It will pair well with Angie Thomas's The Hate U Give and Reynolds's previous works. Point out examples of language that enhances the story, and defines character, setting, and theme. At each floor, a different person gets on to tell a story. 11. Are these ghosts? Reynolds's work is rich with symbolism, the verse lending a feeling of immediacy to the 300-page, 60-second journey. novels by PBS’s The Great American Read. What message do you think they are trying to convey? Ghost. Long Way Down DOCUMENTARY Three years after Long Way Round, Ewan McGregor and Charley Boorman set off on a 15,000-mile journey from the northernmost tip of Scotland to the southernmost tip of South Africa, mixing their love of motorcycles with the lure of far-flung roads. And truth is, you probably ain’t gon’ believe it either gon’ think I’m lying or I’m losing it, but I’m telling you, this story is true. It did. Siân Gaetano, children's and YA editor, Shelf Awareness Shelf Talker: Will is visited by the ghosts of victims of gun violence as he prepares to kill someone himself in Jason Reynolds's thoughtful and captivating Long Way Down. In what ways does the protagonist encompass multiple meanings of his name? S1, E1 Oct 28, 2007 52 min. Why do you think Will’s father pulls the gun on Will? Long Way Down is an intense read with a beautifully ambiguous ending that highlights the humanity of those who are regularly touched by and contribute to gun violence. He’s properly freaked out, but as the seconds tick by and floors count down, each new occupant drops some knowledge and pushes Will to examine his plans for that gun. 6. Long Way Down is a television series and book documenting a motorcycle journey undertaken in 2007 by Ewan McGregor and Charley Boorman, from John o' Groats in Scotland through eighteen countries in Europe and Africa to Cape Town in South Africa. How did he die? Long Way Down is the story of 15 year old Will, whose older brother was just killed. Find an example of figurative language that you think is especially effective and explain why it is significant. Do they inform or complicate your understanding of the text? It so did. You Save 13%. Where do you think Will will be five years after the end of the book?Extension Activities 1. What questions does she have for Will? Write a narrative poem or narrative essay about your own experience. “Long Way Down” is the 7th track on One Direction’s fifth studio album, Made in the A.M. All orders are custom made and most ship worldwide within 24 hours. Long Way Down Lyrics: Walking on the rooftops / Talking of times / With our eyes a-glowing / Like the city lights / She stands on the ledge / She says, "It looks so high" / … HIGH-DEMAND BACKSTORY: A noisy buzz always surrounds this critically acclaimed author’s work, and the planned tour and promo campaign will boost this book’s to a siren call. Why do you think Uncle Mark wants Will to act out what will happen when he follows the rules? Shortly after Shawn left, Will and his friend, who were talking outside, heard shots. Dead. Reynolds’ concise verses echo like shots against the white space of the page, their impact resounding. Why do you think Reynolds includes these indications of the passage of time? The curriculum has all lessons necessary to complete a successful novel unit. Terms in this set (65) How does Will feel initially about Shawn's death, and what metaphor does he use to describe the feeling? Now, according to the “rules” passed from father to son, brother to brother, revenge is the next order of business, and Carlon Riggs, a member of the Dark Suns gang, is in Will’s crosshairs. He felt shocked like … 7 days free, then $4.99/month. When Will puts the gun in the back of his pants, what nickname does he use for it? “but if blood inside you is on the inside of someone else, you never want to see it on the outside of … Why did he keep dealing? 3. Because poems often include meter and sound devices (such as alliteration, onomatopoeia, repetition, assonance, and rhyme—including internal and slant rhyme), we often talk about the musicality of poems. lifestyle book—from the chef behind the hit cooking show How to Live to 100Let’s face it: not everyone is in the mood for wheatgrass shots, seaweed ... A National Book Award Finalist for Young People’s Literature. “The worst part… / is the constant slipping / of your tongue / into the new empty space” (Part 1, Page 6) Will thinks about grief and how it feels for him. While rap music is sometimes criticized for being misogynistic and/or glorifying violence, drug use, and gang culture, rap music has also brought to light issues of social justice and been a catalyst for reflection, awareness, and change. A Reading Group Guide toLong Way Down By Jason ReynoldsAbout the Book Will has known about the rules ever since his childhood friend