Ishmael Beah's A Long Way Gone

“Every day every hour. Turn the pain into power.” Danny O’Donoghue, a vocalist member of the band The Script, sings in “Superheroes” about the strength that comes with overcoming the struggles presented in life; similarly this message can be seen in Ishmael Beah’s recount of the challenges he faced as a victim of war, A Long Way Gone. To me, the song is a reminder of how difficulties can build someone into a stronger person. Throughout the song, all the lyrics hint that without suffer and perseverance, success cannot be achieved. Similarly, in Beah’s story, he becomes a teenager with more fortitude only after breaking down and experiencing immense grief and pain both physically and mentally. From listening to and analyzing “Superheroes” and reading A Long Way Gone, I learn that only after breaking down and
In the verse, “All his life he's been told he'll be nothing when he's old,” The Script sings about the struggle of frustration of being looked down on and verbally put down. The next line, “All the kicks and all the blows, he won't ever let it show,” shows the physical pain of being tormented as well as the mental struggle of staying rigid and keeping it all in. “‘Cause he’s stronger than you know, a heart of steel starts to grow,” describes becoming stronger through proving others wrong and developing a more powerful endurance so others no longer have the courage to bully. The heart of steel mentioned is a metaphor for breaking down and rebuilding a stronger base. In the chorus, “When you've been fighting for it all your life, you've been struggling to make things right; that's how a superhero learns to fly,” the first two phrases refer to only being able to grow by grappling and fighting with the challenges at first. The superhero learning to fly that is mentioned at the end refers to someone becoming more strong-minded because of these