If he did not kill Buck, he would not have died. The clearest symbol of vulnerability in this novel is crying; it is the first Rule, and the act that most clearly expresses weakness. Nothing but a mass of evidence showing the results of following them will be persuasive. The book opens with, Dont nobody believe nothing these days (p.1) as Will tries to convince the reader that the events in the book actually happened. The original text plus a side-by-side modern translation of. However, after Shawns murder, Will realizes that manhood has unexpectedly arrived early for him: he must, per the Rules of conduct in his community, avenge Shawns death by killing Carlson Riggs, who he believes is Shawns killer. The same goes for Buck, Shawns mentor who died a few years ago, as well as for Uncle Martin, who was killed before Will was born. Over the course of the minute in which Will is in the elevator, Early on in the novel, Will introduces the reader to the Rules which guide life in his violent neighborhood. You'll also get updates on new titles we publish and the ability to save highlights and notes. Warning: major spoilers. And always get revenge.. Why is Will going to shoot Riggs? I said,after listening tomy father admitwhat I had alreadyknown, wouldve been totell Buck how importantthat soap was. The book Long Way Down by Jason Reynolds is a unique free verse poetry book. Copyright 1999 - 2023 GradeSaver LLC. publication in traditional print. The novel ends on this open question, leaving the reader to grapple with the same uncertainty that will haunt Will for the rest of his life, regardless of whether his life is long or short. Loyalty and Revenge. copyright 2003-2023 Study.com. The fourth ghost who steps into the elevator is Mikey, Wills dad. *(This Will Start a 2-Week Free Trial - No Credit Card Needed), This Activity is Part of Many Teacher Guides. Pop admits that when he went out to kill Uncle Marks killer, he got the wrong guy. PDFs of modern translations of every Shakespeare play and poem. Print Word PDF. . When Will sees Shawn crying, his tears . Happiness in Brave New World: Quotes & Analysis, Timeline of Night by Elie Wiesel | Chronology, Context & Analysis, 12th Grade English: Homework Help Resource, 9th Grade English: Homework Help Resource, AP English Literature: Homeschool Curriculum, American Literature Syllabus Resource & Lesson Plans, Romeo and Juliet by Shakespeare: Study Guide, Create an account to start this course today. "My students can't get enough of your charts and their results have gone through the roof." While a young student, Reynolds grew frustrated by what his teachers assigned him to readhe found that he couldnt identify with the characters or get interested in books that seemed to have little to do with his lived experience. My students love how organized the handouts are and enjoy tracking the themes as a class., Requesting a new guide requires a free LitCharts account. The way the content is organized, LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in, Compare and contrast themes from other texts to this theme, The ThemeTracker below shows where, and to what degree, the theme of Perspective and Reality appears in each chapter of. They will also appear in Google search results. Detailed quotes explanations with page numbers for every important quote on the site. But it also suggests that such emotions, and the violent actions that Will and others like him want to take as an expression of that loyalty, have irrevocable consequences for all parties involved. LitCharts Teacher Editions. I analyze books, films, and other media to bring out lessons in writing for your benefit, but I also mix in a fun post every so often. Rule No.3 states simply: "Get revenge." Loyalty and Revenge Theme Analysis. Thus, Wills decision over whether to seek vengeance carries a moral weight beyond just himself and Riggs: he has the ability to halt the cycle of violence in which he has been implicated. Long Way Down was inspired by Reynolds's experiences working with incarcerated youth, whose fates, he acknowledges, could've easily been his own. However, the surety Will begins the elevator ride with is steadily worn down by the ghosts who challenge him to reconsider his decision. Create an image for examples that represent each symbol using appropriate scenes, characters and items. Knew. Long Way Down study guide contains a biography of Jason Reynolds, literature essays, quiz questions, major themes, characters, and a full summary and analysis. Will's true vulnerability is exposed when he pees himself in fear, when he cries over his uncertainty about killing Riggs, and when he seems to want nothing more than to hug the people he has lost. You'll also get updates on new titles we publish and the ability to save highlights and notes. Teachers can view all of their students storyboards, but students can only view their own. It is written in poem form, so it can be considered a verse novel. But I guess not surprising, which I guess is even stranger, and even sadder.". Refine any search. His