Characters
The novel's protagonist who sets out to avenge his brother's death
Will
Feeling of entrapment by the rules
The Elevator
Shawn was killed on his way home from buying his mother special soap for her eczema What was Reynolds’ purpose in writing his death that way?
To humanize Shawn’s death and to highlight the cyclical violence in his neighborhood
“Beef/ gets passed down like name-brand/ T-shirts around here.”
“...uncomfortable being/ crammed in this.../ this vertical coffin/ another second.”
Metaphor
Shows Will that it is okay to break rule #1
Shawn
Represents Will's fate
The L-Button
Which details suggest that Will Holloman will murder Riggs at the end of the novel
Will had a plan for killing Riggs in the early morning
A tool/ for RULE No. 3”
Assonance
DAILY DOUBLE / Shot and killed by Shawn as retaliation
Frick
Shot and killed the wrong guy
Mikey
The cycle of violence present in Will's neighborhood
The gun
What purpose does Dani serve?
She represents the tragic consequences of cyclical violence
“A man who moved with precision,/ patience, purpose”
Alliteration
The Dark Sun Will believes killed Shawn
Riggs
Was shot at a playground at eight years old
Dani
The darkness in Shawn
The middle drawer
When did Shawn teach Will rule #1?
When Dani died when she and Will were both eight
“...that it stopped Mom from/ scraping loose a river/ of wounds.”
Metaphor
The darkness in people
The night time
Makes Will say aloud that he is going to kill someone
Uncle Mark
Unwritten governing edicts that perpetuate cyclical violence
The rules
How was Frick going to gain entrance into the Dark Suns?
Stealing from Buck
The middle drawer called to me”
Personification
What does Shawn do when he first enters the elevator and sees Will for the first time?
Does not say a word to Will