was killed on the playground, and he’s followed the first two: no crying, and no snitching. Through mutual pain and humour, this unlikely group take the long way down and figure out what will keep them alive until Valentine's Day, one step at a time. Learn vocabulary, terms, and more with flashcards, games, and other study tools. This includes things like length, shape, line breaks (including the use of enjambment and caesura), and spacing on the page. What are “The Rules”? The structure of the novel heightens the tension, as each stop of the elevator brings a new challenge until the narrative arrives at its taut, ambiguous ending. For a better shopping experience, please upgrade now. Compare Will’s conflict in Long Way Down to the conflict of the speaker in William Stafford’s poem “Fifteen”. STUDY. (Verse fiction. The day before yesterday, Will's older brother, Shawn, went to the other side of their largely black neighborhoodpurportedly crossing rival linesto get their mother special soap for her eczema. 16. 18. Long Way Down Long Way Down Unlike a traditional prose novel, Long Way Down is written in verse. How is he related to the story? © 2013 WMG Goo Goo Dolls - "Long Way Down" [Official Video] www.googoodolls.comThe new album Boxes featuring the single "So Alive" is available now. Apple Inc. Teens are left with an unresolved ending that goes beyond the simple question of whether Will will seek revenge. Sunny. 10. Taking the gun jammed into Shawn’s dresser, Will heads to the elevator on the seventh floor of his apartment building and presses the “L” button (which he and Shawn used to pretend stood for “loser” rather than “lobby”) at 9:08:02 am. Think about a time when you were faced with a moral dilemma. Get ready to rock delicious, meat-free recipes like a boss with this vegan recipe and ... Get ready to rock delicious, meat-free recipes like a boss with this vegan recipe and He knows where Shawn keeps his gun, and he thinks he knows who the shooter is: a member of a rival gang named Riggs. Read alone (though best aloud), the novel is a high-stakes moral thriller; it’s also a perfect if daring choice for readers’ theater. Will notes that his brother idolized the rappers Tupac and Biggie. The book received favorable reviews and won awards. Three years after Long Way Round, Ewan McGregor and Charley Boorman set off on a 15,000-mile journey from the northernmost tip of Scotland to the southernmost tip of South Africa, mixing their love of motorcycles with the lure of far-flung roads. What choice did you make? Will’s older brother, Shawn, has been shot. 4. Unlike a traditional prose novel, Long Way Down is written in verse. Look at some examples of crime reporting; then, using as many specific details from the text as you can, write a newspaper article about Shawn’s murder. Explain your answer. You may choose to create a soundtrack for the text using existing music, or you may want to create your own beats to accompany a moment or moments in the text. And so it goes, each stop of the elevator adding to the chorus of ghosts (including Will and Shawn’s father), each one with his or her perspective on The Rules. Inspired designs on t-shirts, posters, stickers, home decor, and more by independent artists and designers from around the world. When the terrain finally changes, it causes even more problems. Support. Why doesn’t Will recognize Dani at first? As they relate their tales, readers learn about the cycle of violence in which Will is caught up. Storyline In a follow-up to the documentary series "Long Way Round", actors and best friends Ewan McGregor and Charlie Boorman travel from John O'Groats, Scotland down to Cape Town, South Africa on motorcycles. The newest work for teens by Jason Reynolds (author of As Brave As You and Ghost, and 2017 Indies First spokesperson) begins with 15-year-old William speaking directly to the reader: "I haven't/ told nobody the story/ I'm about to tell you./ And truth is, you probably ain't/ gon' believe it either/ gon' think I'm lying/ or I'm losing it,/ but I'm telling you,/ this story is true." 19. Will feels a sadness so great, he can’t explain it. He peels back the individual stories that led to this moment in the elevator and exposes a culture inured to violence because poverty, gang life, or injustice has left them with no other option. The soft sand in Kenya makes it difficult to keep the bikes upright. 