I’m only William to my mother and my brother, Shawn, whenever he was trying to be funny.
-- Will (Narrator) (“I’m Only William”)

Importance: Will views his identity through the lens of his peers. His family refers to him as William, so he associates his full name only with his mother and brother. Everyone else calls him Will, so he feels more accustomed to that title for his identifier.

But if the blood inside you is on the inside of someone else, you never want to see it on the outside of them.
-- Will (Narrator) (“I Don’t Know You”)

Importance: Will speaks directly to the reader and generalizes his specific situation with seeing Shawn’s dead body. He encourages the reader to empathize with this experience by imagining their own loved ones in Shawn’s place.

In the mirror my face sagged, like sadness was trying to pull the skin off.
-- Will (Narrator) (“In The Bathroom”)

Importance: Will feels like his sadness and grief following Shawn’s death is...