Literary Devices

Flashbacks- On the first page the setting begins in New York City in 1998, as the page turns we find ourselves in Sierre Leone in the early 90's.

Scene-by-Scene Construction- In the story Beah's unique writng style is very evident, he switches back and forth from New York City in '98 to Sierre Leone in '93. This is a clear cut example of Scene by Scene Construction as the setting switches constantly.

Personification- Personification is when the author gives human qualities to non-living objects. When Beah says, "The trees danced in the wind" (10) he is using personification because tree's cannot dance.

Another example of Personification is when he says that, "birds and crickets sang" (22).

Similes are when he author uses like or as to compare two different things. When Beah describes the sound of gunshots from enemy forces he says, "several gunshots, which sounded like the thunder striking the tin roofed houses" (23). He is comparing gunshots to thunder.

Beah also uses hyperbole's to show the signifigance of the events that were occuring. Hyperbole is a extreme exaggeration used to prove a point. When Beah said, "My heart was beating faster than it ever had. Each gunshot seemed to cling to the beat of my heart" (23). This is showing how each gunshot went through Beah and how nervous he was.

Visual Imagery is used a few times. Visual Imagery is used to enhance the scene for the reader, when beah says he can imagine his father running towards him with outstreched arms, we, as readers can picture Beah's father physically running towards him and embracing him.