War Brothers

As captives of the Lord’s Resistance Army, the boys now start to become divided from each other, having entered the ranks in similar situations. The original trio of Jacob, Paul, and Tony begins to break up, as Tony is sectioned off from the other boys and given privileges after killing Adam. Each of the boys reacts differently to their situation, demonstrating The Impact of Trauma: Jacob starts to think and create plans with the help of Oteka; Paul takes on a role as Jacob’s follower; Tony retreats into silence and misery; and Norman becomes scared and quiet. The Bonds of Friendship between the boys have now begun to be severely tested.

The theme of The Experience of Child Soldiers is depicted in more detail in these chapters. Life under the Lord’s Resistance Army is extremely different compared to their previous lives. Some aspects of the boys’ previous lives have become all-encompassing, whereas others have faded entirely. Religion, for instance, was a major part of the boys’ experiences before the Lord’s Resistance Army, as most of the major characters were kidnapped from a seminary. However, in the army, religion transforms from a method of personal understanding and spirituality (as it was for Jacob and Oteka in the first few chapters) toward a means of total domination and control (See: Symbols & Motifs). The Lord’s Resistance Army excuses all of its behavior through religion—everything they do is because God commanded them to do it through Joseph Kony. To this end, the army employs even the most extreme misuse of religion, searching for more and more total means of controlling their captives. One example is how boys and girls are not allowed to speak to each other, which the Lord’s Resistance Army justifies through its syncretic belief system. The punishment for breaking any of the rules is death, which also provides a distinct incentive for the captives to allow religion to occupy a space as a totalizing force in their lives.

Jacob shows further growth and maturity in this section, furthering his character arc. He becomes selfless and protective of Norman, even trying to volunteer as a soldier in the hopes of getting Norman some food to eat, despite how terrified and sick he feels at the thought of violence. He also encourages the bond between Paul and Norman, helping to create a sense of community. At the same time, Jacob learns how to rely on his friends when necessary: When he is overcome with emotion after the village massacre, Paul and Norman intervene to hide him so that the soldiers will not notice Jacob’s emotional outburst and punish him for it. Similarly, Oteka tries to assist and advise the others however he can to raise their chances of survival. In these ways, The Bonds of Friendship become all the more essential for the boys to endure their ordeals.  

This section also introduces Hannah, the only major female character in the novel. Normally, when the Lord’s Resistance Army attacks a village, they either kill the women and girls or enslave them. Hannah was enslaved and then had her ears severed as a punishment. Jacob notices that despite her attractive appearance, the soldiers do not sexually abuse Hannah the way they do the other female captives because of Hannah's mutilation. Hannah’s experience thus highlights some of the vulnerabilities faced by the female victims of the Lord’s Resistance Army, with sexual violence being an ever-present threat for most of the women and girls captured.

Hannah is characterized as being brave, loyal, and intelligent, and she will soon become an important part of Jacob’s life. In this section, Jacob notices Hannah’s relationship with the commanders as she prepares their food. He immediately understands that Hannah may have access to important information and could help some of the children escape. Though Hannah is initially hurt when Jacob asks about her ears and abruptly ends their first conversation, the seeds have been planted for The Bonds of Friendship to grow between them. Their mutual experiences of suffering and exploitation will soon enable them to become closer.

The Impact of Trauma also comes to the forefront in this section. At the beginning of the novel, the concerns of the major characters revolve around their friends, school, family, and community. However, during their traumatic experiences, the boys are unable to think of much beyond survival—where they are, how to avoid execution, and where they might find their next meal. In order to connect with Hannah, Jacob is forced to give up the small amount of food that he has, which is very difficult for him to do. However, this action demonstrates Jacob’s character growth, further illustrating his new leadership skills as he understands what sort of people he needs to make friends with to survive.