A Long Way Gone Characters

The de facto leader of the town of Yele, Jabati is militant and coerces the boys into fighting for the government and against the rebels. Although he mentors the boys, it is in violence, cruelty and revenge. He effectively brainwashes the boys to become brutal, drugged child killers.

A tender and kind woman, she is divorced from Beah’s father.

Beah has a difficult relationship with his father, who has divorced his mother. Beah and his father are often not on speaking terms.

Beah’s younger brother looks remarkably like him.

Beah’s grandmother lives a day’s walk from Mogbwemo, Beah’s hometown.

A boy from Mogbwemo, he is a part of Beah’s first group on the run from the rebels.

A boy from Mattru Jong, he is a part of Beah’s first group on the run from the rebels.

A boy from Mattru Jong, he is a part of Beah’s first group on the run from the rebels. He breaks the bad news to Beah about Mogbwemo.

A boy from Mattru Jong, he is a part of Beah’s first group on the run from the rebels. Beah and Kaloko disagree about whether they should flee as far as possible from the war, with Kaloko arguing they are only putting themselves in more danger by fleeing.

A part of the second group of boys Beah travels with, Saidu has a dark disposition.

A part of the second group of boys Beah travels with, Jumah eventually becomes a child soldier, although he ends up in a different squad from Beah.

Saidu’s best friend, and a part of the second group of boys Beah travels with. Moriba eventually becomes a child soldier.

A part of the second group of boys Beah travels with, he has the most camaraderie with Beah once they become child soldiers. He is rehabilitated with Beah.

A part of the second group of boys Beah travels with, Kanei becomes a child soldier, but is not chosen to be rehabilitated.

A man from Mogbwemo who leads Beah and his friends to the village where they are supposed to be reunited with their parents, only to find that village being attacked just as they arrive.

An officer in Beah’s squad, Gadafi teaches the boys the basics of army life.

A boy even younger than Beah whom he meets in Yele, Sheiku is enlisted to fight in the army. He can barely lift his gun.

A part of the second group of boys Beah travels with. Musa becomes a child soldier and is killed in battle.

A boy even younger than Beah who he meets in Yele, Josiah is enlisted to fight in the army. He dies in the army.

Another boy enlisted in the army in Yele, Lansana’s humming keeps the already insomnia-plagued Beah up at night.

A rebel boy Beah meets in rehabilitation, Mambu is just as violent and brainwashed as the other boys, and takes a perverse joy in his violence.

The nurse responsible for Beah’s rehabilitation. She takes a special interest in Beah and is the first person he tells about the horrible things he’s done and seen.

Another member of the staff at the rehabilitation center, Leslie gets Beah on his feet once his time is up there, helping him to find his uncle.

The director of Benin Home, the rehabilitation center. He eventually asks Beah to act as a spokesman for the center, and for the possibility of rehabilitating child soldiers.

Beah’s cousin. Beah quickly becomes close to him, and Allie takes Beah out dancing after he settles with his uncle in Freetown.

Beah’s best friend from childhood, he is left behind in Mogbwemo, but survives the two reunite in Freetown and begin attending school together.

Besides Beah, Bah is the other representative of Sierra Leone at the United Nations.

The man who accompanies Beah and Bah to the United Nations.