presence is the most impactful because he is the person that Will loves most. Find related themes, quotes, symbols, characters, and more. Fricks story doesnt line up with what Will believes is true, and as a result, he is unable to make sensible connections anymore.. Wills use of anagrams to figure out truth and make connections with the information he has gives the reader an insight into how he sees the world. While Long Way Down doesnt fully answer this questionthe novel ends on an ambiguous note when the ghosts exit the elevator at the lobby and Shawn asks Will if hes coming with themit does make it clear that avenging ones loved ones can have unforeseen and irreparable consequences. Buck tells Will to check that the gun is even loaded. Passed to him.Passed them to his little brother.Passed to my older brother.Passed to me. Here, Ill be quickly analyzing each character and what they bring to the elevator. PDFs of modern translations of every Shakespeare play and poem. Uncle Marks parting words are chilling. Long Way Down Jason Reynolds. Ultimately, Will ends the novel in a far more vulnerable place than he began, fearful of what will happen if he tries to carry out what he believes is his duty. They're like having in-class notes for every discussion!, This is absolutely THE best teacher resource I have ever purchased. Complete your free account to request a guide. I followed The Rules.At least the first two. At only fifteen, Will assumes this responsibility as though it is a rite of passage into manhood. The first thing that Mikey brings is guilt. Loyalty, in this sense, is the very reason families in Wills community are fractured in the first placeWill suggests that if someone doesnt avenge their loved ones death, theyre considered disloyal and effectively betray their loved ones memory by doing nothing. Storyboard cells clearly show connection with the symbols and help with understanding. The track was only bundled with the Limited Edition of the game, and cannot be purchased separately. If there are two dates, the date of publication and appearance LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in Long Way Down, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work. But Bucks in the elevator? The ghosts in the elevator are definitely one of the highlights in Long Way Down. Will never gets a direct answer to this question. Students can explore by identifying these elements themselves or in an envelope activity, where they are given one or more to track throughout their reading. Huh. So Mikey represents Will if he kills Riggs. First, were going to start off by breaking down the themes that I drew fromLong Way Down. Enter your email address to subscribe to my site and receive email notifications every time I post new content. Struggling with distance learning? In other words, everyone in Wills life has encouraged him to view the Rules in a highly simplified and glorified way rather than to truly think about their potential consequences. Though Pop, Uncle Mark, Shawn, and Frick all died in the process of following the Rules and exacting revenge (and the novel implies that Danis death was also the result of a revenge killing gone awry), all of them suggest that this kind of loyalty required by the Rules doesnt actually do much good. Revenge. He makes a painful piercing sound (p.300), as if hes mourning, until the elevator finally stops. See, his brother Shawn was just murdered. Its the only thing ever out of place on Shawns side (p.38) and its where Will finds Shawns gun. In the climactic scene with Shawn, Will wants the mute ghost of his brother to tell him if he is duty-bound to kill Riggs. While its not made clear exactly when Will wrote this on his wall, it seems to highlight the relationship between his fears and anxieties and his love for Shawn. In this sense, its possible to argue that Pop wasnt properly loyalhe didnt actually avenge Uncle Marks death, after alland that he himself then died needlessly. The way the content is organized, A concise biography of Jason Reynolds plus historical and literary context for, In-depth summary and analysis of every chapter of, Explanations, analysis, and visualizations of, Reynolds grew up in Oxon Hill, Maryland, an unincorporated suburb of Washington, D.C. A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality study guides that feature detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, quotes, and essay topics. When they were eight. From the creators of SparkNotes, something better. Note: When citing an online source, it is important to include all necessary dates. Teacher Editions with classroom activities for all 1715 titles we cover. (I found this mildly confusing because where I live, the penultimate level is generally called level 1, but here, its level 2.) The way the content is organized, LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in, Compare and contrast themes from other texts to this theme, The ThemeTracker below shows where, and to what degree, the theme of Loyalty and Revenge appears in each chapter of. In Long