long way down essay titles

Long Way Down

By jason reynolds, long way down essay questions.

What unique effects does Jason Reynolds achieve by writing Long Way Down in verse as opposed to prose?

From the first page of Long Way Down , it becomes clear that this novel is unlike others: Rather than prose, the book is made up of hundreds of short poems. While the generous amount of blank space on every page ensures the reader will move through the narrative speedily, Reynolds' decision to write in verse also opens up the text's appearance as a space for expression. By breaking sentences into lines of verse, Reynolds can experiment with the length of word groupings and stanzas, dictating when and where the reader slows down or speeds up. He can also emphasize certain words by marooning them in their own stanzas. Verse also frees up Reynolds to match form to content in passages such as this:

I’VE NEVER BEEN in an earthquake. Don’t know if this was even close to how they are, but the ground defi nitely felt like it o pened up and ate me. (15)

In this passage, Reynolds adjusts the spacing of words and letters to emulate a rift running through the text. The effect is that the reader imagines the letters shaking as a split occurs in both Will's imagination and the words on the page.

What role does masculinity play in the novel?

As one of the novel's major themes, masculinity plays a significant role in Long Way Down . From early in the book, Reynolds makes it evident that Will is at an age when he is still learning how to be a man. The conversation about not being tall enough that he and Tony are having before Shawn is shot speaks to Will's desire to be seen as more manly than he is. Because his father died when Will was three, Will's ideas about masculinity have mostly been informed by Shawn, his older brother. Will looks up to Shawn, proud to wear his cologne and to follow his advice about dating. However, Will also follows Shawn's example when Shawn teaches him The Rules, a set of dictates that discourage crying and snitching, and that encourage revenge. When Shawn dies, Will believes the manly thing to do is to suppress his tears and avenge Shawn's death, skirting the police so that he may handle the issue himself. It is only when the ghosts of loved ones challenge Will's masculine posturing that Will exposes his true vulnerability and uncertainty. By the end of the book, Will is a broken, tortured figure, unable to deny that he can't deal with the pressure to live up to expectations. He realizes that The Rules and their preconceived notions of masculinity have only perpetuated pain and grief in his community.

What is the significance of Shawn's handgun?

The handgun that Will finds in his brother's crooked middle drawer is an important symbol of violence perpetuating itself. When Will doesn't know how to deal with his grief, he takes out Shawn's gun and lists the many nicknames he knows for firearms, settling on "a tool for RULE No. 3." The decision to use the gun to avenge Shawn's death brings momentary reassurance to Will as he grapples with the needless loss of his brother. However, Will's experience with the ghosts in the elevator steadily wears away his reassurance as he comes to understand that this tool for violence will eventually be used against him if he uses it against Riggs. Will learns that the gun has already had a cursed line of owners. It started with Buck, who passed the gun down to Shawn, who used it to kill the man who killed Buck. Retaliation for Frick's murder sealed Shawn's fate, leading Will to conclude that he too will be killed if he retaliates against a member of the Dark Suns. Ultimately, the handgun will survive while more lives are lost, because its only use is to bring about more needless deaths.

What role does grief play in Long Way Down ?

Grief plays a significant role in Long Way Down as the novel's central theme. The theme of deep sorrow following the loss of someone first arises when Will says that his older brother died the day before yesterday. Will's experience showcases the many facets of grief as he bounces between acceptance, denial, anger, depression, and bargaining in no particular order. The night Shawn dies, Will shows denial by suppressing his tears in accordance with Rule No. 1. The Rules keep Will in denial and anger as he sets out to avenge Shawn's death. However, Will encounters more and more grief with each ghost that steps onto his elevator, bringing back painful and pleasantly sentimental memories that weaken his resolve. As the novel progresses, the reader comes to understand that Will lives in a community that deals with disproportionately high levels of gun violence, meaning he has been mired in unexpressed grief since childhood. It becomes clear that Will is committed to not showing weakness in the form of emotional vulnerability because he has been made incredibly fragile by the loss of so many loved ones. In the end, Will has no safe outlet for his grief because the need to put up a front of masculine indifference has conditioned him to channel grief into anger and destruction.

