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The School Bus
Portal Avenue is the physical representation of kids’ transformation from supervised students at school, to unsupervised and independent kids on their walk home. Latimer Middle School is on Portal Avenue, and it’s the busy road that many kids who walk home either follow or cross to get home. Crossing Portal Avenue, or at least passing the Portal Avenue crossing guard Ms. Post while staying on the same side of the street, represents the point at which kids are effectively on their own after school until they get home to their parents or guardians. It is, in this sense, a portal that kids pass through, one that gives them the freedom and independence to experiment with their identities.
Portal Avenue Quotes in Look Both Ways
The Look Both Ways quotes below all refer to the symbol of Portal Avenue. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
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4. How to Look (Both) Both Ways
Quotes
27. SCHOOL CROSSING is the first sign. A picture of an adult and a child. I think. Weird, because kids cross by themselves.
Related Characters:
Related Symbols:
Related Themes:
Page Number and Citation:
Explanation and Analysis:
Get the entire Look Both Ways LitChart as a printable PDF.
Portal Avenue Symbol Timeline in Look Both Ways
The timeline below shows where the symbol Portal Avenue appears in Look Both Ways. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
1. Water Booger Bears
...it’s just boys that are boogers. She and TJ cross the street and head down Portal Avenue . They’ve been walking this way forever, but TJ has been walking it alone for...
(full context)
2. The Low Cuts Strike Again
...and Bit spits that they’ll have to make it work. He leads his friends toward Portal Avenue , the main road.
(full context)
Back at Portal Avenue , John John pulls out a wad of plastic baggies and asks Francy to do...
(full context)
4. How to Look (Both) Both Ways
...on the first day of school. Fatima’s parents had told her to walk straight down Portal Avenue , speaking to no one and looking up the whole way—which is why Fatima tripped...
(full context)
5. Call of Duty
...bell rings, Ty races out of class, out of school, past Ms. Post, and down Portal Avenue until he has to walk. He briefly rests in front of one of the big...
(full context)
6. Five Things Easier to Do than Simeon and Kenzi’s Secret Handshake
...and turn right, where not many kids go. This leads to Portal Ave, rather than Portal Avenue , and it leads to Chestnut Homes. Since Simeon and Kenzi are the only kids...
(full context)
9. How a Boy Can Become a Grease Fire
...lotion, and Gregory’s eyes go wide with fear. As Ms. Post ushers the group across Portal Avenue , Candace explains that she stole the lotion from her mom.
(full context)
10. The Broom Dog
Canton makes notes of all the things he sees, including Portal Avenue , Ms. Post, cars, people going, hugging, laughing, and moving. He studies the people crossing...
(full context)
