From long way down by Jason reynolds

Question

EACH ENTRY IN YOUR READER'S NOTEBOOK WILL HAVE
4 SECTIONS:
1. PLOT SUMMARY
2. CHARACTERIZATION PRACTICE
3. KEY MOMENT QUOTE
4. idea for a drawing

Answer 1

1. PLOT SUMMARY
"Long Way Down" by Jason Reynolds is a gripping and evocative novel-in-verse that covers the 60-second journey of 15-year-old Will, as he rides the elevator from his apartment on the seventh floor to the lobby, contemplating revenge after his older brother Shawn's murder. Each floor brings a different ghost from Will's tragic past, who confronts him with the brutal cycle of violence in which he's been trapped, and pushes him to question the unwritten rules that his community lives by.

2. CHARACTERIZATION PRACTICE
The protagonist, Will, starts off as a typical teenager mourning his brother's death and seeking revenge. However, as he encounters the spirits he's personally connected with, he evolves into a more introspective and uncertain character. Shawn, though killed before the narrative begins, is painted as a protective figure in Will's life, embodying the cultural norm derived from the 'rules'. Each ghost, including Buck, Daddy, and Uncle Mark, symbolizes a different facet of the violent cycle that imprisons them, reflecting the harsh realities of their world in nuanced ways.

3. KEY MOMENT QUOTE
"If the blood inside you is on the inside of
someone else,
you never want to
see it on the outside of
them." - This profound stanza reflects the consequential internal dilemma Will faces as he grapples with the thought of shedding blood for revenge.

4. IDEA FOR A DRAWING
A powerful drawing could illustrate Will inside the elevator, split into seven floors. Each floor could show a different ghost he encounters - Buck, his father, his uncle, etc. Their expressions could range from regret to pain to defiance, showcasing the complexities of their lives and deaths. The last frame could depict the lobby empty - no one to receive the bullet - symbolizing Will's potential transformation.