What is the significant about Will's reaction to gun violence in Long Way Down ?

The disproportionately high incidence of gun violence in American communities of color like Will's is the broader issue at the center of Long Way Down. From early in the novel, Reynolds depicts Will as a teenager who is all too familiar with the omnipresent gun violence that has claimed the lives of so many loved ones in his community. When Will describes Shawn's shooting, he speaks of how he first reacted to the gunshots with the routine duck-and-cover protocol, just as he would do with any shooting. He also notes how the police officer questions witnesses as though he is new to policing and doesn't understand what Will does: that no one will provide any incriminating eye-witness tips. As the novel goes on, the reader comes to understand that Will's battle-weary attitude stems from a lifetime of watching loved ones die by gun homicide. Will treats Shawn's shooting as an initiation into an inevitable destiny: it is now Will's turn to fire a gun in revenge, as The Rules dictate. However, the ghosts in the elevator challenge Will's commitment to his plan to shoot Riggs, and Will admits he doesn't know whether he wants to become the next in a long line of victims or step away from the cycle of self-perpetuating gun violence.

Long Way Down Questions and Answers

The Question and Answer section for Long Way Down is a great resource to ask questions, find answers, and discuss the novel.

Study Guide for Long Way Down

Long Way Down study guide contains a biography of Jason Reynolds, literature essays, quiz questions, major themes, characters, and a full summary and analysis.

• About Long Way Down
• Long Way Down Summary
• Character List

Worlds of Words

International collection of children’s and adolescent literature, mtyt: long way down.

This month’s My Take/Your Take discussions focus on the 2018 American Library Association (ALA) award winners. Mary Fahrenbruck and Tracy Smiles continue with a discussion of the multi-awarding winning novel, Long Way Down by Jason Reynolds. The novel, written in free verse poetry won the Newbery Honor Book Award, the Printz Honor Book Award, the Coretta Scott King Honor Award and numerous other awards from organizations other than ALA.

MARY: I knew before I read this novel that it was going to move me! The elevator ride down to the lobby serves as a clever metaphor for the consequences that will most likely happen to 15-year-old Will if he follows “The Rules.”

1. Don’t Cry 2. Don’t Snitch 3. Get Revenge

Reynolds cleverly introduces new characters into the story each time the elevator stops on its way down to the lobby of Will’s apartment building. As I read, I began to understand that each character has been a victim of The Rules–except Dani. I connected the characters to each other and eventually to Will. But I didn’t expect the story to end the way it did!

The story stayed with me long after the last page. What lingers is Will’s unwavering allegiance to The Rules. His willingness to avenge his brother Shawn’s death without thinking about how the confrontation will play out or the consequences of his revenge. Does he realize that murdering Shawn’s killer will lead to his own murder?

TRACY: You practically took the words right out of my mouth! I’ve been thinking about books that “move me” or that have such an impact they “change” me. It’s been a while since I read something I would characterize this way, but lately I’ve read two such books, This is the Way it Always Is by Laurie Frankel (not a kids’ book) and this book by Jason Reynolds.

The raw, honest look at the consequences surrounding the murder of a Black youth, especially through the emotional perspective of Will, the brother of the victim, is both compelling and compassionate–and I would add unique. Yes, the ending is… wow. Just wow. Not at all what I expected. I have a 15-year-old son whose world is nothing like Will’s world, guided by a different set of rules…. Makes me pause.

There was a lot of buzz about this book at the Tucson Festival of Books. In one session, Jacqueline Woodson was asked what she is reading currently. She said her kids are into Jason Reynolds, so she is, too. I can see why. Not only are we presented with a powerfully relevant story, but the telling is nothing short of brilliant. I am glad you recommended this book, Mary… it leaves a residue I will reflect on not just now–but always.

