who is frick in long way down

Daniel Parker

2 min read

·

24-02-2025

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Jason Reynolds' Long Way Down is a powerful novel told entirely in verse. It centers around Will, a 15-year-old boy grappling with the aftermath of his best friend's murder. A key figure in Will's emotional journey, and a source of much confusion for readers, is the ghost of Shawn, his deceased best friend. Many readers mistake Shawn's ghost for someone named "Frick." There is no character named Frick in Long Way Down. The confusion likely stems from a misunderstanding of the narrative and the intense emotional turmoil Will experiences.

Understanding the Ghosts in Long Way Down

The novel unfolds in real-time, as Will waits in the elevator for revenge. During this tense period, Will encounters the ghosts of those killed in a cycle of retaliatory violence, including Shawn. These ghosts represent the weight of past traumas and the cyclical nature of violence. They each offer Will advice, urging him to continue or break the cycle.

Shawn's ghost, a central character, offers conflicting advice to Will, reflecting his own internal struggle. Sometimes he encourages Will's revenge, sometimes he pleads with him to stop. This internal conflict, manifested in Shawn's conflicting ghostly advice, is key to understanding Will's journey and choices.

The Significance of Shawn's Ghost

Shawn isn't simply a ghost; he’s a manifestation of Will's guilt, grief, and the pressure of street justice. The ghostly encounters aren't literal; they're representations of Will's internal struggles and the voices influencing his decisions. Understanding this is crucial to interpreting the novel's meaning.

The intensity of Will's emotions and the fast-paced, poetic nature of the novel can create confusion. The reader, like Will, is overwhelmed by grief and the pressure to act. This might lead to misinterpretations of characters and events, leading to the mistaken belief in a character called "Frick."

The Power of Poetic Narrative

Reynolds' use of verse enhances the emotional impact of the story. The fast-paced, fragmented nature of the verse mimics the rapid thoughts and feelings of a teenager caught in a crisis. This stylistic choice adds to the intensity but can also contribute to misunderstandings if read without careful attention to the narrative.

In Conclusion

While the intensity and unique narrative style of Long Way Down might cause some confusion, there is no character called Frick. The central figure that many readers mistakenly identify as "Frick" is actually Shawn, Will's best friend and a crucial representation of Will's internal conflict and the cyclical nature of violence. A careful reading, attentive to the poetic structure and the symbolic representation of the ghosts, reveals the true power and complexity of the story.