Character Analysis: A Long Way Gone

Uncle Tommy is Ishmael's father's brother. He is a carpenter in Freetown that has difficulties when it comes to raising his children and also the children that have relatives who can't take care of them. He is an extremely kind and generous man. Uncle Tommy loves to laugh and he also enjoys helping others whenever he can. Uncle Tommy eventually learns about what Ishmael's fate will be in the rehabilitation center. He decides that he needs to go see his nephew immediately. Being the caring person that he is, he offers Ishmael a home because he embraces him. Uncle Tommy continues to visit Ishmael every weekend. He takes Ishmael for walks and during these walks he shares many stories with him about his own childhood that he shared with Ishmael's father. Ishmael soon is ready to leave the center that he had been in. His Uncle Tommy takes him in into his home and treats him as if Ishmael is how own biological son. Uncle Tommy is very important to Ishmael in his life. His devotion and love provides Ishmael a home to have a successful future. Some of the other boys at the center were turned away by their families for one reason or another. These boys more often than not decided to become soldiers again and return to the army because the army is the only "family" that they know. Uncle Tommy manages to keep Ishmael out of this situation. If it weren't for Ishmael's uncle who knows where he would've ended up.