No Going Back Summary and Analysis

The national radio station continued to remind Tutsis to stay at home and also to encourage Hutus to use force against their neighboring Tutsis. The crimes were sanctioned. The government encouraged not just soldiers but also ordinary citizens to take action. Tutsis were described in desensitizing terms such as snake and cockroach, and their lives were thought to be meaningless. This was a recipe for death. Out of fear most Tutsis complied with the government's policy of house arrest and were killed in their own homes. Not knowing what else to do, Immaculee turned to her studies. This was more of a distraction than true learning, but it had the additional effect of making her appear calm and hopeful, traits that her brothers did not share.

Her family huddled by the radio constantly listening to the grim...