Coming Of Age In A Short Story 'Long Way Down' By Jason Reynolds

Coming of age is an event that everyone must go through. There are many different types of coming of age events that can happen at many different times. Many different stories illustrate the process of coming of age. Through our studies of different texts we have learned that there is no wrong way to come of age. In “Marigolds” the main character Elizabeth Collier came of age by destructing something someone cared about.

It is often said that older kids can never seem to act their age .This is seen in the novel The Watsons go to Birmingham 1983, by Christopher Paul Curtis when the Watson’s are in Flint the author uses symbolism to show that growing up can sometimes be hard. Kenny uses coming of age as a symbolization that growing up can be hard. When kenny goes behind the couch to the pet hospital, “I only wanted to come out of the Pet hospital to eat and go to the bathroom.” (196).

Sam came of age because he goes from always fighting and disagreeing with his mom to actually feeling bad for her. To begin, this story takes place in New Jersey. The author introduces the protagonist Sam, who is dealing with his mom trying to get custody over him. His solution

Tom stood at the edge of his brother’s gravesite, his eyes fixed on the mahogany-colored casket lying at the bottom of the six-foot hole. The graveside service had taken less than ten minutes, the only mourners himself, Booker, and Captain Fuller. The officiating celebrant had spoken fondly of a man he didn’t know, respectfully acknowledging Will’s service to the community while blissfully unaware of his lewd, criminal behavior. For Tom, it was an unfitting send off for the brother he’d adored, but for Booker, it was a suitable ending for the cruel, sadistic officer who had made his friend's life a misery. In death, Will was friendless and alone, which was somewhat apt, considering he’d forced Tom to live in social isolation all his adult life.

However, during the elevator trip out of his building he encounters six people who try to make him reconsider his choice. Out of these six people, the fourth person, his dad Mikey, had the most impact on his decision. Mikey shows Will that if he kills someone, his life and relationships will never be the same. Will experiences what looking death in the eye feels like when his father holds the gun to his head and cocks the hammer. Learning

This is how the novel demonstrates coming of age and the adolescent experience. One reason why the novel represents coming of age is the act of epiphany and revelation.

In the book “Long Way Down” by Jason Reynolds, Shawn has a big impact on Will, the protagonist, despite only appearing in the book a few times. Shawn’s death sets off a chain of events which lead Will to question his life and his values, and ultimately leads him to make a life-altering decision. Firstly, Shawn’s death sets the story’s plot in motion, leading to Will’s decision to seek revenge. Will’s belief in the “code” of his community, which states that he must seek retribution for his brother’s murder, is deeply ingrained in him, and he feels obligated to follow it.

Will is dead because he is seeing dead people and at the end he went to get out of the elevator to go to the afterlife. Will is dead because he’s seeing all of his dead relatives at one time in the same place. At this moment in the novel, Will has just got to floor seven and a man got on. Will thinks he recognizes this man from somewhere and it ends up being his dead Uncle Buck.

In addition, Reynolds expanded on the concept of revenge by explaining, "If someone you love gets killed, / find the person who killed / them and kill them¨ (Reynolds 1-6). For example, on the fifth floor, Will learns that his Uncle Mark was a hustler and got shot by a competing rival. So his dad attempted to avenge Uncle Mark, but it turned out that he shot the wrong guy, and he joined his brother in the end, leaving his family without a loving father and husband. Ergo, Will has second

Before the death of Shawn, he told Will the story of how their dad “was killed for killing the man who killed our uncle” (Reynolds, 2017, pg 203). This evidence illustrates Mikey's downfall as analogous to the situation Will is currently in. Will is in pursuit of revenge against Riggs, his brother's alleged murderer. Based on Mikey’s path, Will’s quest for revenge will eventually lead to his demise. It is a valuable lesson for Will as he battles the cycle of revenge.

This shows Antonio’s maturity and transition into a wiser state of mind. To any child of young age death of a loved one brings unimaginable pain. Although Antonio experiences this, he shows maturity and accepts that nothing can be done to bring them back. He comes to terms with their deaths as well as understand that the true nature of the world is conflicting.

When I was younger, I grew up without knowing my dad, which makes me think differently about men than someone else would who grew up with their father. There are so many little things that people don’t think about that can change how a person grows. “Growing Up: Key Moments” by Jessica McBirney explains how our “growing up” moments are based on experiences that happen to us and they can be different for everyone. We learn from our past and apply what we learned to the present. In the text, McBirney says, “I think this is because ‘growing up’ is more about the experiences we have, and the things we learn from them.”

At the end of the story Robert observes, “He is buried in the cemetery out back. Years have passed-we are living in the future, and it's turned out differently from what we'd planned” (Cunningham 242). After his brother’s death Robert is able to come to the conclusion that not everything is fun and games because every action has consequences. His big brother took many risks that eventually caught up with him, leading him to his death. Robert is left alone with the responsibility of taking care of his parents who are devastated by the loss of their first born.

Emotions are a big aspect of people's lives. They reflect past decisions, and more importantly future decisions that affect daily lives. In the novel, “ A Long Way Down,” written by Jason Reynolds, a 15-year-old boy, Will, is faced with the choice to kill his brother's murderer and follow the rules of the street, a decision that is complicated by his conflicting emotions around Shawn’s passing and the pressure to follow the rules. Will’s brother, Shawn, was responsible for taking care of him as they were growing up. This responsibility disappeared when he was shot.

My mother’s first thought had been to go to the police, but she was afraid of being deported, and if that were to happen, then surely she would never see her daughter again. She wanted to go back to Mexico, back to the place she knew, back to her mother, back to us —her children—away from my father, but she couldn’t leave like this, with no money and no daughter. Everyone would scorn her for coming back worse off than when she left”(Grande 87). Papi was aggressive and strict when kicking Mami out. She came to El Otro Lado to help and support him, but he betrayed her and his children by loving another woman.