17-18

Again Ishmael's talent as a writer is demonstrated. He blends the signs of rehabilitation with past memories of horrors committed. The nurse Esther was instrumental in helping Ishmael return to reality, though it made their relationship seem a bit more empty when I found out about the survey sheets. Ishmael seems to be as close to normality as he can be after the things he has gone through. He talks and jokes with his friends, and sits in silence with them. Though I hope that he can once again show his happyness. It is intersting to find out about the brothers he never knew his father had. Nice foreshadowing about the cousin that he would become closer to than all the others.