MARY: I agree that Long Way Down is compelling. In fact, I read it twice! The first time I read the story, I couldn’t stop. I knew I was going to discuss the book for My Take/Your Take, so I tried to read it as a reviewer. Eventually, I surrendered and dropped down into the story. I stood next to Will on the elevator, watching each person get on. At first, I thought the people were trying to talk Will out of getting revenge. Then I thought they were telling him to follow the rules. That’s why the ending is so shocking!

As I said, I read this story twice. The first time I devoured the words on the page. The second reading was slower, and I paused to think about the plot as it unfolded. One aspect of the story that eludes me is the cigarette smoke in the elevator. I’d like to ask our readers, do you think it’s metaphorical? If yes, what do you think it means?

Title: Long Way Down Author: Jason Reynolds Publisher: Atheneum/Caitlyn Dlouhy Books ISBN: 9781481438254 Publish Date: October 24, 2017

This is the third installment of April 2018’s My Take/Your Take. The first week Mary and Tracy discuss  All Around Us . In the second week, they gave their take on Crown: Ode to the Fresh Cut . To follow the whole conversation, check back each Wednesday.

• Themes : Jason Reynolds , Long Way Down , Mary Fahrenbruck , Tracy Smiles
• Descriptors: Awards , Books & Resources , My Take/Your Take

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The University of Arizona

Analysis of "Long Way Down" by Jason Reynolds

In Jason Reynolds’ anti-gun novel, Long Way Down, written in verse, he explicitly emphasizes the effects of the acts of revenge in Will’s society to evoke the adverse consequences of a gun violence.

Reynolds uses connotation to reveal the grievance of Will after going through the loss of a loved one. When Will sees Shawn crying, his tears also comes “bursting free”. The tears come into the scene as it “burst[ing] free”, as something that is forbidden and was trapped by Will’s follow of the rules. Though the rule clearly states no crying, Will can no longer hold in his grief. Something that burst free is generally unmanageable. Will’s loss of control of his emotions expose his true character. He is innocent and is only a kid. Even though Will tries to take actions that the people he looks up to will do, Reynolds implied how Will’s character is unsuitable to do such a brutal act, kill Rig to revenge.

Jason Reynolds also warns about the rightfulness of killing a person by the use of repetition in portraying the questioning of the revenge in Will’s confession to Shawn. In Will’s explanation, he states that he “knew it was Rig” to “thought it was Rig” and back to “knew it was Rig”. This fluctuation demonstrates the insecure in Will himself and displays the development of doubt in Will’s heart over whether the plan of the revenge is truly and spiritually the right thing for him to follow. If a person “knew” something, this is to be a fact. However, if a person “thought” something, this is only a thought that could be inaccurate. By using the inconsistent words, Reynolds exposes the instability within Will. Throughout the explanation, Will simply wants a reassurance from Shawn that he is doing the right thing. The author triggers the question, should he also blindly pursue the rules that the past generations have pursued that ultimately resulted in the reoccurring of the violence?

The author uses symbols to further explores the possible consequence that will supervene a gun violence. Reynolds uses the cigarettes to symbolize a revenge acted for a died. While everyone else has a cigarette, Shawn’s cigarette was “burning in [Will’s] stomach” and thus fills him with “stinging fire”. Smoking cigarettes can cause major health issues. In this case, the cigarette represents the negative effect of what a person’s death has caused. Will has not yet avenged for Shawn, in other words, he has not yet continued on this chain of violence. When one’s stomach is being burned by “stinging fire”, one suffers from extreme pain. Will, however, does not suffer from the physical pain, but the mental and emotional tortures. He is torn between whether he should continue this endless chain of revenge or remain calm and reconsider the murder. Through Reynolds’ use of representative symbolization, he reflects that an act one takes can conclude in intense outcomes that may affect another’s life miserable.

