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Uncle Mark As Victims In Long Way Down

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In the story Long Way Down, by Jayson Reynolds victims aren’t seen as victims but as future offenders. The story has an interesting take on revenge and karma where perpetrators turn into the next person who gets killed, while the victims turn into the murderer, in a vicious cycle. AN example would be Will’s dad. In the book Will's dad avenges Uncle Mark and shoots who he thinks is his killer. Then someone comes and kills him, to get revenge. On page 212, Will’s dad says, “But I didn’t cry. Didn’t snitch./ Knew exactly who killed Mark./ Knew I could get him./ The Rules.” “The Rules” is a term used in the book and is what guides victims into revenge. Will’s dad is portrayed as both a victim and a Perpetrator. Uncle Mark is the one who got Will’s …show more content…

Someone saw his wealth and wanted it. Uncle Mark was greedy for continuing to sell drugs even when he had enough money for the new camera. Uncle Mark’s greediness is what led to his untimely death. This further emphasizes the idea that victims are never really victims. There is always something that causes violence. Will is currently on the path from victim to perpetrator. On page 176-177 Uncle Mark is talking to Will about his plan to kill Riggs, “He continues for nine blocks,/ gets to Riggs’s house, sees Riggs,/ pulls the gun out, and …”, “I got stuck/ Couldn’t say/ nothing else. Couldn’t say/ it. Hoped Uncle Mark would say/ cut.” Some other victims of this cycle are Shawn, Buck and Will. Will is a victim of Shawn’s death and thinks he is ready to become the perpetrator of Riggs’s death. Will is unable to even say “kill Riggs” so how is he going to actually pull the trigger and kill him? Will isn’t ready so he isn’t far enough along on the spectrum from victim to

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