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long way down theme2020/09/28
The ghostly figures from the past have a strange relationship with time. But after everything that Wills been through, I find it very hard to believe that Will does go ahead and get revenge on the person who may not even be his brothers murderer. Two things began to turn Reynolds onto literature and poetry: rap music in the form of Queen Latifahs album. This is, importantly, something that Pop only found out after the fact, though its somewhat unclear if Pop knew he made a mistake when he was still alive or only figured it out after he died. A strap. like. You'll be able to access your notes and highlights, make requests, and get updates on new titles. Were doing this so that we can link the symbols back later. Time is up, and Will has to make a decision. 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. As the man who murdered [Buck] (p.244), he explains that he had shot Buck by accident because he had been scared. Over the course of the minute in which Will is in the elevator, ghosts of other people (many of them family members) who died as a result of similar violent incidents join Will. 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. that I didlike he told me,like Buck told him,like our grandfather toldour uncle, like our uncletold our dad. 9. he murmured, looking at Buck,motioning for a light. 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. Read a summary of the verse novel, find an in-depth analysis of its plot, and understand its ending. -Graham S. Below you will find the important quotes in, Would not have made it through AP Literature without the printable PDFs. Struggling with distance learning? 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. All storyboards and images are private and secure. Have students think creatively and "fill in the blanks" of conversation between Will and the other characters. A heater. You'll be able to access your notes and highlights, make requests, and get updates on new titles. Instant PDF downloads. I would definitely recommend Study.com to my colleagues. By the end of the novel, Will faces the question of whether he is going to be the one to stop the cycle of violence that claimed Shawn. This is why one bullet is missing from Wills gun. Fear is another important theme in Long Way Down. for RULE. 912 reviews 13.8k followers. And the only one who could have fired Shawns gun was Shawn. around the grip, placingthem over Shawnsprints like littlebrother holding bigbrothers hand again. 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. Instead, the men he encounters demonstrate what has happened to them as a result of following The Rules. No one else can view anything. Loyalty and Revenge. Ed. Revenge seems inevitable; none of the ghosts on the elevator who were killed by someone seeking revenge seem angered by this, merely resigned. Start your 48-hour free trial to get access to more than 30,000 additional guides and more than 350,000 Homework Help questions answered by our experts. A Long Way Gone is Ishmael Beah's noteworthy memoir published in 2007.Beah gives a firsthand account of his experiences as a child soldier during the Sierra Leone civil war in the 1990s. Comment. Mentorshipguidance provided by a trusted or experienced personis another important theme in Long Way Down. Will's father and brother both died shortly after their acts of revenge. Written by Beah in the United States after he returned to civilian life, the narrative gives real-life insight into how children can be coerced to commit terrible acts of war. They're like having in-class notes for every discussion!, This is absolutely THE best teacher resource I have ever purchased. I couldnt see himas anything lessthan my brother, Instant downloads of all 1715 LitChart PDFs Long Way Down tells the story of Will, a 15-year-old boy riding the elevator in his apartment building down to the lobby. 61 likes. After carrying out his revenge on his brothers killer, he had no peace. Next up is Uncle Mark. Just as Wills trying to think this through, the door to the next floor opens. The person that shot Shawn had to be someone who knew Frick, but when Dani describes Riggs to Frick, he responds, Who? (p.275). Will doesnt recognize her at first because the ghost he sees is older than he remembers Dani was Wills childhood friend. 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. The Rules stem from principles of masculinity that suppress vulnerability, and most of the novels characters follow The Rules. You'll be able to access your notes and highlights, make requests, and get updates on new titles. Copyright 1999 - 2023 GradeSaver LLC. His question asks Will if he is going to follow through with killing Riggs, and thus follow the ghosts into death when someone comes after Will. Print Word PDF. Some of Reynolds first successful works were partially written during slow times at the Rag and Bone store he managed. Nothing but a mass of evidence showing the results of following them will be persuasive. 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. Buck tells Will to check that the gun is even loaded. Unlisted storyboards can be shared via a link, but otherwise will remain hidden. Enrolling in a course lets you earn progress by passing quizzes and exams. Complete your free account to access notes and highlights. Struggling with distance learning? Long Way Down study guide contains a biography of Jason Reynolds, literature essays, quiz questions, major themes, characters, and a full summary and analysis. "Long Way Down Themes". This website helped me pass! The last lines of Long Way Down show Shawn finally breaking his silence with his brother to ask if he is coming. All other trademarks and copyrights are the property of their respective owners. Because of this, most of his booksincluding, Would not have made it through AP Literature without the printable PDFs. Creating notes and highlights requires a free LitCharts account. If anything, to avenge Shawn's death will guarantee Will is the next victim of Rule No. Teachers may opt to lower the security if they want to allow sharing. The moral that can be learned from this section is that "Treat others the way you want to be treated." Detailed quotes explanations with page numbers for every important quote on the site. But Bucks in the elevator? T-shirts around here. "But if the blood inside you is on the inside of someone else, you never want to see it on the outside of them.". However, when Will enters the elevator and meets with the ghosts of people he once knew, his commitment to revenge is shaken. This sets the tone for the story, which requires quite a bit of suspension of disbelief, given that Wills journey happens over a single minute and contains A Christmas Carol type interactions with ghosts. In a world that forbids men to weep, not even for their fallen brothers, Will cant find a way to cope. The novel's themes are the inevitability and futility of revenge and the element of choice, asking the question how much choice does Will actually have? Riggs probably killed Will's brother, Shawn, the day before yesterday. PDFs of modern translations