In the fast-paced novel, by using a variety of poetic devices and figurative languages including connotation, repetition, and symbolism, Jason Reynolds is able to explore the feelings of the broken, warn them about the miseries that may be the aftermath of an impulsive act, and guide them out of the darkness. At the end of the book, the author closes with “you coming?” to affirm that if you choose to do something, you have to be prepared for the consequences of your own actions.

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Long Way Down

Jason reynolds, ask litcharts ai: the answer to your questions, william (will) holloman quotes in long way down.

gets passed down like name-brand T-shirts around here. Always too big. Never ironed out.

gets inherited like a trunk of fool’s gold or a treasure map leading to nowhere.

ANOTHER THING ABOUT THE RULES

They weren’t meant to be broken. They were meant for the broken

NO. 1.1: SURVIVAL TACTICS (made plain)

Get down with some body

get beat down by some body.

I WRAPPED MY FINGERS

around the grip, placing them over Shawn’s prints like little brother holding big brother’s hand again,

walking me to the store, teaching me how to do a Penny Drop.

[...] I thought about this when the man with the gold chains got on and checked to see if the L button was already glowing. I wondered if he knew that in me and Shawn’s world, I’d already chosen to be

Then the bus-stop lean back to get a glimpse

of the world.

But the metal barrel dug into my back, making me wince, making me obvious

SHE BRUSHED HER HAND AGAINST MINE

to get my attention, which on any other occasion would’ve been the perfect open for me to flirt or at least try to do my best impression of Shawn,

which was his best impression of Buck.

WHEN THEY SAID

you were gone, I cried all night,

I confessed.

And the next morning, over hard-boiled eggs and sugar cereal, Shawn taught me Rule Number One—

I stood in the shower the next morning after Shawn taught me the first rule, no crying, feeling like I wanted to scratch my skin off scratch my eyes out punch through something, a wall, a face, anything, so something else could have a hole.

So I explained them to her so she wouldn’t think less of me for following them

So that she knew I had purpose

and that this was about family

and had I known The Rules when we were kids I would’ve done the same thing

Fly. Like Shawn. Foreshadowing the flash.

BUT TO EXPLAIN MYSELF

The Rules are the rules.

He knew them like I knew them.

Passed to him. Passed them to his little brother. Passed to my older brother. Passed to me.

The Rules have always ruled.

past present future forever.

it was like the word came out and at the same time time went in.

Went down into me and chewed on everything inside as if I had somehow swallowed my own teeth and they were sharper than I’d ever known.

he murmured, looking at Buck, motioning for a light.

It’s never the end,

Uncle Mark said, all chuckle, chuckle. He leaned toward Buck.

I was only three. And I don’t remember that. I’ve always wanted to,

but I don’t.

I so don’t.

A BROKEN HEART

killed my dad. That’s what my mother always said.

And as a kid I always figured his heart was forreal broken like an arm or a toy

or the middle drawer.

WHAT YOU THINK YOU SHOULD DO?

Follow the Rules,

I said just like I told everybody else.

Just like you did.

BUT YOU DID WHAT YOU HAD TO DO,

I said, after listening to my father admit what I had already known,

I didn’t know he wasn’t the right guy,

Pop said, a tremble in his throat.

I was sure that was Mark’s killer.

A DUMB THING TO SAY

would’ve been to tell Buck how important that soap was

that it stopped Mom from scraping loose a river of wounds.

But instead I just said,

about the drawer, the gun,

that I did like he told me, like Buck told him, like our grandfather told our uncle, like our uncle told our dad.

I followed The Rules. At least the first two.

AND EVEN THOUGH

his face was wet with tears he wasn’t supposed to cry when he was alive,

I couldn’t see him as anything less than my brother,

my favorite, my only.

Long Way Down

52 pages • 1 hour read

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