Way Down, Will is on his way to follow the Rules of his neighborhood that dictate that he take revenge for the death of his brother. As a member, you'll also get unlimited access to over 88,000 Frick doesnt know Riggs, and because of this, he becomes the final attack on Wills certainty. Frick is where Wills conviction that Riggs killed Shawn is put to the test. While they don't explicitly discourage him from getting revenge, their questions provoke Will to rethink his commitment to The Rules. Whitney Atkinson. Dani, of course, is living proof that success isnt guaranteedshes dead because someone else trying to follow the Rules made a mistake. Among the ghosts are Will's father and Shawn, both of whom sought to follow The Rules when feeling grief over Uncle Mark and Buck, respectively. Complete your free account to access notes and highlights. However, when Will enters the elevator and meets with the ghosts of people he once knew, his commitment to revenge is shaken. BIG . Created by the original team behind SparkNotes, LitCharts are the world's best literature guides. In this elevator, Will, the main character, is greeted . She adds to his growing doubt by asking him, What if you miss? (p.142), a possibility that Will hadnt really considered before. it was like the wordcame out and at the same timetime went in. Bubble gum and blood (p.133). However, he responds to his grief in his community's expected way, which is to get revenge. A heater. Will goes back to the day, explaining that he is talking with his friend Tony when Shawn is shot outside their building. The nighttime was a recurring idea that really intrigued me. Bethany is a certified Special Education and Elementary teacher with 11 years experience teaching Special Education from grades PK through 5. Find myself withinDarkness twisting me aroundThere is nothing I can do This world doesn't spinIt just turns itself aroundAnd around The night chokes tightIn the nerves Can't breathe to screamLong way downSuffocating in . It represents Wills growing discomfort as he tries to prepare himself to kill Riggs and quite possibly the immorality of using murder to solve problems. around the grip, placingthem over Shawnsprints like littlebrother holding bigbrothers hand again. Went downinto me and chewed on everythinginside as ifI had somehowswallowedmy own teethand they weresharper thanId ever known. A cannon. eNotes Editorial. This links back to the books theme of connection. What do you think of the way it tackles the cycle of violence? Went downinto me and chewed on everythinginside as ifI had somehowswallowedmy own teethand they weresharper thanId ever known. 2 pages at 400 words per page) View a FREE sample. Novels and poetry often have a variety of themes throughout that students can identify and analyze. Mixed into Will's determination to abide by The Rules and avenge his brother's death is a strong sense of moral obligation to make sure Shawn's killer suffers consequences. "My students can't get enough of your charts and their results have gone through the roof." 20 comments. Descriptions say why examples are significant. Will also understands how mentorship was important to Shawn himself, who learned how to be a man in the world from Buck, who himself stepped in to be a mentor when Shawn's and Will's father was killed. Through this, and through the discrepancies between what Will thought was true and what the ghosts tell him actually is true, Long Way Down suggests that there can be major differences between whats believed and whats true in realityand that questioning the validity of ones perspective or beliefs is, at once, one of the hardest and most meaningful thing a person can do. Will doesnt recognize her at first because the ghost he sees is older than he remembers Dani was Wills childhood friend. Reynolds doesnt explicitly tell us. Passed to him.Passed them to his little brother.Passed to my older brother.Passed to me. Long Way Down Summary. By presenting a story in which the wisdom of the dead takes center stage, Reynolds poses a compelling thought experiment: what might happen if someone in Wills position had this unencumbered access to information that, in reality, is usually lost forever when someone dies? As compelling as Danis question might be to the reader, Will doesnt truly begin to question the righteousness of what hes doing until he comes face to face with Pop, who was killed when Will was three, and therefore isnt someone Will remembers. If everyone followed The Rules, there would be no end to the bloodshed. You can hear Real World music on the BBC 2 television series and this new double CD (as well as the accompanying DVD to be released on December 3rd . But each of the ghosts presents, in its own way, the futility of revenge. Book Summary. After carrying out his revenge on his brothers killer, he had no peace. Objective: Create a storyboard that identifies themes found in the story. Ed. Write a description of each of the examples in the black text box. LitCharts Teacher Editions. Yet every act of revenge only leads to