Long Way Down
by Jason Reynolds

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Prologue Quotes

BEEF

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.

Related Characters: William (Will) Holloman (speaker), Shawn Holloman, Will’s Mother
Page Number and Citation: 27
Explanation and Analysis:
Will notes the way his mother scratches her eczema as though something is eating her—like she’s “beef.” Will extends this metaphor into talking about the metaphorical “beef” that gets passed down and around in Will’s community—meaning the cycle of violence in the neighborhood. The way he describes beef here implies, first of all, that the conflict in his community is pointless: it’s like fool’s gold or a map that doesn’t lead anywhere. In this sense, Will already understands that the violence raging through his community doesn’t do any good—from a logical standpoint, it doesn’t make any sense. And yet, of 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 aliq

ANOTHER THING ABOUT THE RULES

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

to follow.

Related Characters: William (Will) Holloman (speaker), Shawn Holloman
Page Number and Citation: 35
Explanation and Analysis:
As Will explains “the Rules” of his neighborhood (no crying, no snitching, and seek revenge), he suggests that it’s impossible to break them, and that people who are “broken” must follow them. In this way, the Rules seem to have come about as a way for traumatized individuals to deal with their difficult emotions. This recognizes, importantly, that people experiencing difficult emotions like grief, anger, and fear need an outlet or coping mechanism. However, the Rules themselves also put forth the idea that one shouldn’t use their emotions for anything but violent revenge. This, the Rules propose, is the only 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

NO. 1.1: SURVIVAL TACTICS (made plain)

Get
down
with
some
body

or

get
beat
down
by
some
body.

Related Characters: William (Will) Holloman (speaker), Carlson Riggs, Shawn Holloman
Page Number and Citation: 56
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

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.

Related Characters: William (Will) Holloman (speaker), Shawn Holloman
Related Symbols: The Gun
Page Number and Citation: 64
Explanation and Analysis:
The morning after Shawn’s death, before Will gets on his apartment building’s elevator, he puts his fingers around Shawn’s gun so that his hand is right where Shawn’s would’ve been. This simple moment is something that makes Will feel close to Shawn again,  and shows that what Will craves most is guidance and mentorship. Shawn was essentially Will’s mentor before he died, but as far as Will is concerned, there’s nobody else who might be able to help him since most of his other family members are dead as well. This, in turn, makes Will feel as though he has 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. Eligendi atque placeat. Molestiae earum eum. Libero sit beata

Seven Quotes

[...] 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

a loser.

Related Characters: William (Will) Holloman (speaker), Shawn Holloman, Buck
Related Symbols: The Elevator, The L Button
Page Number and Citation: 75
Explanation and Analysis:
When Buck (whom Will doesn’t recognize) gets on the elevator, Will explains how, when he and Shawn were kids, they believed that the “L” (lobby) button meant that everyone but them who was going to the lobby was a loser. Now, Will believes he’s the loser. This shows just how mature Will is capable of being, even at such a young age—he clearly realizes that killing Carlson Riggs will turn him into a loser of some sort, whether because he dies (loses his life) or goes to prison (loses out on having a normal life). In other words, Will understands 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 offici

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.

Related Characters: William (Will) Holloman (speaker), Carlson Riggs, Dani, Buck
Related Symbols: The Elevator, The Gun
Page Number and Citation: 111
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.

Related Characters: William (Will) Holloman (speaker), Dani, Carlson Riggs, Buck
Page Number and Citation: 117
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

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—

no crying.

Related Characters: William (Will) Holloman (speaker), Dani, Shawn Holloman
Page Number and Citation: 135
Explanation and Analysis:
Once Will figures out that the young woman in the elevator is the ghost of his childhood friend Dani (who was shot and killed when they were eight years old), Will confesses that Dani’s death led to him learning the first “Rule” of the neighborhood: “no crying.” Trauma seems to be the primary experiences that forces children grow up in Will’s neighborhood. Dani’s death was extremely traumatic for Will, forcing him to take a step toward adulthood in order to deal with the pain. However, that step toward adulthood is also a step away from dealing with his emotions in 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. Qu

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.

Related Characters: William (Will) Holloman (speaker), Dani, Shawn Holloman
Page Number and Citation: 136
Explanation and Analysis:
Will tells the reader that after Dani’s death, he struggled to follow the first “Rule” of his neighborhood (no crying), and felt as though he wanted to act out violently as a result. The third Rule (which states that individuals must seek revenge for their slain loved ones) directly justifies violence, but the first Rule also does a lot to create a culture of repression and violence. At this point, Will is young and can’t fully process his grief, so it’s telling that when he’s cut off from the one outlet he has, he wants to scratch or punch something. 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 nec

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.

Related Characters: William (Will) Holloman (speaker), Carlson Riggs, Dani, Shawn Holloman
Related Symbols: The Elevator
Page Number and Citation: 141
Explanation and Analysis:
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.

Related Characters: William (Will) Holloman (speaker), Shawn Holloman, Carlson Riggs, Uncle Mark
Page Number and Citation: 159
Explanation and Analysis:
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.

Related Characters: William (Will) Holloman (speaker), Pop, Uncle Mark, Carlson Riggs, Shawn Holloman
Related Symbols: The Elevator
Page Number and Citation: 173
Explanation and Analysis:
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

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.

