Recalling traces of his ripped past, Ishmael can only strike up memories that took place during the war, those before seem to have vanished from his head. Many of those imprinted memories morph together to form nightmares that penetrate his sanity constantly.
During the time he served as a child soldier in Sierra Leone, he quickly adapted to the severe demands that came from the Lieutenant and became tough through practice and exposure. After two years of nonstop fighting, Ishmael became what he had once feared as a little boy.
“My nickname was ‘Green Snake’ because I would situate myself in the most advantageous and sneaky position and would take out a whole village from under the tiniest shrub without being noticed. The Lieutenant gave me the name. He said, ‘You don’t look dangerous, but you are, and you blend with nature like a green snake, deceptive and deadly when you want to be.’ I was happy with my name, and on every raid, I made sure I did as my name required.” (pg. 144)
This quote shows us how the Lieutenant had awarded Ishmael with a nickname which tightened their bond a little more and indicated that Ishmael was a worthy soldier, and finally was recognized by someone who seemed to care. The Lieutenant kind of became his father figure, as his true father illy-supported his shattered family and was the reason for the brutal divorce with Ishmael and Junior’s beloved mother and younger brother, as well.
As the Lieutenant would compliment him for his agility as a boy and tactful thinking, Ishmael had accepted his fate and done everything he could to not let his “father” down in disappointment. He had to make sure he “did as (his) name required,” every time he went on a raid with other boys. I noticed that even though Ishmael was afraid to admit it, he liked the fact that he had established a mutual friendship with the Lieutenant, finally feeling like he belonged in some place. He made Ishmael feel invincible, as if he could run away from death, and gave him the perseverance he needed to survive until the end. I wonder if the Lieutenant realized how much it must’ve hurt Ishmael when he “let go” of him and allowed UNICEFF to take him away from the newly founded “home” he was integrated into.
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