) that he cares dearly for but he takes his revenge too far as he ruins his own son's (Linton's) life by making him marry his cousin, Cathy Linton (Edgar's and Cathy's daughter), just so that Heathcliff can inherit Thrushcross Grange. This makes you feel deep sympathy for Linton and Catherine Linton. It is significant that Heathcliff begins his life as a homeless orphan on the streets of Liverpool. When Bronti composed her book, in the 1840s, the English economy was severely depressed, and the conditions of the factory workers in industrial areas like Liverpool were so appalling that the upper and middle classes feared violent revolt. Thus, many of the more affluent members of society beheld these workers with a mixture of sympathy and fear. In literature, the smoky, threatening, miserable factory-towns were often represented in religious terms, and compared to hell. The poet William Blake, writing near the turn of the nineteenth century, speaks of England's â€Å"dark Satanic Mills. † Heathcliff, of course, is frequently compared to a demon by the other characters in the book. Considering this historical context, Heathcliff seems to embody the anxieties that the book's upper- and middle-class audience had about the working classes. The reader may easily sympathize with him when he is powerless, as a child tyrannized by Hindley Earnshaw, but he becomes a villain when he acquires power and returns to Wuthering Heights with money and the trappings of a gentleman. This corresponds with the ambivalence the upper classes felt toward the lower classes-the upper classes had charitable impulses toward lower-class citizens when they were miserable, but feared the prospect of the lower classes trying to escape their miserable circumstances by acquiring political, social, cultural, or economic power. Catherine's childhood is somewhat different to Heathcliff's as she has no reason to hate or despise anyone, but she does detest the way Heathcliff is treated. As a child, Catherine behaves spontaneously and naturally. She is selfish and believes she may act autonomously. Nelly Dean describes Catherine as ‘mischievous and wayward'. Evidence of Catherine's wildness can be seen from the pledge she and Heathcliff made-: â€Å"promised fair to grow up as rude as savages† in response to the terinay of Hindley. Catherine is defiant of authority and seemed to enjoy the wrath of others-: â€Å"she was never so happy as when we were all scalding her at once† Catherine's passionate nature, evident throughout her childhood, seemed not to exist in her early months of her marriage to Edgar. Her passion was described as-: â€Å"gunpowder which lay as harmless as sand because no fire came near to explode it†. As the book is based on Cathy and Heathcliff's profound love for each other it seems strange that they both marry other people. Although Cathy is the one who triggered Heathcliff's revenge by marrying Edgar Linton but what Heathcliff didn't realise was that it wasn't for love but for money to help him escape the clutches of Hindley. Before Cathy decides to marry Edgar Linton, Nelly reminds her how Heathcliff would feel about the idea and questions how they'll both bear the separation. As soon as you become Mrs Linton, he loses friend, and love, and all! Have you considered how you'll bear the separation, and how he'll bear to be quite deserted in the world? ‘ (Pg67, lines 36-39). Even though Cathy believes she is doing the best for her and Heathcliff, he alternately thinks she is being selfish and only wants social advancement. This creates sympathy for Heathcliff but also for Cathy as she is disillusioned to what Heathcliff wants as he would gladly be tormented for the rest of his life if that was the only way they could love and be together with each other. However when Cathy nears death she abandons Edgar and pleads instead for Heathcliff to stay. ‘Oh, don't go, don't go! ‘ (Pg138, line 12), however Cathy spent a few days of solitude in her room without talking to her husband even when he made the effort. This gives us enough to slightly resent her as Edgar loves her even if she does not love him. After Cathy dies, Heathcliff grows to become deranged and he begs her spirit to remain on Earth and he didn't care if she haunted him or drove him mad as long as she never left him alone. This shows Heathcliff is unwilling to let go of Catherine and this attracts our sympathy for Heathcliff as he clearly loved Cathy and she meant the world to him. In chapter 29 there is another example of Heathcliff's unwillingness to let go as he explains to Nelly that he felt Cathy's presence. ‘I felt her by me-I could almost see her' (Pg244, lines 25-26). The reader would not believe this however, but they would believe that Heathcliff thought he did feel her as he has suffered a lot of anguish from Cathy dying recently. Shortly after, Isabella flees to London and she gives birth to Linton (Heathcliff's son). This shows us that Isabella wanted her son to have nothing to do with his father. Thirteen years after, Isabella dies and Linton comes to live with Heathcliff and he is treated as bad as his mother was. When young Linton meets Cathy they start a secret romance through a collection of letters but Nelly destroys Catherine's share. Although it becomes more and more obvious that Heathcliff is making his son pursue her, just so that they can marry each other. This was all part of his revenge as once they married he would have legal claims over Thrushcross Grange and his revenge upon Edgar would be complete. He made them marry by taking Catherine and Nelly hostage at Wuthering Heights until Catherine married Linton. After Heathcliff made sure this happened he then made sure that his son left Thrushcross Grange to him in his will. This reveals that Heathcliff no longer cares about anyone and not even his son, his own flesh and blood. It also reveals that Heathcliff will stop at nothing to get what he wants and it shows us that he can practically overcome all obstacles to do it. Our opinions constantly change throughout this book. At first I think that when Heathcliff comes back he is a sophisticated and reformed man who has risen high above his ill treatment as a child. However soon