Jonas
is confident that his destination is ahead. There is no clear evidence that it
is. But, he definitely feels that Elsewhere is not far away. However, he is not
sure that he can reach it. Now, instead of rain, there is snow. Jonas puts Gabriel
against his chest and wraps the two of them together for warmth. He tries to pedal
the bicycle up the steep hill that lies ahead of them. He cannot do it. He is
tempted to drop into the snow with Gabriel and fall asleep. He doesn't. He tries
to remember sunshine and give the memory to Gabriel. He is successful. They leave
the bicycle lying in the snow and Jonas carries Gabriel up the hill. After several
more warming memories, and a memory of happy times, they reach the top of the
hill. With the help of a memory of his own, Jonas finds a sled on the crest of
the hill. They start down the hill. Jonas feels that he knows where they are headed.
He sees lights ahead, colored lights through windows. It is a place where people
share love. He hears music. He hears singing. He also hears music coming from
behind him, but, perhaps it is an echo.
The
ending of this book leaves much for the reader to imagine. We can decide for ourselves
what happens next. Perhaps the people behind the windows with the colored lights
find Jonas and Gabriel and take them into their lives. Perhaps the windows with
the colored lights are only in Jonas's mind, not real, and they are freezing to
death. Or, something else could be about to happen.
Regardless of what happens to Jonas and Gabriel, Jonas has enabled his community to receive the memories and to experience color, love, and pain.
Clapsaddle, Diane. "TheBestNotes on A Long Way Gone".
TheBestNotes.com.
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