5. Long Way Down is a 2017 young adult's book by Jason Reynolds told in free verse. As the ghosts of those killed congregate in the elevator to tell Will their stories, their interconnected tales are untangled and Will begins to see how the things he thinks he knows may not be true at all, and that The Rules just perpetuate the cycle of violence and keep everyone down. ★ 07/31/2017Will, 15, is following his neighborhood’s well-established rules—don’t cry, don’t snitch, but do get revenge “if someone you love/ gets killed”—when he leaves his apartment, intent on killing whoever murdered his older brother, Shawn. Though the African-American teen has never held one, Will leaves his apartment with his brother's gun tucked in his waistband. The next 200-plus pages of action take place between the time Will enters the elevator and when it reaches the lobby a moment later, at 9:09:09 a.m. As Will takes the long trip down, a new person boards at every floor. Long Way Down, then, speaks to the culture of loyalty, revenge, and violence that exists in some American neighborhoods, especially those with gang violence or drug activity. Though the novel doesn’t pay as much attention to the role of the police in these situations, it does make the distrust between police and black communities clear. How do you think Will answers this question? Each of these people is already dead. Compare the development of these themes in Reynolds’s novel to a classic revenge story like Romeo and Juliet, Hamlet, The Iliad, or The Count of Monte Cristo. relay.” —Kirkus Reviews Lu must learn to leave his ego on the sidelines if he wants to finally connect with others in the climax to ... Current price is $10.49, Original price is $11.99. Why did Uncle Mark start dealing drugs? "Long Way Down" is the fifth single by the Goo Goo Dolls from their 1995 breakthrough album, A Boy Named Goo. Copyright © 2021 Reynolds masterfully weaves in textured glimpses of the supporting characters. 5. Created by. Nominated as one of America’s best-loved ... A National Book Award Finalist for Young People’s Literature. He’s emboldened by the gun tucked into his waistband: “I put my hand behind my back/ felt the imprint/ of the piece, like/ another piece/ of me/ an extra vertebra,/ some more/ backbone.” As Will makes his way to the ground floor of his building, the elevator stops to accept passengers, each an important figure from his past, all victims of gun violence. The crowd backs its way into buildings and down blocks until nothing is left but the tape. 8. Who does Will believe killed his brother? What does Will tell his brother? Do you think he’s right? VERDICT This powerful work is an important addition to any collection.—Kristin Anderson, Columbus Metropolitan Library System, OH, ★ 2017-07-02After 15-year-old Will sees his older brother, Shawn, gunned down on the streets, he sets out to do the expected: the rules dictate no crying, no snitching, and revenge. Now that the reader is up to speed, Will tucks Shawn’s gun into his waistband and steps into an elevator, steeled to execute rule number three and shoot his brother’s killer. Poets are known for using language intentionally and with precision, often choosing words with connotative and denotative meaning. Explain the connections between the anagrams that he creates. What are his reasons for believing this? After visiting Ewan's family in Scotland, he and Charley attempt to stay on a strict time schedule as they push through London and France. In this moment, do you think he is doing the right thing? It is a follow-up to the Long Way Round of 2004, when the pair rode east from London to New York via Eurasia and North America. Long Way Down by Jason Reynolds, graphic novel study and essay is an English Language Arts lesson for secondary level. First, 15-year-old Will Holloman sets the scene by relating his brother’s, Shawn’s, murder two days prior—gunned down while buying soap for their mother. According to the rules that Will has been taught, it is now his job to kill the person responsible. 2. As he travels down on the elevator, the door opens on certain floors, and Will is confronted with a different figure from his past, each a victim of gun violence, each important in his life. 15. The last person who enters the elevator is Shawn. At each floor, the doors open to admit someone killed by the same cycle of violence that Will’s about to enter. 2. 12. The last words in the book are a question. Why do you think he visits Will? 14. The ghosts all know one another as confederates in death, and all history that might have once made them enemies is now overshadowed by their detachment from mortal issues; they can share cigarettes and a mildly sardonic view of the absurdity of their collective backstory. Long Way Down, by Jason Reynolds, revolves around the main character Will, his family's history of vengeance, and Will's attempt to follow the rules on his quest for revenge. There are three: don’t cry, don’t snitch, and “if someone you love / gets killed, / find the person / who killed / them and / kill them.” So Will locates Shawn’s gun, leaves his family’s eighth-floor apartment, and—well, here is where this intense verse novel becomes a gripping drama, as on each floor of