of every Shakespeare play and poem. PDFs of modern translations of every Shakespeare play and poem. They're like having in-class notes for every discussion!, This is absolutely THE best teacher resource I have ever purchased. Over the course of the story, Wills interaction with the other characters continues to place doubt on the assumption that Riggs shot Shawn. Jason Reynolds' new novel Long Way Down is focused on a moment of decision. Try refreshing the page, or contact customer support. And thats not just because shes the only female ghost. While Will hopes to live by the same rules that led to the murders of so many loved ones, he comes to realize that if he is to live by The Rules, he will invariably die by The Rules. The original text plus a side-by-side modern translation of. Instant PDF downloads. The novels attitude to The Rules is critical, but it also suggests that people who live such difficult lives must have some code of conduct, and the law does not provide one for them. Explore the novel's summary, themes of revenge and choice, and genre classifications: magical realism, verse novel, and bildungsroman. No word is wasted in this book, and one thing it does brilliantly is symbolism. An ode to Put the Damn Guns Down, this is New York Times bestseller Jason Reynoldss fiercely stunning novel that takes place in sixty potent secondsthe time it takes a kid to decide whether or not hes going to murder the guy who killed his brother. Shawn had been able to carry out what Will is preparing to do, and because of this, someone else had killed him. resource to ask questions, find answers, and discuss thenovel. The nighttime had wormed its way into him. PDFs of modern translations of every Shakespeare play and poem. Never ironed out. "My students can't get enough of your charts and their results have gone through the roof." He knows who hes after. Detailed explanations, analysis, and citation info for every important quote on LitCharts. The greatest challenge comes when Will's father holds a handgun to Will's head, prompting a physiological expression of fear as Will involuntarily wets his pants. It happens in an elevator teenaged Will is on his way to take revenge for the murder . Uncle Mark quietly corrects him: its never the end (p.194), coming back to the cycle of violence and the consequences of following The Rules. 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. From the creators of SparkNotes, something better. This is only the first part of Will's . And stray bullets had cut through the playground, and Will had tried to cover her, but she was hit anyway, and so what she wants to know, on that fifth floor elevator stop, is, what if Will, Will with the gun shoved in the back waistband of his jeans, MISSES. From the creators of SparkNotes, something better. All of the ghosts in the elevator are interesting in their own way, but the second person who enters the elevator, Dani, is especially fascinating to me. 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. 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. 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. The broader issue at the heart of Long Way Down is the omnipresent gun violence Will and his community must deal with. This is the last anagram that he makes in the book and really demonstrates how much his encounter with Frick changes things. Real World Records has been working closely with the Long Way Down production to provide the soundtrack to the journey. 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? A cannon. I wondered if he knewthat in me and Shawns world, Id already chosen to be. that I didlike he told me,like Buck told him,like our grandfather toldour uncle, like our uncletold our dad. Teachers and parents! The clearest symbol of vulnerability in this novel is crying; it is the first Rule, and the act that most clearly expresses weakness. Refine any search. to get my attention,which on any otheroccasion wouldvebeen the perfectopen for me to flirtor at least try to domy best impression of Shawn, And the next morning, over hard-boiled eggsand sugar cereal,Shawn taught meRule Number One, So I explained them toher so she wouldnt thinkless of me for followingthem, and had I known The Rules when wewere kids I wouldvedone the same thing. Struggling with distance learning? The author seems to regard The Rules as being so deeply inculcated in men that it would be futile simply to say that they are destructive. Finally, I found Wills fascination with anagrams interesting, especially since there are five (maybe six) anagrams scattered across the book. "Long Way Down - Themes" eNotes Publishing The ones that I want to highlight are the middle drawer, the nighttime, and Wills use of anagrams. Teacher Editions with classroom activities for all 1715 titles we cover. All rights reserved. Will encounters three dead members of his own family who followed and passed on The Rules. Or, you can call it a gun. You'll also get updates on new titles we publish and the ability to save highlights and notes. 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 . LitCharts Teacher Editions. Created by the original team behind SparkNotes, LitCharts are the world's best literature guides. Buck, Will finds out, is who gave Shawn the gun before Will took the gun. Revenge. If there are two dates, the date of publication and appearance The ubiquity of violence has led Will and the others in his neighborhood to develop various survival strategies. When Will's older brother Shawn is shot dead on the playground outside their building, Will takes Shawn's gun and sets out to . Prologue Quotes. Dani is the reminder of Wills childhood and the seed for the cycle of violence to begin in him. How do you feel about symbolism in works of fiction, and where else have you seen it done well? Always too big. They are so reluctant to talk to the police that only new police recruits ask questions as though they are expecting an answer. Throughout the book, masculinity arises as a key theme. They will also appear in Google search results. 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. All of the characters that Will meets are victims of gun violence and each of them adds depth to the themes and the story. Olson, Maxwell. Therefore, the very fact that Will is still willing to arm himself and avenge Shawns death suggests that Will prioritizes his loyalty to the dead over his loyalty to the living, even if the living will be the ones who get hurt. 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. Wills father, Pop, was killed when Will was a toddleras much as Will wants to remember Pop, he doesnt. (including. Detailed explanations, analysis, and citation info for every important quote on LitCharts. With Will's decision to shoot Riggs for presumably shooting Shawn, Reynolds shows how gun violence is perpetuated in communities like Will's. PDF downloads of all 1715 LitCharts literature guides, and of every new one we publish. A fifteen-year-old Black teen, Will has grown up in an unnamed impoverished neighborhood with a high incidence of gun violence, drug abuse, and gang activity. 2023
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