The Cologne Conundrum: Unraveling The Symbolism In Long Way Down

In Jason Reynolds' novel 'Long Way Down', the cologne is symbolic of the character Will's growing discomfort with the idea of killing Riggs, his brother Shawn's assumed killer. Will feels trapped by the rules of his violent neighbourhood, and the cologne is a physical manifestation of this anxiety. As he descends in the elevator, the cologne becomes more noticeable, reflecting his increasing unease about his plan for revenge. The scent represents the emotional burden he carries, the weight of the cycle of violence, and his internal struggle between adhering to societal expectations and his personal values.

The elevator symbolises the restrictions Will feels as he tries to avenge his brother's death

In Jason Reynolds' "Long Way Down", the elevator in Will’s building represents his sense of feeling trapped. As Will enters the elevator and descends to the ground floor, he experiences a sense of discomfort in the small space. This is heightened by the presence of people he believed to be dead, who join him in the elevator and make him anxious about seeking revenge on Carlson Riggs, his brother Shawn's assumed killer.

The sense of claustrophobia and being stuck is further emphasised by the ghosts who join Will in the elevator, asking him uncomfortable questions he hasn’t considered: what if he misses? What if he’s after the wrong guy? Will feels restricted by his uncertainty and fear, and the reader understands that he is trapped by The Rules and his own emotions.

The elevator also represents Will’s ability to choose his fate. Should he return to his apartment without killing Riggs, the elevator ride back up could symbolise a new future for him. However, if he continues out of the lobby and goes through with his plan, the confinement represented by the elevator will extend to either a jail cell or a coffin. Will is faced with a difficult decision, and the elevator symbolises the restrictions and consequences of his choices.

The L button symbolises the fate that awaits Will if he chooses to step out of the elevator

In Jason Reynolds' "Long Way Down", the L button in the elevator symbolises the fate that awaits the protagonist, Will, if he chooses to step out of the elevator and go through with his plan to avenge his brother Shawn's death.

The L button stands for the lobby, which is where Will plans to get off the elevator and go on to shoot his brother's killer, Carlson Riggs. As children, Will and Shawn found the L button hilarious, as they associated it with the word "loser". This memory takes on a new meaning as Will rides the elevator down, as he realises there is no winning to be had by getting off and following through with his mission. If he goes through with killing Riggs, he will inevitably lose: either a gang member will retaliate and kill him, or he will wind up in jail, unable to live his life or achieve anything.

The elevator itself is also a symbol of the restrictions Will feels as he tries to right the wrong of his brother's death. It moves slowly, giving Will time to speak to a ghost on every floor—someone who has died because of gun violence. Will insists upon his duty to abide by "The Rules" and kill the man who killed his brother. Just as Will believes he must live out a tragic fate similar to those of the ghosts, the elevator moves only between set points, confining its occupants. As the story progresses and more of Will's uncertainty and fear emerge, the reader understands that Will is just as trapped by The Rules as he is by the elevator.

The L button, therefore, symbolises the horrendous fate that awaits Will if he chooses to step out of the elevator and into the lobby. It foreshadows the tragic consequences of Will's decision to abide by The Rules and continue down this path of violence and revenge.

Shawn's gun is symbolic of the cycle of violence in his community

In Jason Reynolds' "Long Way Down", Shawn's gun is symbolic of the cycle of violence in his community. The gun originally belonged to Buck, who taught Shawn how to handle and use it. Shawn received the gun from Buck after he died and later used it to kill Frick. Shawn's brother, Will, takes the gun from Shawn's drawer after his death and sets out to kill Riggs, the man he believes is responsible for Shawn's death.

The gun is a tool for vengeance, and its presence in the novel highlights how violence begets more violence. It is passed from person to person, leaving a trail of death in its wake. Will's father, Mikey, also used a gun to kill the man he believed murdered his brother, only to find out later that he had killed the wrong person.

The gun is a symbol of the cycle of violence that is prevalent in Will and Shawn's community. It is a tool used to enforce "The Rules", which are a code of conduct in their violent neighbourhood: no crying, no snitching, and revenge. The gun represents the unbroken chain of violence that is passed down from one person to the next, weighing heavily on those who are caught in its path.

The gun also elicits reactions from Will that highlight his youth and innocence. When he first picks up the gun, he describes it as weighing about as much as an infant, alluding to fatherhood and his burgeoning maturity. However, when his father puts the gun to his head in the elevator, Will wets himself, a reaction that he characterises as childish.

Shawn's gun is a symbol of the cycle of violence that has corrupted and deprived young men in Will and Shawn's community of their innocence. It is a tool used to enforce a code of conduct that perpetuates violence and revenge. The gun's presence in the novel serves as a stark reminder of the destructive nature of this cycle and the devastating impact it has on those caught in its path.

The middle drawer symbolises the secrets and emotions Shawn kept locked up

In Jason Reynolds' "Long Way Down", the middle drawer of Shawn's dresser is described as the only thing out of place on Shawn's side of the bedroom he shared with his brother, Will. This is significant because it symbolises the secrets and emotions that Shawn kept locked up, away from his family.

The middle drawer houses Shawn's gun, which Will takes the morning after Shawn's death as he sets out to kill Riggs, the man he believes is responsible for his brother's murder. The gun is a symbol of violence that begets more violence. Shawn's gun was first owned by Buck, Shawn's mentor, who gave it to Shawn. Shawn then used it to kill Frick, avenging Buck's murder.

The off-centredness of the middle drawer is a sign to Will, a "sign...to set things straight". However, the awkwardness of the drawer being out of place also draws attention to the wrongness of Will's mission to track down and kill Riggs. It symbolises Will's growing discomfort as he tries to prepare himself to kill, and perhaps the immorality of using murder as a solution. Shawn's death was partly caused by his inability to express his emotions and his duty-bound participation in the culture of violence around him. This secrecy kept Shawn from his family, and when Will takes the gun from the middle drawer, he inherits the secrecy, pain, and violence that ultimately cost Shawn his life.

The middle drawer, and Shawn's gun, also symbolise the darkness and danger within Shawn himself, and the cycle of violence prevalent in his community. Shawn's gun is a symbol of impending death, and Will is nervous about being seen with it as he believes people will immediately know his plan to shoot Riggs.

The lost tooth symbolises how Will is mourning a part of himself

In Jason Reynolds' "Long Way Down", the protagonist Will loses a tooth, which symbolises how he is mourning a part of himself. Will describes his grief as waking up to find a stranger ripping out one of his important back teeth. This illustrates that losing his brother is a violation, wherein something deep within the tenderest parts of Will, something intrinsic to his sense of safety and being, has been violently snatched away.

Will also mentions that the worst part is the tongue probing the socket, searching for the lost tooth, painfully aware of its absence. This illustrates how disorienting it is for Will to continually look for his brother and, again and again, find him permanently gone. While a child losing a tooth is a normal rite of passage, this image upends the idea of a child's lost tooth, replacing innocence with violence and loss.

The lost tooth is one of many symbols in the novel, which also include the elevator, the L button, the gun, the middle drawer, and the yellow tape.

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