the descending elevator Will is joined by yet another victim or perpetrator in the chain of violence that took his brother’s life. The story unfolds in the time it takes for the elevator to descend, and it ends with a two-word question that hits like a punch to the gut. With the gun tucked into the waistband of his pants, Will gets on the elevator at 9:08:02 a.m. They also force Will to face the questions he has about his plan. How does Shawn respond? Long Way Down (2017) by Jason Reynolds is a young adult novel in free verse about Will Holloman, a young black boy struggling to make a decision after his brother Shawn is shot dead in the street. thrilling conclusion to the epic chapter book series from William Joyce.When we last saw the Guardians, they were celebrating their victory during Bright Night, the ... Race through Jason Reynolds’s New York Times bestselling Track series, now in a complete boxed ... Race through Jason Reynolds’s New York Times bestselling Track series, now in a complete boxed --Siân Gaetano, children's and YA editor, Shelf Awareness For example, when he holds Shawn’s gun for the first time, he notes that it is, “Heavier than/I expected/like holding/a newborn.” In this example, the juxtaposition of the image of a newborn baby with the weight of the gun highlights the deadliness of the gun and loss of Will’s innocence. Uh-oh, it looks like your Internet Explorer is out of date. What could be done to solve this problem? Do you think Shawn wants Will to avenge his death by shooting Riggs? Before he reaches the lobby at 9:09:09, six ghosts will enter the elevator—victims, perpetrators, or both, entangled in a chain of murder, misidentification, and revenge that led to Shawn’s death; together they challenge Will’s perspective on the killing and on his role in vigilante justice. Reflect on the significance of the protagonist’s name. The Guardians’ powers are put to the ultimate test in their final battle in this Identify a section of the novel where you think the format adds meaning to a passage and explain how the poem’s format impacts the meaning. Choose Expedited Shipping at checkout for delivery by, Learn how to enable JavaScript on your browser, Eaternity: More than 150 Deliciously Easy Vegan Recipes, Jack Frost: The End Becomes the Beginning, Jason Reynolds's Track Series: Ghost; Patina; Sunny; Lu. Long Way Down Season 1, Episode 1 Gentlemen, Start Your Engines. Long Way Down. How does Will recognize the first ghost that enters the elevator? When we analyze poems, we pay attention to the poem’s format. They travel down through Europe and Africa, getting an … A stellar creepy, engaging, heartbreaking novel in verse, Long Way Down is another example of what author Jason Reynolds does best: Put voice to real-life issues teens face. What do you think Will means when he writes: “They weren’t meant to be broken./They were meant for the broken/to follow.” 4. It happens in an elevator — teenaged Will is on his way to take revenge for … Choose one of their songs and analyze it the way you would analyze a poem. 17. Throughout, readers get a vivid picture of Will and the people in his life, all trying to cope with the circumstances of their environment while expressing the love, uncertainty, and hope that all humans share. Will includes a list of nicknames for a gun. All rights reserved. Each new person is a friend or loved one from Will's past; each new person is dead, a victim of gun violence. Try adding a musical element to the novel or a section of the novel. How does Will plan to avenge his brother’s death? The poetry is stark, fluently using line breaks and page-turns for dramatic effect; the last of these reveals the best closing line of a novel this season. Now, two days later, Will is heartbroken and desperate as he abides by "The Rules" he's been taught all of his life; he won't cry and he won't snitch. Long Way Down promises thrills and adventure and is sure to be the journey of lifetime. But in the elevator on the way down to meet Riggs, Will encounters family and friends who died playing by the rules, and now Will has to decide what he is going to do when the elevator reaches its final stop.Discussion Questions 1. It may be reproduced in its entirety or excerpted for these purposes. High quality Long Way Down gifts and merchandise. If not, are there other unspoken rules that you follow instead? Javascript is not enabled in your browser. Shawn’s best friend Buck gets into the elevator on seven; Dani, Will’s friend from childhood, gets in on six; Will and Shawn’s uncle Mark gets in on five, in a cloud of cigarette smoke. They immediately did what they had been trained to do: "Pressed our lips to the/ pavement and prayed/ the boom, followed by/ the buzz of a bullet,/ ain't meet us." The entire book takes place over 60 seconds of the main