Exposition: War Child

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War Child

           

The memoir War Child starts on a setting inside a truck, driving on a rusty road.  The main character “Emmanuel Jal” is very hungry, because he didn’t eat anything since sunrise.  He wished it were night again, so that he could eat his meal.  However, the Arabs riding the same truck took away the food he wanted to eat so much.  Although Jal’s uncle asked politely to give Jal’s food back to him, the Arabs starting beating him.  There is no way Jal’s you siblings, Jal’s mom, and Jal could stop the indomitable violence the Arabs forced on his uncle.  Jal explains that the “seed of hate was sown inside him that day” (Jal 6).

This story really interests me so far due to the fact that I don’t know about the conflict in Sudan between the Arabs and the Africans.  In addition, the exposition grabs my attention.  Knowing hate in such young childhood is something I haven’t experienced in my life.  I think it would be a good chance for me to both be informed about the conflict in Sudan and recognize the difference between my life and the life of a Sudanese. 

One topic I would like to further develop is Jal’s mom’s values.  She would always say, “God loves everyone equally”, but does that mean she wouldn’t fight against the Arabs who are threatening both her and her family?  For example, in the situation of the truck, she ran to push away the Arabs from beating Jal’s uncle.  Would she continue to do that if someone uses violence on her family?  Also, is she happy about the SPLA?  She comments that “they are fighting for freedom”, but right after that statement she would also talk about how God loves all races.  Does that mean she is opposing the act of SPLA fighting (even though the SPLAs are fighting for the Southern Africans)?