Will
Why is Will gloomy?
Will is gloomy due to the death of his brother, Shawn.
Who is Shawn Holloman?
He is Will's older brother and the reason why Will wants revenge.
Describe who Riggs is.
He used to be Shawn's friend before joining the Dark Suns. Will also believes he is Shawn's killer.
Who is Buck?
When was Dani friends with Will?
When they were both 8 years old.
What is Will's current situation?
Will is currently confounded about his decision to follow rule no. 3: revenge.
Describe how Shawn died.
He was shot at the corner store where he went to buy his mom's eczema soap.
What is Riggs' full name?
Carlson Riggs.
Why was there smoke in the elevator? Why might it represent?
There was smoke since Buck started smoking. It could represent Will's clouded thoughts/ confusion about his decision.
How did Dani die?
She was shot in the park, at 8 years old, where her and Will played at the monkey bars.
Why is Will seeing dead people?
He is hallucinating to show the readers that he is apprehensive and conflicted with wanting to take revenge.
How was his relationship to will described?
He was Will's role model. He taught him how to do a penny-drop, taught him the rule, and joked around with him like any older brother would.
Why did Riggs join a gang?
As it states in the novel, "He wanted to join so he/ wouldn't be looked at like all bark no more." He wanted to be taken seriously/ appear tough.
Why is Buck and Will's conversation significant in the elevator?
Buck is telling Will he doesn't have it in him in order to convince him he can't take revenge. He proves this by questioning whether he can use the gun properly.
Why is Dani questioning Will?
Dani questions Will so that he can second guess his decision for revenge as seen with, "What if you miss?"
What word choice BEST justifies Will's response? Look at pages 67,94, OR 141
"...this was about family" (141).
How did Shawn respond to the situation when Will and Dani were 8 years old?
Shawn laid on top of Will and Dani, trying to cover them from the gunshots when they were 8.
Why does Will suspect it's Riggs who killed Shawn?
Three reasons: turf, crime shows, and it had to be. Also, where Shawn was killed happened to be "the line into their territory."
What evidence BEST supports Buck's role in floor 7? Look at pages 101-106.
"You don't got it in you,/ he repeated/ over and over again" (106)
What does anagram no. 2 on page 137 highlight?
"Feel=flee" highlights how rather than feel/process his pain, Will is running away (fleeing). Instead of confronting his emotions, he copes by trying to "escape." This is emphasized when he sees Dani.
What does the phrase ”my eyes turned to razor blades” reveal about how Will is feeling?
The hyperbole describes the intense pain that Will is feeling. It compares the piercing sensation of an object like a blade cutting you.
What can you infer about Shawn when it comes to the cycle of violence, especially rule no. 3: revenge?
The reader can infer that the reason why Shawn was killed is due to the idea that he must have also taken revenge for something/someone. In other words, he killed someone and that is why he was killed.
What does the phrase "loud as police sirens/ but as soft as his first name" reveal about Riggs?
It conveys that Riggs liked to act tough and mighty but really, he wasn't as emphasized by "all bark, no bite."
What is the significance of what is said about Buck's gun "Fifteen total...How many should there be?...Sixteen. But, whatever"?
This suggests there are meant to be 16 bullets in Buck's gun but there are only 15. It implies that Shawn used the gun before dying.
How does Will contradict himself on page 141, when he tells Dani his decision is because of family?
He contradicts himself since he is trying to kill Riggs but Dani died innocently as a result of violence. When she did, others were affected by her death, like Will. If he is doing this for family, why put his mom through the pain that he experienced when Dani died?