by Theresa Mchatton

Created on: April 21, 2008

Refugee Boy

Written by:
Benjamin Zephaniah

Theme:
Although there are many themes in this realistic novel, the ever-present theme is of love. Although war ravaged their country, Alem's family always pushed for peace. They loved both their country and their neighbors. When fighting and persecution was inevitable, Alem's parents made the ultimate sacrifice by leaving their son in a foreign country to protect him. They risk their own lives in their country to get their son out alive. When Alem is placed into a foster home, his foster parents treat him and love him like their own son. They take him everywhere, watch over him, and make sure he gets everything he needs. Mrs. Fitzgerald even cries when he must leave their care. Alem's friends and community show love and care for him by organizing a protest to try to keep he and his father in the country. Though war ripped a boy from his country and more importantly his family, the war was unable to break the family's love.

Setting:
The story begins in Africa where a war has just broken out between Ethiopia and Eritrea. Alem is a mix of both races and is therefore persecuted on both sides of the border. For his personal safety, his father leaves him unexpectedly in London, England where most of the story unfolds in the year 2000. This story would not have occurred if it did not begin in an area of conflict. The author wanted the story to seem realistic so he chose a current conflict. England was chosen because it is not only not involved with a war, it is where the author resides and he wanted to expose the injustices of the legal policies that must be taken for a refugee to be granted asylum.
Characterization:
Alem begins and end the stories without any major change in his attitudes or beliefs, therefore making him a static character. In the beginning of the story, Alem is a peaceful and somewhat innocent young man, but even after the harsh realities that war inflicts upon his life set in, he continues to follow his beliefs of peace and love. Alem typically acts in the same way he thinks. He is unwilling to stand for injustices, but he will not respond to them in violent ways. When Alem is first moved to a boy's home, a well-known bully tries to make Alem give him his food, but Alem stands up to him. " [Alem] had his principles and he was going to stick to them. I don't care what you say, I am not giving you any food.'" (Page 70) Although the bully attacks him, he does not want to fight. Even after his mother dies and he

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