Book Summary The Nickel Boys
Colson Whitehead wrote the book “The Nickel Boys,” which was released in 2019. The story takes place in the fictitious Florida reform school Nickel Academy in the 1960s. The story of Elwood Curtis, a Black adolescent with hopes for a better future, is told in the novel as he ends up at Nickel Academy due to an erroneous belief.
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An archaeology team doing a “environmental study” discovers a hidden cemetery on the property of the now-closed reform school Nickel Academy. The state of Florida is compelled to reopen investigations into the numerous “abuse” instances that transpired at the institution because the remains are mainly unidentifiable.
In 1962, a record CD containing talks by Martin Luther King Jr. is given to Elwood Curtis, a young boy from Tallahassee, Florida. The talks give him an overview of the Civil Rights Movement and significantly alter his way of thinking. Elwood, who was reared by his strict grandmother Harriet, reads encyclopaedias that a travelling salesman has left behind while working at the Richmond Hotel. Because of his lofty goals, he gets into problems and ends up at Nickel Academy.
Elwood is sent to the reform school Nickel Academy. Despite having the appearance of a school, The Academy does not offer instruction. Jaimie, a Hispanic boy who alternates between the White school and the Black campus, is assigned to serve on the yard crew with Elwood. To live, Elwood learns how to get along with people at Nickel.
Turner, a disobedient and astute young man, becomes friends with Elwood. Together, they face the challenging circumstances of Nickel Academy, where they experience brutality, corruption, and abuse. Turner is more realistic, but Elwood holds fast to Martin Luther King’s principles and stays optimistic.
The lads at Nickel are tortured both mentally and physically. Elwood endures severe torture while staying true to his principles. Turner grows increasingly pessimistic and thinks that making concessions is necessary to survive. The two buddies fight to preserve their humanity in a setting that diminishes them.
Turner and Elwood devise a scheme to get out of Nickel Academy. Faced with peril and treachery, their friendship is put to the test. Elwood loses confidence in justice as the school’s atrocities worsen. After the truth about the hidden cemetery is made public, Elwood must choose between pursuing justice and surviving.
Elwood considers his time at Nickel Academy and the effects it had on his life decades later. Even though the school’s legacy haunts him still, he is adamant about speaking the truth and pursuing justice for the guys who suffered there.
Colson Whitehead deftly examines themes of racism, injustice, and resiliency in “The Nickel Boys.” The book illuminates a troubling period in American history and is a potent reminder of the ongoing struggle for equality and human dignity.
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