How are hope and loss juxtaposed in Chapter 11 of A Long Way Gone?

As the boys make their way to the village they are hopeful that they will be reunited with their families. Beah heightens the tension in this episode by illustrating his increased impatience with Gasemu’s slow pace, foreshadowing that something dire may be on the other side of the hill. Gasemu’s nonchalant attitude provides a stark contrast to Beah’s hunger to see his family again after so long a separation. When the attack on the village is discovered, the reader automatically sympathizes with Beah’s frustration, anger, and sense of sorrow when he blames Gasemu for his not being able to see his family again. Only when logical thought takes over does the reader realize that, had Beah made it to the village earlier, he would likely be among the charred or shot casualties they boys find in the village after the attack. From this we infer that Gasemu’s slowness actually saved Beah’s life.