Journal 5-Weakness by Charles White

       When Ishmael Beah was first in the hospital in chapter 16 after him and his friends decided to punch the panes of glass in their classrooms as a way to get their anger out that they are confined and transforming back to civilian lifestyle. Ishmeal said his plan was to "steal a first-aid kit and treat myself,but the nurse was there"(pg.141.) This shows me that when they had to ask for help with injury's they were looked down upon by their peers, and with the situation he was in the last thing he wanted was to look weak in front of child soldiers who killed and hurt people for the fun of it.
 
    As the nurse was pulling the shards of glass from his hand she was searching for him to show any signs of pain or emotion. He showed none. When she was done she told him to come back tomorrow so she can change his  bandage and make sure his hand was not infected. He had no intention's of ever going back to the hospital and when she asked if he wanted his head treated he refused, got down and walked out of the room. He passed out and ended up back in the hospital later that day. To when again he refused treatment and left. Ishmeal all the time was refusing treatment ans trying not to look weak in front of his friends.

 The next morning Ishmeal woke up again in the hospital and puked up something green, then was told to drink water but refused. After the nurse insisted he drank the water and threw the glass against the wall, even when he is sick he still wants to show dominance and show that he can still protect himself. He tried leaving but was restrained, the nurse injected him with something to go to sleep. The nurse then cleaned up the glass and Ishmeal woke up to the sound of the same nurses voice, but then a different one. It was a lieutenant who was suppose to be checking on him and making sure he was not trying to harm himself anymore then what he already had, but the lieutenant was more interested in the nurse that was taking care of Ishmeal.

 I know that whenever I played sports, or was in the weight room with my friends no one wanted to be last in the sprints, or lift the least amount of weights. Yes it was a friendly competition unlike Ishmeal Beah's situation, but none the less whoever was the weakest usually got made fun of, or they hurt themselves trying to life weights that were way too heavy for them. I guess looking back it was stupid to make fun of them for that, but a bunch of high school guys are not the nicest people nor do tyhey make the best decisions.

   
 
I chose this picture because I always think that if you put your mind to it you can acheieve anything,