after his return he reveals that he is not and you see this towards the end of the book as he ruins most, if not all, of the characters lives. We can feel sympathy for him however because the causes of what he is by the end of the novel is the disloyalty of Cathy and the constant abuse by Hindley as a child. These bad influences on a young child provide slight excuses for his bad behaviour in the future but there is no excuse for Heathcliff taking revenge on their children as well, even though they are innocent but he believes as they share the same blood as their parents they are also in the wrong. This is also why Heathcliff has brought suffering on himself. Cathy is the dominant female spirit in this novel. I believe she has brought her suffering on herself, as she has not been true to her nature and she had swapped the outdoor life she had with Heathcliff to be the lady of Edgar's manor. As she breathed the stifled air of the Grange instead of the wild air of the moors, she has effectively cut off her oxygen supply and then she eventually dies, a situation entirely her fault. However in death she had regained her freedom by returning to nature, the dire consequences of her failure to remain loyal to her true self. When Cathy dies and her coffin is buried, Nelly describes that she is buried in the corner of the yard between Edgar and Heathcliff. I believe Emily Bronte is trying to show Cathy's conflicted loyalties to each character as she had reasons to marry Edgar and to love Heathcliff. My conclusion about her is that she represents wild nature in her lively spirits and her occasional cruelty. I feel most sympathy for Heathcliff as he has had the worst in life despite inflicting pain on others. I think this because Cathy has had a better life and other characters in the novel have treated her better whereas Heathcliff has been badly treated by nearly all of the characters. I also feel sympathy for his character because he is not sure what Cathy wants, him or Edgar, as she says she loves him and yet she marries Edgar?

A Long Way Gone Memoirs Of A Boy Soldier - 1352 Words

Nowadays, cross-cultural communication is one of the keys to survive in this society. It plays an important role in our society. The book, A long way gone: Memoirs of a boy soldier, describes several cross cultural issues. This book is based on the true story of Ishamel Beah, who was solder in Republic of Sierra Leone. During his life time, he face a number of cultural shocks and tried to adapt each situation. Through story of his life, we can recognize some cultural differences and similarities between his central culture, Sierra Leon, and other individuals/groups. Thus, in this essay, I would like to discuss how are cultural differences and similarities between Ishamel’s culture and other cultures revealed. There are three main points; cultural differences shows cultural conflict and cultural integration, and cultural similarities reflects the Americanization. First of all, his cultural differences shows cultural conflict. Professor Cultural differences revealed as the Isham l’s cultural conflict. Ishamel got cultural shock during his story, and obiousely, cultural conflicts happen between him and the other group. Cultural conflict is describes that â€Å"conflict occurring between individuals or social groups that separated by cultural boundaries can be considered â€Å"cross-cultural conflict.† But individuals, even in the same society, are potentially members of many different groups, organized in different ways by different criteria† (Avruvh, 1998, p.6). IshamelShow MoreRelatedA Long Way Gone : Memoirs Of A Boy Soldier1272 Words   |  6 Pages(Blanchard). In the true story A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier (2007), a young, gentle twelve-year-old boy named Ishmael Beah reluctantly becomes a soldier during the Sierra Leone civil war. After Beah’s village gets attacked, he and his friends wander from place to place searching for food and shelter. 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Major Characters Ishmael Beah: The author and narrator of this novel shares his experience when he was a child soldier for Sierra Leone Armed Services during the civil warRead MoreLiterary Techniques Used in the Memoir of Ishmael Beah, A Long Way Gone, Memoirs of a Boy Soldier1050 Words   |  5 PagesIn the memoir of Ishmael Beah, A Long Way Gone, Memoirs of a Boy Soldier, Beah states that his life’s journey has been a huge obstacle, but has learned to overcome that struggle by venting while the two contradictory sides continue their battling. Beah accomplishes his goal of explaining to the reader his point of view through the use of rhetorical questions, scenic narration, and parallelism. Ishmael Beah’s apparent purpose is to share personal accounts of his life with his fellow country men, inRead MoreThe Bite Of A Mango Analysis799 Words   |  4 PagesWhat would it be like to be completely surrounded by war in one’s own home? For two children in The Bite of a Mango and A Lo ng Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier, this was their everyday reality. The Bite of a Mango follows the life of a twelve year old girl named Mariatu Kamara. A Long Way gone follows the life of a fourteen year boy named Ishmael Beah. Both books are true stories that personally recount the events of how the war affected not only their towns, but themselves as children. In bothRead MoreA Long Way Gone : Memoirs Of A Boy Solider1244 Words   |  5 Pages A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of A Boy Solider is a biography of a young man, Ishmael Beah, during his years of growing up as a child of war in Sierra Leone, Africa. The story begins in January of 1993 in his hometown village Mogbwemo. Beah who is twelve at the time is a part of hip-hop dance and music group with his brother Junior, and friend Talloi. The boys leave their village one day to the neighboring city to perform in their friend’s talent show. 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The book has a recurring theme of nature and the natural world. In the book, the world at night, as well as the moon, serves as both a safeguard and a bringer of bereavement. As a boy, Ishmael