Anthony Maturana Mrs. Lupinski Sophomore English F October 9th, 2024 The Denouement of Action during times of Racial Injustice. In both Martin Luther King’s “Letter from Birmingham Jail” and Colson Whitehead’s The Nickel Boys, the characters grapple with the painful realities of racism, and brutal racism. King, a civil rights leader, advocates for nonviolent direct action in response to discrimination and injustice. Elwood, the protagonist of The Nickel Boys, is a prominent admirer of Martin Luther King's Beliefs and philosophy, though, throughout the book he slowly becomes disenchanted by his teachings by the harshness of life at Nickel Academy. Both works of literature explore the struggle for injustice but gradually reveal that the weight …show more content…
However, as he experiences the sheer brutality of treatment at Nickel Academy, his belief in the immanence of change fades. Elwood’s growing hopelessness is reflected in his behavior: “The more routine his days, the more unruly his nights” (Whitehead 155). This shift in behavior shows how Elwood slowly loses hope in leaving the school soon, and it also contrasts with King’s devotion to his principles, even when faced with imprisonment. In “Letter from Birmingham Jail,” King declares, “I will stay in jail to the end of my days before I make a mockery of my conscience” (King 4). While King remains resolute in his dedication to nonviolence and justice, Elwood’s traumatic experiences at Nickel lead him to question whether justice is realistically attainable at all. This contrast illuminates how enduring oppression in different forms can either solidify one’s moral stance, or lead to a loss of faith. One of the most significant similarities between King’s experience and Elwood’s is the agonizing frustration of being told to “wait”. King expresses his frustration with the repeated calls for waiting from white supremacists, explaining that “This ‘wait’ has almost always meant ‘never’” (King