"Like" or "As" (Similes & Metaphors)
The sentence "Her smile was as bright as the sun." is an example of this figure of speech.
Simile
"The alarm clock screamed at me to wake up." gives human actions to an object, which is known as this.
personification
"The bacon sizzled in the pan." The word "sizzled" is a sound word, also known as this.
onomatopoeia
He is the 15-year-old protagonist whose internal thoughts characterize him as confused, heartbroken, and seeking justice.
Will
According to Will's neighborhood, Rule No. 1 states that you are never allowed to do this, no matter how sad you are.
cry
This type of figurative language makes a direct comparison without using "like" or "as," such as "His mind is a steel trap."
Metaphor
"I've told you a million times to clean your room!" is an example of this extreme exaggeration used to emphasize a point.
hyperbole
"Will walked willingly" repeats the starting 'W' consonant sound, a device known as this.
alliteration
He is Will’s older brother, characterized in the first few pages as the protector and the rule-follower of the neighborhood, before his tragic death.
Shawn
Rule No. 2 states that you must never do this, especially when talking to the police.
snitch
"The clouds were like fluffy pillows in the sky." uses this figure of speech to help us visualize the weather.
Simile
"The sun peeked through the curtains" is an example of this figure of speech.
personification
"The bees buzzed in the garden." features this sound-based figurative language.
onomatopoeia
Will finds this heavy, dangerous item hidden in Shawn's middle drawer, indirectly characterizing Shawn as having a secret life.
gun
Rule No. 3 is the rule that drives the plot. If someone you love is killed, you must do this to the person who did it.
revenge
In Long Way Down, Will compares his grief to having a tooth ripped out. This simile reveals this character trait about Will’s emotional state.
deep trauma / overwhelming pain
When Will describes the middle drawer as "calling" to him or waiting for him, Jason Reynolds uses personification to hint at this emerging theme regarding the gun.
cycle of violence / the inescapable pull of revenge
Jason Reynolds frequently uses short, punchy alliteration (like "pennies in a pocket") to mimic the rhythm of this setting where the majority of the novel takes place.
elevator
The first ghost to enter the elevator is Buck. Buck's loud, imposing presence and his laughter characterize Will as lacking this essential trait needed to use the gun.
stomach"/ the grit / the killer instinct
The strict obedience to "The Rules" by generations of young men in Will's community creates this tragic thematic pattern.
violence/generational trauma
Will often looks at his brother Shawn as a "king." This metaphor establishes this theme about the relationship between younger and older siblings in their neighborhood.
idolization / the pressure to follow in their footsteps
Will describing his sadness as a physical weight that is entirely crushing him is an example of hyperbole that characterizes him not as a hardened criminal, but as this.
vulnerable, grieving child
The repetitive use of onomatopoeia and sharp alliterative sounds when describing gunfire characterizes Will's environment as being defined by this overarching theme.
sudden, inescapable violence / trauma
Will’s mother is characterized as a woman deeply impacted by her environment. Her primary coping mechanism when tragedy strikes hints at the theme of communal trauma. She does this.
drinking / mourning heavily (eczema acting up / crying)
Will’s physical reaction to the rules—his sweating, shaking, and hesitation in the elevator—reveals this emerging theme about the code of the streets.
conflict between societal expectations (toxic masculinity) and human nature / reality