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Themes are the fundamental and often universal ideas explored in a literary work.
The Civil Rights Movement
The Civil Rights Movement plays a key role in the background of The Nickel Boys and constantly influences young Elwood Curtis’s thinking as well as his hopes for a more equitable future. The principles of the movement inform most of young Elwood’s decisions. Elwood is shaped and guided by the hope and promise of the Civil Rights Movement. His record album of Martin Luther King on Zion Hill ignites his desire to participate in the movement, and Brown v. Board of Education bolsters his hopes. The pictures of civil rights activists in Life magazine and his mentorship with Mr. Hill make him believe that others feel the same way he does. He joins the young student activists marching to integrate the Florida Theater and loves to hear about the early days of the movement in Frenchtown.
Elwood is constantly looking for signs of integration after the Brown v. Board of Education Supreme Court decision. However, Elwood’s hope for a just future disintegrates when he is unfairly sentenced to Nickel Academy for a crime he didn’t commit. Before he is taken to the Academy, his college prospects make his future seem bright. Even after he is sent to Nickel, Elwood keeps hope alive by following the teachings of Martin Luther King, Jr. and tries not to lose his faith that when confronted with injustice, people will do the right thing.
The Prevalence of Racism and Injustice
According to the author, Colson Whitehead, The Nickel Boys is inspired by stories of abuse at the Dozier School for Boys, a reform school in Marianna, Florida. There, as in The Nickel Boys, unmarked graves were found, prompting an investigation by archaeology students. The students at the real-life Dozier School were sent there for minor crimes or because they were orphans and were brutalized, just like those at the fictional Nickel Academy. It is especially tragic that young Elwood is on his way to start his early college studies when he takes a ride with the wrong person, ultimately resulting in his harsh and unfair sentence to be carried out at reform school. This brings to mind the countless Black people who are sentenced unjustly for minor crimes or, in Elwood’s case, for crimes they didn’t even commit.
While at Nickel, the quarters at Cleveland are separate but not equal to the quarters of the white students. This is completely in line with the Jim Crow laws that enforced racism in the South, a prevalent backdrop within the story. While it seems like the white students are beaten and also face harsh treatment at Nickel, ultimately the Black students typically face far more severe punishments. For example, all the students know that only Black students are taken “out back” where they are chained between two trees and beaten to death. While it is implied that it happens regularly, only one incident is specifically discussed.
Hope versus Realism
Throughout The Nickel Boys, young Elwood and Turner are compared and contrasted. Elwood is emblematic of hope while Turner is emblematic of realism. Elwood is optimistic that the future will be different, especially after the landmark Supreme Court decision Brown v. Board of Education, and despite Harriet’s reminders that things won’t change quickly and Jim Crow laws won’t suddenly end. Harriet and Mr. Marconi often worry that Elwood’s hope will get him into trouble, and they warn him to avoid conflict. Elwood continues to cling to the idea presented by Martin Luther King, Jr. that if a person is confronted with injustice, they must do the right thing.
Meanwhile, Turner has had a more difficult life. Even though he and Elwood were both abandoned by their parents, Turner doesn’t have Harriet’s steady hand to guide him. Turner believes that people are inherently cruel and that you shouldn’t expect much from them. He warns Elwood that at Nickel its best to lay low and hope to get out as quickly as possible, not by making waves but by doing what you’re told. Turner wants everyone to be equal and he wants segregation to end, but he realizes even if places are integrated, he won’t be able to enjoy them since he is poor. For example, he won’t be able to eat at the lunch counter not only because he’s Black, but also because he doesn’t have money. Turner believes the laws might change, but racism won’t end because you can’t change people’s hearts and minds.
Throughout the novel, Elwood continues to hope that he’ll see the best in people, but during his escape with from Nickel, reality wins. Not only do the inspectors not do the right thing after reading his report, but they also inform Spencer of Elwood’s findings and make no effort to protect him from punishment. Reality comes crashing down on Elwood as he is killed in his escape attempt. Still, Turner takes on Elwood’s identity to honor him and becomes a successful businessperson. In some ways, Turner fulfills the hopeful promise of Elwood’s lost future.
