Hierarchy In The Nickel Boys

Characterization is one of the most important aspects in a story. Sometimes, characters can overpower, or accept this power that has overcome them. In literature, hierarchy is one of the structures mentioned. According to “The Nickel Boys,” by Colson Whitehead, the characters in this book demonstrate an act of hierarchy, whether it’s a challenge or a surrender to fate, specifically one of the main characters; Elwood Curtis. Times where there is an acceptance to hierarchy is an understatement during Part 1. For example, Elwood got tricked after winning the dishwasher race when the people who worked in the kitchen gave him empty encyclopedias as a reward in Chapter 1. “Through high school, he went back and forth over the matter of whether the

Countless people were being discriminated against and have been treated awfully. In Part 2, there are several in the story that have caused much ruckus and have been portrayed by the superintendent at the school, Spencer. Thus, his hierarchy was for the best of him. For instance, Elwood encountered a fight in the bathroom, where a boy named Corey is getting bullied by a few boys. “Corey continued to sob, and when Spencer came back he told him to shut his f*** mouth and they took Lonnie in for his,” (64). Spencer is a part of the staff and often uses profanity through communicating with other people at this school. Usually, profanity can be absurd but the book proves that it’s normal because they use it as communication and also refer to their culture. They don’t wanna be seen as the big guy. In the book, we can clearly analyze how other staff reacts. They don’t react as angrily as Spencer. Thus, Spencer’s purpose of this story represents the issues displayed at Nickel Academy and that caused further disturbance. Not only discrimination is present at these kinds of schools, but exhausting protests, riots and speeches were constituting. This type of act Spencer is playing at refers to injustice around the world. Even though Corey was sobbing, Spencer didn’t do anything about it. While these complaints were happening in real life, the government didn’t do anything about it. Illustrating the heartless soul of Spencer, he clearly shows his acceptance of his own power and how his display of cruelty also mirrors the history of abuse. During an annual boxing match, Spencer pulled the profanity card again. While Griff, a participant in the boxing match was finally alone, Spencer came and faced him with peculiar news. “Finally the superintendent told Griff that his black a** had to take a dive in the third round or else they’d take him out back,” (103). Spencer