A Long Way Gone: Chapters 16–21

by Ishmael Beah
Conscripted by the army at the age of 13, Ishmael Beah was forced to fight in Sierra Leone's brutal civil war. In this memoir, Beah shines a light on the experiences of child soldiers.

Here are links to our lists for the book: Chapters 1–5, Chapters 6–10, Chapters 11–15, Chapters 16–21
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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. sporadic
    recurring in scattered or unpredictable instances
    The staff members were always on guard to control these sporadic outbursts.
  2. provisions
    a stock or supply of foods
    The rebels had stocked up for the rainy season, but now we were the beneficiaries of the looted food and provisions.
  3. exploit
    use or manipulate to one's advantage
    I had come to believe that people befriended only to exploit one another.
  4. resilience
    the ability to recover readily from adversity or change
    I would always tell people that I believe children have the resilience to outlive their sufferings, if given a chance.
  5. repatriation
    the act of returning to one's country of origin
    When the day of my repatriation finally came, I packed my few belongings in a plastic bag.
  6. ablution
    the act of washing oneself, as for ritual purposes
    “I have to go for prayers. If you need anything, ask your cousins,” he said, taking a kettle from the stoop and beginning to perform ablution.
  7. mannerism
    a behavioral attribute that is distinctive to an individual
    Upline is a Krio word mostly used in Freetown to refer to the backwardness of the inner country, its inhabitants, and their mannerisms.
  8. festoon
    decorate or adorn
    At some point during my walk, a convoy of cars, military vans, and Mercedes-Benzes festooned with national flags passed by.
  9. facilitator
    someone who makes progress easier
    After the introductions, we sat in a circle so that the different facilitators could tell us about themselves.
  10. enunciate
    speak, pronounce, or utter in a certain way
    She used elaborate gestures and spoke very clearly, enunciating every word.
  11. compelling
    capable of arousing and holding the attention
    She said she would teach us how to tell our stories in a more compelling way.
  12. collaborate
    cooperate as a traitor
    Later in the night another announcement came over the radio, this one declaring that the rebels (RUF) and the army had collaborated in ousting the civilian government “for the benefit of the nation.”
  13. oust
    remove from a position or office
    Later in the night another announcement came over the radio, this one declaring that the rebels (RUF) and the army had collaborated in ousting the civilian government “for the benefit of the nation.”
  14. dilapidated
    in a state of decay, ruin, or deterioration
    They all stood in line against the dilapidated wall, some holding bundles of things and others their children’s hands.
  15. auspices
    kindly endorsement and guidance
    Under the auspices of the man I had boarded the bus with, I was able to pass some of the roadblocks for free.
Created on Sat Oct 29 22:19:57 EDT 2016 (updated Fri Jun 27 18:18:29 EDT 2025)

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