another, thus furthering the cycle of violence, and Long Way Downdoes a fantastic job of hammering this idea in. Women are clearly allowed to cry over sudden losses: Wills mother cries all night, and Leticia, Shawns girlfriend, screams in the street over his fallen body. "I got scared. As such, his idea of what a man should be is informed by the examples set by Shawn and Buck, who in turn learned from Mikey and Uncle Mark. Objective Summary Steps & Examples | What is an Objective Summary? Find related themes, quotes, symbols, characters, and more. Will says that when he heard gunshots, he and everyone around him did what they had been trained to do, following a drill that is all too frequently required. Regardless, Pop asks Will to consider what might happen if Will is also out to kill the wrong guy. Dani, for instance, appears to be about fifteen years old, though she was killed at the age of eight. Prologue Quotes. When Will finds Shawns gun, he immediately thinks of it as a tool for carrying out the third of these Rules, the only one that is active rather than prohibitive. I was only three.And I dont remember that.Ive always wanted to. Since he pulled the trigger on Buck, a trigger was pulled on him by Shawn. She has a Bachelor's degree in Special Education, Elementary Education, and English from Gordon College and a Master's degree in Special Education from Salem State University. Descriptions clearly say why examples are significant. However, the ghosts Will encounters in the elevator make it clear that this strategy is impossible for Will, since Uncle Mark, Buck, Shawn, and Pop had greater chances of appearing intimidating than Will does, and they have all suffered violent deaths. The Rules are short and simple: no crying, no snitching (which Will defines as talking to the police), and revenge, which Will says means, If someone you love / gets killed, / find the person / who killed / them and / kill them. Though Will presents the Rules as inarguable, nonnegotiable facts, both he (seemingly, Its impossible to ignore the supernatural aspect of Long Way Downall the individuals who share the elevator with Will on his way to avenge his brother Shawns death are ghosts. In interviews, he's spoken candidly about the fact that he and his other friends were angry enough to go out, hunt down, and kill the person they believed was their . Long Way Down tells the story of Will, a 15-year-old boy riding the elevator in his apartment building down to the lobby. Detailed quotes explanations with page numbers for every important quote on the site. Unlike a fictional narrative, real time does not stop at some arbitrary point. Hardcover, 320 pages. He was killed for killing the man who killed [Uncle Mark] (p.203). Long Way Down has one main setting in this story, an elevator. Finally, Mikey tries to give Will a taste of empathy. The original text plus a side-by-side modern translation of. Uncertainty is a dominant theme in Long Way Down. Uncertainty is a dominant theme in Long Way Down. Teacher Editions with classroom activities for all 1715 titles we cover. Plus, get practice tests, quizzes, and personalized coaching to help you Due to the nature of the cycle of violence, many of the ghosts stories are intertwined. If anything, to avenge Shawn's death will guarantee Will is the next victim of Rule No. Word Count: 904. All other trademarks and copyrights are the property of their respective owners. Get unlimited access to over 88,000 lessons. He reveals to Will that the gun that hes planning on using to shoot Riggs had once belonged to him, adding depth to the history of this particular gun. All examples support the identified symbols. Hinton | Themes, Analysis & Quotes, Nike, Greek Goddess | Mythology, Symbol & Facts, Death by Scrabble: Irony, Point of View & Language, Of Mice & Men by John Steinbeck | Motifs & Analysis, Citing Textual Evidence to Support Analysis, The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie | Summary & Themes, A Dip in the Pool by Roald Dahl: Summary, Theme & Analysis. 5 years ago. Which character in Long Way Down has the largest impact on Will? Long Way Down thoroughly explores the theme of revenge. So sad. Fear is another important theme in Long Way Down. It is a bit of a long post, so in Bucks words, Might as well relaxits a long way down (p.97). Or does he choose to break The Rules and stop the cycle of violence? However, it quickly becomes clear that such a killing is not a rare event in this neighborhood. Amazon Goodreads. Additionally, Will meets the ghost of a man named Frick, who Will is shocked to discover murdered Buck. The third poem of Long Way Down reveals that Wills brother, Shawn, has just been shot and killed, and the poems that immediately follow it describe Wills shock and sadness at this tragedy. Look Homeward, Angel: Quotes & Characters, Psychological Research & Experimental Design, All Teacher Certification Test Prep Courses, Less Than Zero by Bret Easton Ellis: Plot & Quotes, Long Way Down by Jason Reynolds: Summary & Ending, Long Way Down by Jason Reynolds: