Questions for Consideration:

What does the African proverb at the beginning of the book, “When two elephants fight, it is the grass that gets trampled” mean to you? 

Most of us can only remember a few events from our early life.  What do you think accounts for the three boys being able to remember so much detail? 

This book was dedicated to Monyde.  What does he symbolize?

These boys lost their homes, their families, were thrust into terrible suffering and saw things we as adults never experience.  What do you think made them want to keep going at times when it would have been so easy to just sit under a tree and leave all of that pain?

Anok Mangong, Benson and Alephonsion’s mother, lost Benson in 1987, her husband in 1988 and Alephonsion in 1989, and her future was uncertain and still is.  How do you think people endure such prolonged loss and terror? 

Education seemed to be very important to the Lost Boys.  What do you think sparked that desire?

Why do you think the co-author, Judy A. Bernstein, opens the memoir with an Introduction and ends it with an Epilogue?

What did you find surprising about the information introduced in this book?

How has reading They Poured Fire changed your ideas about the people and country of Sudan? 

How did this book make you feel about your own life?

Is the situation in Sudan a war or genocide?  What is happening today in that country?

What do you think America’s role should be when these terrible things are happening around the world and innocent victims like children are suffering and dying?

Is your lasting impression of They Poured Fire one of hope or despair?  Will anything change in the world?  

To learn more about Sudan, we recommend the following:

Books

Berkeley, Bill.  The Graves Are Not Yet Full: Race, Tribe, and Power in the Heart of Africa  Basic Books 2002

Bixler, Mark. The Lost Boys of Sudan. University of Georgia Press   2005

Bok, Francis with Edward Tivnan. Escape from Slavery. St. Martin’s Press  2003

Deng, Francis Mading. The Dinka of Sudan. Waveland Press, Inc.  1972

Jok, Madut Jok. War and Slavery in Sudan. University of Pennsylvania Press  2001

Nazer, Mende and Lewis, Damien. Slave:  My True Story. Public Affairs  2003

Scroggins, Deborah.  Emma’s War: An aid worker, a warlord, radical Islam and the politics of oil – A true story of love and death in Sudan. Pantheon Books   2002

Films and Video

 Lost Boys of Sudan(2004)  http://www.pbs.org/pov/pov2004/lostboysofsudan/

God Grew Tired of Us (2006) http://www.godgrewtiredofus.com/

The Devil Came on Horseback (2007)http://www.thedevilcameonhorseback.com/

Sand and Sorrow (2007) http://www.sandandsorrow.org/

DarfurDiaries (2007) http://www.darfurdiaries.org/

The New Americans (2003)  http://www.pbs.org/independentlens/newamericans/

NewsHour Sudan Genocide http://www.pbs.org/newshour/extra/teachers/lessonplans/world/sudan_genocide.html

Teen Experiences of War http://www.itvs.org/beyondthefire/

An Interactive Web Series on the Concept of Borders http://www.pov.org/borders

Refugees http://www.amnestyusa.org/education/lessonplans/refugees.html

The Immigrant Experience Modern http://www.pbs.org/independentlens/newamericans/foreducators.html

FOR FURTHER RESEARCH AND READING

Websites

Alliance for the Lost Boys of Sudan  www.allianceforthelostboys.com 

Sudan: Passion of the Present  www.PassionofthePresent.org 

Genocide Intervention Fund  www.GenocideInterventionFund.org

Save Darfur  www.SaveDarfur.org

The International Rescue Committee www.TheIRC.org

International Crisis Group www.CrisisGroup.org

Human Rights Watch www.hrw.org

CIA Factbook: Sudan http://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/su.html

USA State Department: Sudan http://www.state.gov/p/af/ci/su/

United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees www.unhcr.org

International Crisis Group www.CrisisGroup.org

Amnesty International: Sudan Crisis http://web.amnesty.org/pages/sdn-index-eng

Doctors Without Borders: Emergency in Darfur, Sudan: No Relief in Sight http://www.doctorswithoutborders.org/pr/2004/06-21-2004.shtml

Human Rights Watch: Sudan: Darfur Destroyed http://www.hrw.org/campaigns/darfur/

Human Rights Watch: Too Little, Too Late: Sudanese Aid International Response 2004 http://hrw.org/reports/2004/sudan0504/8.htm

United Nations: Annan stresses urgency of resolving crisis in Darfur, Sudan http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=11105&Cr=Sudan&Cr1=

United States Agency for International Development: Darfur: Humanitarian Emergency Fact Sheet #11 (FY 2004) http://www.reliefweb.int/w/rwb.nsf/9ca65951ee22658ec125663300408599/5a6ba25bff4d33dfc1256ec100490def?OpenDocument

Prevent Genocide International: Information on the Genocide Convention http://www.preventgenocide.org/law/convention/

Prevent Genocide International: U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan's Action Plan to Prevent Genocide http://www.preventgenocide.org/prevent/UNdocs/KofiAnnansActionPlantoPreventGenocide7Apr2004.htm

U.S. Institute for Peace: The Genocide Convention at 50 http://www.usip.org/pubs/specialreports/sr990107.html