69 pages • 2 hours read
Jason ReynoldsLook Both Ways: A Tale Told in Ten Blocks
Fiction | Novel | Middle Grade | Published in 2019A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more. For select classroom titles, we also provide Teaching Guides with discussion and quiz questions to prompt student engagement.
Symbols & Motifs
A School Bus Flying from the Sky
Look Both Ways begins and ends with a reference to a school bus flying from the sky. Throughout his novel, Reynolds seamlessly weaves in references to this motif. A school bus flying from the sky represents any pivotal moment that affects the individual and leads them down a path of change. For some, the school bus comes in the form of boogers; for others, the school bus is trauma. For each, this motif demonstrates the commonality of this human experience. Much of the novel revolves around Latimer Middle School. Initially, the reference to a school bus seems to apply to this setting. The school bus’s act of flying from the sky seems to connote the imaginative nature of middle schoolers who dwell in the transition between childhood and adulthood. It is not until the end of the novel that Reynolds unveils the origin of the motif. Canton Post details his mother’s accident after getting hit by a school bus that seemed to be flying from the sky. For him, the school bus represents his most terrifying moment and the subsequent anxiety that overwhelms him. In this last chapter, Reynolds lists the various and paradoxical meanings of the school bus, which vary according to the individual. Each chapter of this novel highlights a moment of change that will change each character irrevocably.
Inheritance
Various characters throughout the novel inherit objects or traits that carry them through their journeys. Each object represents the past and is associated with a particular family member whose impact resonates within each character. For Pia, this is her sister Santi’s skateboard that she rides to escape from the grief that overwhelms her. She isolates herself from connecting with others and expressing what she feels until her skateboard is destroyed at the hands of a bully. In Pia’s case, the skateboard she inherits limits Pia from seeking out the help of others. For Kenzi, the blue bouncing ball he carries is that of his incarcerated brother. With his brother now absent for two years, Kenzi finds comfort in the bouncing ball and holds on to the hope that his brother will teach him how to use it in the future. Kenzi maintains a steadfast grip on the bouncing ball he inherited from his brother. When it bounces into the street, Kenzi chases it and risks his life to retrieve it. This shows the value it holds for Kenzi as a cherished way to stay connected to his brother. For Cynthia, she inherits the name of her grandfather and his sense of humor. She works steadfastly to keep this humor alive and values the traditions of her family. Her inheritance motivates her to stay hopeful despite her mother’s emotional negligence and her grandfather’s failing health. Each inheritance featured in Look Both Ways functions differently according to each individual character.
Appearance Versus Reality
As each character struggles to understand his or her place in the world, the tension between appearance versus reality repeats throughout the novel. Each character attempts to present an appearance of confidence or control to the world around them while battling the tumultuous reality that surrounds them. While seemingly healthy, confident, and happy on the outside, many of the characters featured in the novel hide the struggles that consume them. Ty annihilates the other players in video games as he uses playing to unleash his frustration. Internally, Ty grapples with his sexual orientation. The collision between Ty’s appearance of confidence and his reality of struggle initiates a pivotal moment in Ty’s life. Similarly, Cynthia projects a sense of power and lightheartedness as she seeks attention from her classmates. She constructs opportunities for herself to showcase her comedic talent while shielding the reality of her disappointment at her mother’s inability to see her perform. Though full of jokes, Cynthia battles the real issues of grief and loss outside of the limelight. This tension between appearance and reality causes deep personal conflict.
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