Gun Violence In Long Way Down By Jason Reynolds

In Long Way Down, by Jason Reynolds, gun violence was a prominent theme that affected the lives of the characters. William Holloman, who was 15 years old, realised it was his responsibility to take revenge for the death of his brother, Shawn, who died due to the neighbourhood’s rule number three: avenge your loved one by murder. When Will makes his way down the elevator with the intention to kill Carlson Riggs, the alleged murderer of Shawn, he encounters spirits that were dead from their involvement with gun abuse. This resulted in the ghosts sharing their life story, and the different impacts that gun violence had on them. As the cycle of revenge circulates throughout the neighbourhood, the role of gun violence deprives Will of his innocent

In the article, “Mitigating the Effects of Gun Violence on Children and Youth”, Garbarino et al writes, “Children exposed to gun violence may experience negative short- and long-term psychological effects.” A negative short-term and long-term psychological effect is grief, and with grief also comes sorrow. Will experienced a lot of grief and sadness especially since Dani died in front of Will. The following morning after Dani’s death, Shawn taught Will the neighbourhood rules. Reynolds writes, “Shawn taught me/Rule Number One-/ no crying” (135). Shawn introduced the rules to Will since he experienced something traumatic firsthand, hoping this would prepare him for the if inevitable outcome of taking revenge for a loved one. Although Will did not take revenge for Dani, the rules finally applied to Will when Shawn was murdered in front of Will. Gun violence played a major role in the way Will copes with situations and the way he makes rational decisions as a teenager that is exposed to frequent gun abuse that happens in his

According to the article, “Here’s How Witnessing Violence Harms Children’s Mental Health,” Flannery writes, “Children can come to believe that violence is an acceptable way to solve problems.” The characters in Long Way Down were taught at an early age that committing murder and following the rules is the only way to combat grief and to avenge their deceased loved one. Children that get older from believing violence is a good way to deal with situations could resort to killing more often, fueling the endless cycle of gun