In the novel, "Long Way Down," the author, Jason Reynolds, delves into the life of a young black teenager, Will, who finds himself caught in the cycle of violence. Reynolds explores the cultural context surrounding inner-city communities and the impact of systemic violence on people and their communities. Set inside a single elevator ride, the novel explores the themes of grief, revenge, and the complex web of choices that shape one's life. With the use of complex ideas, he creates a great understanding of the Cycle of Violence in today’s society The cycle of violence is the major cultural issue in the United States. It is a repeated act of violence that is learned. Most people involved in this cycle of violence grow up believing it is the thing they are supposed to do. A great example of this is Will, and wanting to get revenge for his brother. One of the main ideas of the novel is the “Rules”, and these rules are - No. 1: No Crying, No. 2: No Snitching, No. 3: Get Revenge. These rules are a culturally learned idea that is formed in high violence areas. It is often affiliated with gangs. For example, Chicago has a high number of gangs, “150,000 gang-affiliated denizens, representing more …show more content…
In the elevator he meets these people and remembers their stories, which starts to make him question his thoughts. He starts to doubt himself and his intentions on getting revenge. The smoke that starts to form in the elevator symbolizes this, it symbolizes his uncertainty and confusion. I personally couldn’t imagine having something like this happen and being put into that sort of situation. But looking at statistics it shows that happens quite often. In Chicago “The identified offenders' most common age was 18.” (Gang Violence In Chicago Slideshow). Many young people in Chicago are familiar with the situation Will is in and it is shown by the amount of statistics that support