Related Characters: William (Will) Holloman (speaker), Uncle Mark, Pop, Shawn Holloman
Page Number and Citation: 174
Explanation and Analysis:
Will tells the reader that Uncle Mark knows the Rules as well as Will does, and lays out the path the Rules took from Uncle Mark to Will. In doing so, Will convinces himself that it’s impossible to argue with the Rules—this is how his world works, and as far as he’s concerned, always has. This is, of course, not true—the Rules had to have come from somewhere, and were created by people (probably grieving people) to deal with their emotional pain. Ignoring the underlying reality of the Rules, however, allows Will to think of them as something constant and 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

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.

Related Characters: William (Will) Holloman (speaker), Uncle Mark, Shawn Holloman, Carlson Riggs
Related Symbols: The Gun
Page Number and Citation: 190
Explanation and Analysis:
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.

Related Characters: Uncle Mark (speaker), William (Will) Holloman, Shawn Holloman, Buck, Carlson Riggs
Related Symbols: The Gun
Page Number and Citation: 192
Explanation and Analysis:
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 was only three.
And I don’t remember that.
I’ve always wanted to,

but I don’t.

I so don’t.

Related Characters: William (Will) Holloman (speaker), Shawn Holloman, Pop
Related Symbols: The Elevator
Page Number and Citation: 201
Explanation and Analysis:
Will shares a story that Shawn told often him, of Pop taking them trick-or-treating one Halloween and making three-year-old Will laugh. Because Will was so young at the time, he doesn’t remember this. Will’s lack of memories about his father illustrates another way in which his family is fractured: though Will knows he was loved and admires his father’s memory, there’s very little for Will to go off of as he attempts to figure who Pop was. In turn, this makes Will feel even more alone and pressured to become an adult, as he doesn’t believe there’s anyone else who 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 del

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.

Related Characters: William (Will) Holloman (speaker), Pop, Shawn Holloman
Related Symbols: The Middle Drawer
Page Number and Citation: 202
Explanation and Analysis:
Will explains that, according to his mother, Pop died of a broken heart—and that when Will was a kid, he figured Pop’s heart was literally broken. Though Will’s literal interpretation does suggest how immature he was at the time, it’s also worth noting that when the ghost of Uncle Mark asks Will to say outright that he’s going to kill Carlson Riggs, Will feels physical pain. It’s possible that by acknowledging the physical pain Pop may have felt in his grief, Will is trying to speak to the magnitude of grief in general—even if it’s not actually something that causes 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

WHAT YOU THINK YOU SHOULD DO?

he asked.

Follow the Rules,

I said
just like I told
everybody else.

Just like you did.

Related Characters: William (Will) Holloman (speaker), Pop (speaker), Uncle Mark, Shawn Holloman
Page Number and Citation: 210
Explanation and Analysis:
When Pop asks Will what Will thinks he should do, Will stands firm by his belief that he—like all the male role models in his life—must follow the Rules of the neighborhood. Most importantly, Will suggests that by following through with the Rules, he’d be following in Pop’s footsteps, something his tone implies is positive and that Pop should be proud of. For Will, the rules are a way to connect to his deceased family members, whom he misses terribly and wishes he’d gotten to get to know. The most appropriate way to connect to them, however, isn’t poring over 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

BUT YOU DID WHAT YOU HAD TO DO,

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

The Rules
are the rules.

Related Characters: William (Will) Holloman (speaker), Pop, Will’s Mother
Page Number and Citation: 217
Explanation and Analysis:
In this passage, Pop is almost done telling Will the story of killing a man named Gee, whom he believed to be Uncle Mark’s killer. However, Will insists that this is all old news—all it does reaffirm that the Rules of the neighborhood should be followed. For Will, it doesn’t matter that Pop believes killing Gee was a disturbing, horrendous act—in Will’s mind, Pop did what was supposed to do and avenged Uncle Mark’s death. This shows that Will, possibly subconsciously, prioritizes loyalty to the dead over the wellbeing of those still living. This is why he never says anything 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 exped

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.

Related Characters: Pop (speaker), Carlson Riggs, William (Will) Holloman, Uncle Mark
Page Number and Citation: 220
Explanation and Analysis:
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.

Related Characters: William (Will) Holloman (speaker), Shawn Holloman, Carlson Riggs, Will’s Mother, Buck
Page Number and Citation: 255
Explanation and Analysis:
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

I TOLD HIM

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.

Related Characters: William (Will) Holloman (speaker), Shawn Holloman, Buck, Pop, Uncle Mark
Related Symbols: The Elevator, The Gun, The Middle Drawer
Page Number and Citation: 293
Explanation and Analysis:
When Shawn finally joins everyone in the elevator, Will shares everything with him and insists that he’s doing exactly what Shawn told him to do. This is also the final time that Will draws out the chain of violence that the Rules have created, reaching back to their grandfather. Again, Will’s insistence on putting his own actions into this context reinforces to himself that he’s upholding the family tradition and doing what men in his family are supposed to do. Following the Rules means avenging Shawn’s death, and blindly accepting the Rules means Will doesn’t have to think as hard 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 necessi

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.

Related Characters: William (Will) Holloman (speaker), Shawn Holloman, Carlson Riggs
Page Number and Citation: 299
Explanation and Analysis:
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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