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The story "Look Both Ways" is a very unique book written by Jason Reynolds. It is written as short stories all intertwined with one another. It is also unique because all the stories mainly focus on friendship and middle school life. Friendship is one of if not the most important part of life.

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I believe that friendship is the main theme in the story "Look Both Ways". I believe this because in all of the short, intertwined stories there is always a group of friends or just two friends that help each other no matter what. In "The Low Cuts Strike Again" Jason Reynolds Writes "John John, soon you gon' need a walker to be a... walker" (24). They said. "John John". That was the last John John Trey spoke before Bit's fist fist wento in his mouth mouth so fast fast it knocked him out out." Jason Reynolds writes of "Look Both Ways" the quote is as follows: "Her parents coldness thawed by the one and only TJ, who would show up, crack some jokes, break some ice, and leave some empty potato chip bags next to Jasmines bed to add to the thirty he left in her locker" (9). These two quotes help us notice that most of the characters in the story would go the extra mile for their friend/s.

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I chose Bit as my key character. I chose him because at the start of the Story "The Low Cuts Strike Again" he is introduced as a short, stubborn leader of The Low Cuts. As the story goes on of him hustling the candy and selling it to old guys to make a profit. We soon realize that Bit is actually a really nice kid trying to care for his mom who just went back on chemotherapy that day. So what did he do? Well him, and the whole group of The Low Cuts bought her some ice cream because they all care about Bit's mom and how well she is doing because all of them also have a parent with some form of illness. In "The Low Cuts Strike Again" Jason Reynolds writes "I figured you would be. So we got you a bunch of ice cream" (40). Bit waved his arm like a game show host showing off the four cups "Vanilla"".

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In the book "Look Both Ways" they use many literary devices but I have focused on symbolism. These forms of literary devices and specifically symbolism helps the reader know how close the characters friendship is. These forms of symbolism in this book is that TJ and Jasmine leave each other "friendship flags" in each others lockers. Jason Reynolds writes "Trash... yes but Jasmine and TJ called them 'Friendship flags' the litter of love" (3). The use of short stories improve the overall narrative because it keeps the reader entertained because the stories are so short that its hard to get your mind wandering everywhere.

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The book of "Look Both Ways" relevance today is major. This is because of all the middle schoolers and high schoolers going through a tough time. This story resonates with many of them because it ranges from their friend being sick, to their parents having cancer and going on chemo. The story "Look Both Ways" resonates with me because in the story "The Low Cuts Strike Again" it states that some of if not all the kids in the friend group have parents with cancer. That resonates with me because my mom has stage 4 breast cancer. Friendship is one of if not the most important part of life. My key takeaways from this book is that people are always struggling no matter how good the look on the surface.