Previous
Ethos
Chapter Seven
Explanation and Analysis—Elwood and Turner:
Throughout The Nickel Boys, Whitehead presents Elwood and Turner as foils for each other who view the world through opposite lenses despite the similarity of their lives at Nickel Academy. Their differences first become clear after Elwood’s first beating in Chapter Seven, when he shares with Turner his desire to vocally advocate for himself in the future. Turner disagrees with Elwood's proactive approach towards the dangerous conditions at Nickel, believing that Elwood must assimilate within the masses to avoid being seen at all:
“It’s not like the old days,” Elwood said. “We can stand up for ourselves.”
“That shit barely works out there—what do you think it’s going to do in here?”
“You say that because there’s no one else out there sticking up for you.”
“That’s true,” Turner said. “That doesn’t mean I can’t see how it works. Maybe I see things more clearly because of it.” [...] “The key to in here is the same as surviving out there—you got to see how people act, and then you got to figure out how to get around them like an obstacle course. If you want to walk out of here.”
“Graduate.”
“Walk out of here,” Turner corrected.
The scene above is one of numerous throughout the novel in which Elwood and Turner’s status as narrative foils becomes apparent. In this case, Turner’s realism reveals Elwood’s opportunism, and vice versa. Having had more experience with Nickel Academy, Turner understands the danger of making oneself seen and heard, knowing this can invite further violence. Elwood, however, believes in the power of active resistance—his moral compass is undoubtedly shaped by the teachings of Dr. Martin Luther King. Although the two characters are both aware of the horrific conditions at Nickel Academy, they take opposite sides when pondering how to approach it.
Related Themes:
