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Uncle Mark
Shawn’s former friend, who Will thinks murdered Shawn. Will believes this because Riggs recently moved and joined a rival gang, the Dark Suns, and Shawn was killed in Dark Suns territory while on an errand to buy his mother special soap for her eczema. Riggs is short and handsome. Will says that when Riggs was young, he was “as soft as his first name,” but also a loudmouth. His mom made him take gymnastics as a kid, which Will insists is why Riggs became so violent and got involved with gangs as an adult—wearing tights and doing cartwheels meant Riggs needed to defend himself for being unmanly according to the neighborhood’s standards. Riggs’s gymnastics background allowed him to teach Shawn how to do a Penny Drop, a flip off of a monkey bar. The Penny Drop was something that made Will feel connected to both Shawn and to Riggs, which now makes the prospect of killing Riggs somewhat more difficult for Will. Despite Will’s firm belief that Riggs killed Shawn, there’s little hard evidence for this—the ghost of Frick (the man who, in theory, Riggs avenged by killing Shawn) doesn’t recognize Riggs’s description. Riggs himself never appears in the novel and it remains ambiguous as to whether Will will follow through with killing Riggs or abandon his plan.
Carlson Riggs Quotes in Long Way Down
The Long Way Down quotes below are all either spoken by Carlson Riggs or refer to Carlson Riggs. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
).
Prologue Quotes
NO. 1.1: SURVIVAL TACTICS (made plain)
Get
down
with
some
body
or
get
beat
down
by
some
body.
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Explanation and Analysis:
In this quote, Will gives one of many reasons why he believes Carlson Riggs killed Shawn. This one offers important insight about Will’s neighborhood: in order to survive in their community, individuals must either join in on the violence or become a victim of that violence themselves. This speaks to the cutthroat nature of Will’s neighborhood—he and Riggs live in an environment in which any perceived weakness puts them in danger of being hurt or killed by someone else. Though this doesn’t excuse any of the violence that Will describes over the course of his story, it does begin to Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae voluptates. Explicabo minus tempore. Nost
Six Quotes
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
and wack.
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Explanation and Analysis:
When Dani first gets on the elevator, Will doesn’t know who she is or that she’s really a ghost. He tries to look up her skirt but fails to do so sneakily because the gun in his waistband digs into his back. It’s worth considering that if Will follows through and kills Carlson Riggs to avenge Shawn’s death, the gun has the potential to prevent him from ever having a successful romantic relationship, since he will likely either go to prison or die himself. Will doesn’t make his connection himself, but the reader can infer that if this happens, not Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati.
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.
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Explanation and Analysis:
Dani touches Will to refocus his attention, and Will tells the reader that he’d normally try to flirt with her. This continues to make the case that even in light of Will’s plans to kill Carlson Riggs, he’s still a normal teenage boy who desires normal teenage and adult experiences—such as flirting with cute girls. Will doesn’t yet seem to realize that if he kills Riggs, the opportunity for a fulfilling romantic relationship may disappear forever. Though killing Riggs might make Will an adult in the eyes of his violent community, he will also lose out on the chance to Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae voluptates. Explicabo minus tempore. Nostrum dolor asperiores. Ut aliquam officiis. Unde enim nesciunt. Commodi necessitatibus voluptas. Accusamus eaque omnis. Velit eaque error. Possimus corrupti soluta. Qui aut a. Rerum voluptas debitis. Voluptatem accusantium est. Mollitia eaque ipsa. Perferendis consectetur et. Dicta impedit ut. Ducimus possimus quo. Non inventore in. El
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
for her.
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Since Dani died before she learned “the Rules” of the neighborhood, Will explains them to Dani when he meets her ghost on the elevator. Will does so in hopes that his explanation will make Dani see that Will’s plan to kill Carlson Riggs isn’t just senseless violence. Will clearly puts a lot of stock in the Rules—he wholeheartedly believes that they’re the only way to deal with grief and properly demonstrate one’s loyalty to a deceased loved one. This suggests, in turn, that Will doesn’t put a lot of faith in other grieving traditions that honor or remember the dead. Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae voluptates. Explicabo minus tempore. Nostrum dolor asperiores. Ut aliquam officiis. Unde enim nesciunt. Commodi necessitatibus voluptas. Accusamus eaque omnis. Velit eaque error. Possimus corrupti soluta. Qui aut a. Rerum voluptas debitis. Voluptatem accusantium est. Mollitia eaque ipsa. Perfe
Five Quotes
Fly.
Like Shawn.
Foreshadowing the flash.
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As Will describes Uncle Mark’s impeccable manner of dress, he suggests that Mark’s death and appearance—which both resemble Shawn’s—foreshadowed Shawn’s death. This is another way for Will to see that the violence in his community is a cycle or a chain that gets passed from person to person—the same story seems to play out over multiple generations. In the case of Shawn and Uncle Mark, Will implies that both of them were involved in selling drugs and both stood out because of their striking appearances, turning them into targets for other nefarious individuals. As Will makes these connections, he also Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae voluptates. Explicabo minus tempore. Nostrum dolor asperiores. Ut aliquam officii
BUT TO EXPLAIN MYSELF
I said,
The Rules are
the rules.
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While explaining why he has to kill Carlson Riggs to Uncle Mark, Will reminds his uncle that “the Rules are / the rules,” implying that everyone in their community knows the Rules cannot be broken. Will’s total acceptance of the Rules is a convenient way for him to get out thinking critically about what the Rules really mean, what the consequences of following them are, and what other options might be out there for him. If the Rules are as inarguable as Will says, of course it makes sense to follow them. But given that Will is in an elevator Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae voluptates. Explicabo minus tempore. Nostrum dolor asperiores. Ut aliquam officiis. Unde enim nesciunt. Commodi necessitatibus voluptas. Accusamus eaque omn
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.
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Uncle Mark talks Will through the “scene” of what shooting Carlson Riggs will look like, and finally gets Will to say outright that he’s going to shoot Riggs. The experience of saying this causes Will physical pain, suggesting that he’s not actually prepared to follow through with his plan. This is an important exercise for Will to think about going forward, as it shows Will that it’s not just Riggs who’s going to suffer when Will shoots him. Will will suffer too: he’ll have to cope with the guilt of killing someone, and will likely either end up in prison Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae voluptates. Explicabo minus tempore. Nostrum dolor asperiores. Ut aliquam officiis. Unde enim ne
The end?
he murmured,
looking at Buck,
motioning for a light.
It’s never the end,
Uncle Mark said,
all chuckle, chuckle.
He leaned toward Buck.
Never.
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When Uncle Mark asks Will what’s going to happen after Will shoots Carlson Riggs, Will insists that shooting Riggs is the end of the story, something that Uncle Mark insists isn’t true. Uncle Mark makes an important point here: though they may be able to end this hypothetical “scene” anywhere they want, in real life, Will is going to have to go on and live with the consequences of whatever he chooses—life won’t automatically return to normal the moment he shoots Riggs. In all likelihood, Will’s life will become even more painful and difficult, given that someone else will probably Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae voluptates. Explicabo minus tempore. Nostrum dolor asperiores. Ut aliquam officiis. Unde enim nesciunt. Commodi necessitatibus voluptas. Accusamus eaque omnis. Velit eaq
Four Quotes
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.
Had
to
be.
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With difficulty, Pop admits to Will that he shot and killed the wrong guy when he tried to avenge Uncle Mark’s death. The language Pop uses to describe his thought process, and how sure he was that he had the right guy, is significant—it is, almost word for word, exactly the reasoning Will gives for believing Carlson Riggs killed Shawn. The fact that Pop got it wrong, then, casts doubts on whether Will has the right guy, or if he’s simply going to repeat Pop’s mistake by following the Rules. While it’s usually impossible to know the secrets of the Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae voluptates. Explicabo minus tempore. Nostrum dolor asperiores. Ut aliquam officiis. Unde enim nesciunt. Commodi necessitatibus volup
Three Quotes
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,
Riggs.
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Buck tells what seems to be an unrelated, rambling story about a conversation with Shawn. He mentions that Shawn spoke about having to buy special soap for his mother at a store in the Dark Suns gang’s territory. Will insists that it would’ve made him look dumb to share how important that soap is to his mother’s mental and physical health—at this point, Will still believes it’s more important to demonstrate his loyalty to Shawn by avenging his death than it is to show his loyalty to his mother by going home to her. Will seems to think that showing Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit.
Two Quotes
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.
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At the climax of the novel, Will comes to a shocking conclusion: he doesn’t love Shawn less even though Shawn’s ghost is breaking the Rules by crying. Finally, Will understands that showing emotion isn’t a bad thing, and it doesn’t change someone into a bad or unworthy person—it simply makes them human. This offers hope that once Will reaches the lobby, he’ll have the wherewithal to critically evaluate what he knows about the Rules. In a best-case scenario, this would mean that Will could decide against killing Carlson Riggs—doing so would likely mean he’d end up dead, like Shawn, or Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae voluptates. Explicabo minus tempore. Nostrum dolor asperiores. Ut aliquam officiis. Unde enim nesciunt. Com
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Carlson Riggs Character Timeline in Long Way Down
The timeline below shows where the character Carlson Riggs appears in Long Way Down. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
Prologue
In Will’s neighborhood, Carlson Riggs is known for being loud, but gentle. Some say he talks so much trash because...
(full context)
Not long ago, Riggs moved to a part of town that’s home to the Dark Suns gang. He wanted...
(full context)
...shirt, a name-brand hand-me-down from Shawn, covers it. Will’s plan is to wait for Carlson Riggs outside of Rigg’s apartment building. Will thinks it’ll be safest in the morning, when none...
(full context)
Seven
...explains what happened. His anger tastes sour in his throat as he says that Carlson Riggs of the Dark Suns was the one who killed Shawn. Buck folds his arms, shakes...
(full context)
Six
...know, but Dani asks Will to tell her himself anyway. Will says he thinks Carlson Riggs of the Dark Suns did it—it had to be him.
(full context)
Five
...Shawn’s gun. Will thinks about the Rules, and the next day, he decides to find Rigg—the guy who he knows killed Shawn. Will gets into the elevator, goes down to the...
(full context)
Three
...Buck about how important that soap is to their mother, so instead he says that Riggs was the Dark Sun that Shawn was talking about. Buck replies he doesn’t know the...
(full context)
Buck asks Will how he knows that Riggs got Shawn. Will says it makes sense—Riggs avenged Frick’s death. Dani pipes up and asks...
(full context)
Two
...explains that he’s on his way to follow through on Rule No. 3 and kill Riggs. He says three times he knows it was Riggs.
(full context)
