The New Empty Space (Metaphor)
When describing the pain of having lost his older brother to gun violence, Will uses figurative language to emphasize the loss, stating that "the absolute worst part is the constant slipping of your tongue into the new empty space, where you know a tooth supposed to be but ain’t no more." In this metaphor, Will likens the experience of remembering that his brother is dead to one's tongue probing the space where a tooth has been removed.
Like a Dimmed Light Post (Simile)
When Shawn is shot dead in public, Will witnesses his mother standing over Shawn's body and moaning. Will notes that she is "hanging over my brother's body like a dimmed light post." In this simile, Will highlights his mother's curled, mournful posture by comparing her to a lamp post whose bulb has gone out.
We All Turned to Stone (Metaphor)
When the police arrive on the scene of Shawn's murder, they aggressively question witnesses. Will says, "Cops flashed lights in our faces and we all turned to stone." In this metaphor, Will emphasizes the witnesses' sudden change in demeanor when police are present by stating that they turn to stone. While the witnesses do not literally become rocks, they are so unwilling to give incriminating information over that the police may as well be shining their lights in the faces of statues.
Gunshots Make Everybody Deaf and Blind (Metaphor)
When narrating the details of Shawn's shooting, Will says, "In case you ain't know, gunshots make everybody deaf and blind especially when they make somebody dead." In this metaphor, Will speaks of murder witnesses' unwillingness to speak to the police as though they have been made deaf and blind by the gunshots. Although the witnesses are not literally disabled by the shooting, they are so reluctant to talk to the police about suspects that may as well have lost their hearing and eyesight.
Like a Random, Jagged Tooth (Simile)
When describing the room he shared with Shawn, Will notes that his older brother always kept his side perfectly organized. The only thing left out of place is the middle drawer of Shawn's dresser. Will says the drawer sticks out "like a random, jagged tooth in a perfect mouth." In this simile, Will emphasizes the contrast between the one crooked drawer and an otherwise organized room by likening the drawer to a snaggletooth protruding from a row of straight teeth.