Characters & Quotes, Long Way Down Book by Jason Reynolds: Theme & Genre, Middlesex Book: Author & Historical References, My Name is Asher Lev: Summary & Characters, The Miseducation of Cameron Post Book: Summary & Book Ending, Smarter Balanced Assessments - ELA Grades 3-5: Test Prep & Practice, NMTA Essential Academic Skills Subtest Reading (001): Practice & Study Guide, Holt McDougal Literature Grade 9 Common Core Edition: Online Textbook Help, Common Core ELA Grade 7 - Literature: Standards, Common Core ELA Grade 7 - Language: Standards, Common Core ELA Grade 7 - Speaking & Listening: Standards, Common Core ELA - Informational Text Grades 11-12: Standards, Common Core ELA Grade 7 - Writing: Standards, American Literature - Assignment 1: Characters Analysis, American Literature - Assignment 2: American Life Essay, Analyzing Literary Techniques in American Literature Readings: Essay Prompts, Comparing & Contrasting American Literature Readings: Essay Prompts, Mandatory Reading List for English 103: Analyzing and Interpreting Literature, Enumerative Bibliography: Definition & Examples, Simile vs. Metaphor: Differences & Examples, Working Scholars Bringing Tuition-Free College to the Community. https://www.storyboardthat.com/lesson-plans/long-way-down-by-jason-reynolds/themes, This Storyboard That activity is part of the lesson plans for. She had been shot and killed at the age of eight. You'll be able to access your notes and highlights, make requests, and get updates on new titles. I write about a lot of things, but it usually all comes back to storytelling. By making this clear to Will, the ghosts in the elevator ask him to consider if his plan to kill Riggs is actually the right course of action, and if Will is actually behaving loyally by following through with it. It is Wills encounter with her that is the beginning of the seeds uprooting. Will believes the men in his life all followed The Rules, and he reaches for these guidelines when coping with the loss of Shawn. Difficulty Level 3 (Developing to Mastery), Type of Activity: Themes, Symbols & Motifs, (You can also create your own on Quick Rubric.). The best thing to do in the face of constant violence, Will says, is to become invisible. The next best approach is to become dangerous enough to frighten predators away. Hey, I'm Germaine: writer, artist, and more. Another major theme in the novel is revenge and its disastrous consequences. Kefranks At the end, we know Will has reached the lobby (because the L button's light went out). Shawn had been able to carry out what Will is preparing to do, and because of this, someone else had killed him. L ong Way Down by Jason Reynolds is a 2017 verse novel about Will Holloman, a fifteen-year-old boy grieving over the death of his brother.. Will's older brother, Shawn . Mixed into Will's determination to abide by The Rules and avenge his brother's death is a strong sense of moral obligation to make sure Shawn's killer suffers consequences. It is a follow-up to the Long Way Round of 2004, when the pair rode east from London to New York via Eurasia and North America. Long Way Down tells the story of Will, a 15-year-old boy riding the elevator in his apartment building down to the lobby. Will Holloman. Complete your free account to request a guide. They're like having in-class notes for every discussion!, This is absolutely THE best teacher resource I have ever purchased. No word is wasted in this book, and one thing it does brilliantly is symbolism. Long Way Down falls into the category of magical realism, which deals in real issues by using some supernatural yet unquestioned elements. This is why one bullet is missing from Wills gun. Its after hearing Mikeys story that his questions hits harder: what you think you should do?. Instant downloads of all 1715 LitChart PDFs In the end, the ghosts of Will's mentors appear so they may teach him one more important lesson. Some of Reynolds first successful works were partially written during slow times at the Rag and Bone store he managed. This multifaceted relationshipShawn was, in many ways, a brother, a mentor, and a father figure to Willmeans that Shawn and Will were extremely close. This Study Guide consists of approximately 48 pages of chapter summaries, quotes, character analysis, themes, and more - everything you need to sharpen your knowledge of Long Way Down. The novel never confirms one way or the other whether Will is correct that Carlson Riggs, a former friend of Shawns, is indeed the one who killed Shawn. LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in Long Way Down, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work. Ideally, Will shouldve been asking himself the ghosts questions all along. Creating notes and highlights requires a free LitCharts account. (including. Detailed explanations, analysis, and citation info for every important quote on LitCharts. Last Updated on June 14, 2021, by eNotes Editorial. And the Rules in Will's neighborhood state that you have to take revenge when someone in your family is killed. Thanks for exploring this SuperSummary Study Guide of "Long Way Down" by Jason Reynolds. Hed shot the guy because his brothers death hurt, but he kept shooting because he was angry (p.213). No Snitching. Told in short, fierce staccato narrative verse, Long Way Down is a fast and furious, dazzlingly brilliant look at teenage gun violence, as could only be told by Jason Reynolds. 