Long Way Down Book Analysis Essay Example

On page 187 of the novel Long Way Down written by Jason Reynolds it says, “Uncle Mark should’ve just bought his camera and shot his stupid movie after the first day. Unfortunately, he never shot nothing again. But my father did.” The first time I read this quote I assumed that William’s father shot Uncle Mark. However, once I read it again I realized that this quote is probably about his father killing the person who shot Uncle Mark. The phrase “nothing again. But my father did,” is important in this quote. The “nothing again” part describes how he is dead and the “father did” part after that demonstrates that after Uncle Mark’s death he shot and killed someone. This order of sequence after the ending of Uncle Mark’s life proves that it was Uncle Mark that William’s father shot. I then inferred that the person that his dad did shoot was the person who killed his uncle. I know this because just before this part, Will was talking in the elevator with Uncle Mark about the Rules and about William’s plan to kill the Riggs, the person who shot Shaun, his brother. This is also proved a little later on in the book where it says, “‘What do you think I should do?’ he asked. ‘Follow the Rules,’ I said just like I told everybody else. ‘Just like you did.” This part of the novel and the word “you” shows that Will’s father followed the Rules and got revenge on the person who killed his brother. 

Next, on page 210 it says “‘What do you think you should do?’ he asked. ‘Follow the Rules,’ I said just like I told everybody else. ‘Just like you did.’ Pop gave Uncle Mark a look when Uncle Mark asked if I had ever heard my father’s story. ‘Of course,’ I said. ‘He was killed at a payphone.’ Worry washed over Pop’s face. Opened his mouth to speak but changed his mind, then changed his mind again. ‘That’s not the story we talking about. What you know is how I was killed,’ Pop explained. ‘But you don’t know…You just don’t know…’” This quote shows an encounter Will had with his dad and uncle about his father’s death and gives an inference to the real story and why he was shot that day.  The inference that the reader makes in this conversation is that William’s father got killed because he shot the guy that killed his brother, Mark. He is trying to warn his son about the consequences that “The Rules” brought him. This inference is made using the fact that they were talking about William wanting to get revenge and then started talking about how his father got killed. The sentences “‘What you know is how I was killed,’ Pop explained. ‘But you don’t know … You just don’t know…’” describe something Will isn’t aware of. William knows the physical of how his father was shot, however he doesn’t know the motivations or reasons why the killer shot him. Overall, Uncle Mark and William’s father are aware that the reason he was killed was because he followed “The Rules” and someone else did the same to him. They are trying to warn Will of the dangers of what he wants to do and persuade him not to continue his path in getting revenge.