character's life, enough time for him to question everything he's been taught and change his life forever. Or is it Will’s subconscious at work, forcing him to think about what he intends to do and what it will accomplish? Will must decide if he’ll follow neighborhood code to keep quiet and seek revenge on Shawn’s murderer, or if he’ll make another decision. Nominated as one of America’s best-loved Research the epidemic of gun violence in America, specifically looking at gang-related gun violence (note: the Chicago Tribune has excellent special reporting on gun violence in Chicago). The word Will can be used as a proper name, but also as a verb and a noun. Long Way Down believe nothing these days which is why I haven’t told nobody the story I’m about to tell you. They ... Wracked with guilt due to a horrific accident that maimed her best friend two years ... Wracked with guilt due to a horrific accident that maimed her best friend two years Poets are known for using language intentionally and with precision, often choosing words with connotative and denotative meaning. But when the pluses start to outweigh the minuses, Bett is forced to confront ... “Pure gold.” —School Library Journal (starred review) “The perfect anchor leg for a well-run literary ... “Pure gold.” —School Library Journal (starred review) “The perfect anchor leg for a well-run literary Spell. Match. What do each of these memories reveal about their relationship? Written entirely in spare verse, this is a tour de force from a writer who continues to demonstrate his skill as an exceptionally perceptive chronicler of what it means to be a black teen in America. Its hook makes for an excellent booktalk. The guys are starting to embrace Africa, but fatigue begins to creep in as the long riding days—and Ethiopia’s heat—take a toll. Choose a hip-hop or rap artist to research and profile. Next, he lays out The Rules: don’t cry, don’t snitch, always get revenge. Will enjoys finding anagrams, especially when the anagram illuminates or comments on the meaning of the original word. Three years after Ewan McGregor and Charley Boorman circumnavigated the globe on their motorcycles in the series Long Way Round, the long time friends are taking to the road again. This is intended to be a distance learning or in-classroom lesson. The word Will can be used as a proper name, but also as a verb and a noun. Long Way Down. Long Way Down explores the perpetuation of a cycle of violence and the theme of revenge. The unique narrative structure also makes it an excellent read-alike for Walter Dean Myers's Monster. In this free-verse novel, it’s been fewer than two days since narrator Will witnessed the shooting death of his older brother, Shawn. When Shawn turned eighteen, what did his mother worry about? He easily finds his brother's gun and gets on the elevator to head down from his eighth-floor apartment. Does Will understand what his father is trying to show him? When Will nervously grumbles about the slow elevator, Buck quips that it’s a long way down and laughs at Will’s insistence that he has work to do. Fifteen-year-old Will, immobilized with grief when his older brother Shawn is shot and killed, slowly comes to mull The Rules in his head. Yet, the simple seven-floor descent becomes a revelatory trip. What message is he trying to convey with his words and actions? The men will face challenges both physical and emotional. Using details revealed in the text, create a character sketch or character collage of the book’s protagonist. What does his choice suggest about his feelings toward carrying the gun? Do you think Shawn tried to heed his mother’s warning? At the beginning of the novel, Will reflects that the story he is about tell will either make readers want to be his friend or not want to be his friend at all. Lu. "[I]f the blood/ inside you," Will tells the reader, "is on the inside/ of someone else/ you never want to/ see it on the outside of/ them." What message do you think he is trying to convey with his words and actions? Cookie Warning Long Way Down: The Graphic Novel In his YA novel Long Way Down , Jason Reynolds uses the painful past to reveal the difficulty between doing what you are taught is right and doing what is moral. Frick is the only ghost to enter the elevator whom Will does not know. Do you agree that these three rules exist? Start Free Trial As things get under way, Ewan and Charley undergo fitness and survival training to prepare for their 15,000-mile adventure. Guide prepared by Amy Jurskis, English Department Chair at Oxbridge Academy in Florida.This guide has been provided by Simon & Schuster for classroom, library, and reading group use. When the first ghost enters the elevator, Reynolds includes a time stamp at the top of the page. 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