Refugee Boy Essay

Refugee Young man is a history about a 14-year-old boy called Alem Kelo born in Africa. Benjamin Zephaniah uses Alem for example of how poorly treated refugees are and exactly how it is possible for people to treat all of them better whenever we treat these people like normal people. At first of the story Alem’s dad took him to Birmingham for what Alem thought might be a holiday.

Going out of his mother at home, his father truly planned to leave Alem in London believing it to get safer. At the start of the novel Zephaniah uses two pathways, one known as Ethiopia and the other known as Eritrea. These passages happen to be almost exactly the same and this shows use that, because Alem’s family are a mix of the two Ethiopian and Eritrean, they will be hunted wherever each goes or proceed to. This likewise tells us that many refugees emigrate because of incredibly good reasons; in such a case, war. Refugees are constantly viewed and treated since outsiders instead of normal persons, which they will be.

Zephaniah reveals this well when he identifies how Alem had to go through the screening method. Alem can be thoroughly embarrassed throughout the screening process knowing that both Pamela and Sheila had been watching. One other example of how Zephaniah displays use really how negative our elegance of asylum seekers is and how the stereotypical views we have obtained thanks propaganda just like news television set programmes, is definitely when Alem’s father goes to the Home Workplace to make his asylum program but is usually arrested and taken to Campsfield detention hub. Just because he’s a ‘foreigner’ police automatically thought to arrest him. The children’s’ home that Alem stays in, is portrayed as a type of dumping ground for mis-fit refugees.

It really is basically a spot where remote lonely young boys go to if they have no place else to travel. The whole place is filled with small boys and teenagers with cluttered up emotions. Sweeny is a good example of a young man in the home who have a lot of excess sentiment and obviously seems abandoned as they feels the necessity to take it on the other persons there. People like Sweeny make the young boys at the house want to loose they’re cultural id in order to fit in and not be considered a victim Zephaniah portrays Alem as a great innocent, stoical character to ensure that we understand that our stereotypical image in refugees is usually wrong rather than all asile are poor people or terrorists.

Zephaniah uses Alem’s background showing that political refugees often don’t have an option in emigrating and that political refugees don’t often immigrate to different countries take their Careers and take benefits. They go to escape conflict or personal injustice and then for many other reasons. Ruth is a crucial character in the story since she seems like a typical teenage girl with an attitude, nevertheless Alem discovers his mother had me brutally killed in The african continent, Ruth displays incredible comfort and the views on her suddenly change, as for the first we come across a gentle compassionate Ruth who may have an emotional background and concerns of her own.

She reminds us that everyone justifies compassion and consideration not just refugees because of this , she is at first distant to Alem. Following her and Alem have an emotional speak we discover that she actually reaches out for Alem and gives him the love and compassion that her parents should have demonstrated her when fostering kids in the past. Alem feels separated throughout the novel and when he benefits hope he can often cut back down with bad news making him experience isolated. Just like when he was just installing in well at England and having a excellent time, his dad wrote to him updating Alem in what had happened to his mother bringing Alem and his delight down into a pool of isolation again.

Or like when he manages to get himself again on top once again when his father comes to stay in Great britain then they’re asylum application gets turned down. One of the most remote times pertaining to Alem, is usually when he is in the children’s home. He doesn’t know any individual.

And he could be constantly teased and taunted and made to feel small and intimidated by Sweeny and his company pretty much when he arrives, ‘”Get the biscuits, it’s the easy way away, ” about of them stated as he looked Alem along. You’ll get me a lot of biscuits or perhaps I’ll chest area you up, ” explained the 1st kid loudly’. He’d not really been in the ‘home’ long and already he’s recently been threatened.

That shows how bad environmental surroundings he’s received no choice to reside is and just how alone he must feel during these times. ‘Mariam took Alem to the community social providers where he asked the big question… “What decision do I possess? “‘ Alem feels that he has to accept the Fitzgeralds while his foster family in the event that he is to get out of the house. He askes asks himself and other a large number of questions regarding himself displaying that this individual isn’t extremely confident or aware of what his upcoming holds and thus relies on other to make decisions to get him, just like when he says, ‘’How very long will I end up being staying right here? “‘ Alem realises that he can’t even decide to stay with the Fitzgeralds or the home.

With no his parents there to make the decision for him Alem feels lost. ‘”Will I be here when I’m sixteen? ” “That is a good issue. “‘ Alem feels like he has no control or impact on his your life, so he constantly requires questions regarding his foreseeable future. Chapters 24-27 are in a different style to the remaining portion of the novel. This kind of different design is very strong in getting it’s message across because it causes you to feel like you’re reading a genuine report in a real paper which makes you are feeling even more intended for Alem since the strong result Zephaniah uses, makes you actually believe in what he’s saying and makes you think that the book has really took place.

It is very brilliant how this individual managed to make realism and your mind you really feel throughout the story that you’ve been with him all the way and now you have seen him to the end. Zephaniah makes us feel that all refugees have a story and he’s made you need to find out about all of them and their history and want to know what they’ve experienced. Reading the book he’s defiantly given me a better attitude and view on refugees. Zephaniah structures the story so that it feels like you are right by Alem on the whole of his voyage so you seem like what’s going on to him is affecting you as you.

Zephaniah is extremely successful when you get his communication across now I think folks who read this publication will have a wider view on political refugees and the will feel much more strongly on negative they get treated.