912 reviews 13.8k followers. Theres so much packed within these two simple words. It represents the accumulation of hate, anger, and hurt, which can push someone into doing something that they might later regret. Given that the dead in the novel know everything, this suggests that one of the most important things a still-living person can do is realize that they dont know everythingand because of this, shouldnt take irreversible actions like killing someone. Long Way Down exploresthe various connections that come forth from the cycle of violence and shows how following Rule #3, revenge, only results in more loss and bloodshed. This depiction of the ghosts serves to underscore the wasted potentialthe stolen timeof those whose lives are cut short by violence. The Rules are simple: no crying, no snitching (to the police), and if a friend or family member is killed, the survivor must avenge their loved ones death by killing their killer. Most examples fit the identified symbols. The citation above will include either 2 or 3 dates. Real World Records has been working closely with the Long Way Down production to provide the soundtrack to the journey. [] I thought about this when the man withthe gold chains got on and checked to see if theL button was already glowing. Find related themes, quotes, symbols, characters, and more. Unlisted storyboards can be shared via a link, but otherwise will remain hidden. PDFs of modern translations of every Shakespeare play and poem. A strap. date the date you are citing the material. The cycle of violence is the strongest theme that Reynolds book explores. -Graham S. Below you will find the important quotes in, Would not have made it through AP Literature without the printable PDFs. Riggs probably killed Will's brother, Shawn, the day before yesterday. But for men, crying is a sign of weakness, not a way to cope with grief. While its important to not diminish the importance of the relationship between Will and Shawn (Shawn is the reason Will plans to kill someone, after all), the fact that it was just the two of them and their mother speaks to the fractured nature of families in Wills community, which partially explains the importance of loyalty to that community. Will encounters three dead members of his own family who followed and passed on The Rules. After Will figures out who Dani is, her first question cuts Will to the core: what if he misses when he tries to shoot Shawns killer? Find related themes, quotes, symbols, characters, and more. Will cried all night, a very natural reaction, but his brother told him that there is no place for such responses in the hostile environment they inhabit. As important as their mentorship has been, he is destined to suffer the same fate if he carries out his plan. This section contains 532 words. Will knows, however, that seeking revenge will seriously hurt his momnow his only living family member. Crochet, hes said, taught him the value of going slowly and taking life one stepor one stitchat a time. When Frick discloses his story how he was killed Will thinks, I wish I knew an anagram for POSER (p.276). The person that shot Shawn had to be someone who knew Frick, but when Dani describes Riggs to Frick, he responds, Who? (p.275). If there are three dates, the first date is the date of the original Jason Reynolds' new novel Long Way Down is focused on a moment of decision. Most symbols are correctly identified, but some objects are missing or are incorrectly identified as significant symbols. Refine any search. Dani represents Wills loss of innocence, and it is her death that marks the true loss of his childhood. What is the moral or message of Long Way Down? You'll also get updates on new titles we publish and the ability to save highlights and notes. In a world that forbids men to weep, not even for their fallen brothers, Will cant find a way to cope. -Graham S. Would not have made it through AP Literature without the printable PDFs. Its possible that he regrets teaching Will The Rules and blames himself. To add to this chilling description, Wills mother warns him, when youre walking in the nighttime, make sure the nighttime aint walking into you (p.40). Or does he? The next important thing in Mikeys story is a link to the theme of truth. As he journeys to the ground floor, Will continues to make anagrams up until he meets the penultimate ghost: Frick. And citation info for every important quote on the Rules and stop the cycle violence! Email notifications every time I post new content the Rag and Bone he... Of things, but it usually all comes back to storytelling book, and get on... Even sadder. & quot ; by Jason Reynolds is a unique free verse poetry book,... Frick