D). To tell the story of how a child was made into a soldier.
Explanation:
The author's purpose is described as the chief reason or the intent for which the author has produced a specific work. It could be to amuse, inform, entertain, or merely share a significant incident.
In 'A Long Way Gone', Beah's purpose is to 'relate a story of a child transforming into a soldier' and the 'long way'(as implied by the title) that the child has gone through to become a soldier. Beah's intention is to portray the challenges and struggle faced by the child to reach the position of a 'soldier'. Thus, <u>option D</u> is the correct answer.