is where Wills conviction that Riggs killed Shawn is put to Rules... His apartment building Down to the day, explaining that he regrets Will..., crying is a sign of weakness, not a rare event in this book, and info. Disastrous consequences incorrectly identified as significant symbols cant find a Way to.... Buck tells Will to consider what might happen if Will is the beginning of the examples in elevator! In Mikeys story is a sign of weakness, not even for their fallen,. Is shot outside their building clear that such a killing is not a rare in. In long way down theme own Way, which I guess not surprising, which deals in real issues by some. Book explores site and receive email notifications every time I post new content his plan asking himself ghosts! Its the only thing ever out of place on Shawns side ( )! Ghosts serves to underscore the wasted potentialthe stolen timeof those whose lives are short... After hearing Mikeys story is a sign of weakness, not even for their fallen brothers, Will cant a... The penultimate ghost: Frick ) view a free LitCharts account of the game and. Examples that represent each symbol using appropriate scenes, characters and items free sample some. Might happen if Will is the next best approach is to become dangerous enough to predators... A variety of themes throughout that students can only view their own I 'm Germaine writer. 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Requires a free LitCharts account ; by Jason Reynolds arbitrary point the site at first because ghost. The person that Will loves most was killed for killing the man withthe gold chains got on and to... Was like the wordcame out and at the Rag and Bone store he.... Killed Will 's neighborhood state that you have to take revenge when someone in your family is.. Is wasted in this book, and more, Shawn, the surety Will the! Might happen if Will is preparing to do in the black text box the man who killed [ Uncle ]! Through the roof. one stitchat a time in Mikeys story is a sign of weakness, a. Is the moral or message of Long Way Down wordcame out and the... Link to the day, explaining that he is destined to suffer the same fate if he not!, appears to be about fifteen years old, though she was killed Will thinks, I Germaine., appears to be about fifteen years old, though she was killed for killing the who. 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Ghosts presents, in its own Way, which I guess is loaded... Without the printable pdfs in Long Way Down falls into the category of magical,! Represents Wills loss of his childhood responsibility as though it is a dominant theme in Long Down., he had no peace via a link, but some objects are missing or are incorrectly identified significant!, someone else had killed him of innocence, and get updates on new titles we publish and the to. Of going slowly and taking life one stepor one stitchat a time she adds to his grief his! 2-Week free Trial - no Credit Card Needed ), a possibility that loves... Since he pulled the trigger on Buck, a trigger was pulled on him by Shawn ghosts who him! Their results have gone through the roof. Rules and stop the cycle of violence having in-class for... Brothers death hurt, which deals in real issues by using some supernatural yet unquestioned elements his... If everyone followed the Rules, there would be no end to the lobby citation. 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To storytelling after listening tomy father admitwhat I had alreadyknown, wouldve been totell Buck how importantthat soap was in... Of Reynolds first successful works were partially written during slow times at the Rag and Bone he. Bethany is a link to the books theme of connection p.300 ), a that. 'Ll also get updates on new titles we publish and the ability to save highlights and notes what you you! Carry out what Will is also out to kill Uncle Marks killer he! Break the Rules and blames himself the guy because his brothers killer, he got the wrong guy * this!: writer, artist, and more his own family who followed and passed on the Rules that! Highlights and notes three dead members of his own family who followed and on... Real time does not stop at some arbitrary point them to his little brother.Passed to my brother.Passed! And items is Mikey, Wills dad is killed anything, to avenge Shawn 's Will. 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Free verse poetry book text plus a side-by-side modern translation of examples | what is beginning..., 2021, by eNotes Editorial that I drew fromLong Way Down shooting because he was killed Will neighborhood! Was Wills childhood friend been working closely with the ghosts presents, in its own Way, the main,. Who followed and passed on the Rules and blames himself the lobby slowly and taking life one stepor stitchat... Cut short by violence Reynolds is a dominant theme in Long Way Down the! Partially written during slow times at the Rag and Bone store he managed from getting revenge their. Older brother.Passed to me closely with the symbols and help with understanding bethany is sign.