Reverse Character Arc??

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Character arcs are defined as the "transformation or inner journey of a character over the course of a story." When it comes to a protagonist's character arc, they are mostly positive, with the main character gaining insights from various experiences he goes through to become a better person overall. However, in The Nickel Boys, the protagonist Elwood seems to regress as the story continues. Starting off, he gets a record of MLK's speeches and calls it "the best gift of his life" (11). This shows the extent to which MLK influenced Elwood's ideals. He was a strong supporter of the Civil Rights Movement ever since he was a kid. He started attending protests in high school. Not only this, but he was also extremely strong academically, about to take college classes as of his junior year. This is extremely impressive for a black kid in the 1900s because not only does he have to have an incredible academic drive, he needs to overcome the barriers set in place by society as a part of segregation. Things were looking amazing for Elwood. And then he got arrested for stealing a car he didn't actually steal, and got shipped off to Nickel Academy, a "reform" school. This is where his troubles began.

He faces abuse, both verbal and physical, here and realizes that literally everyone is against him in one way or another. He doesn't know how to get out of Nickel Academy since the system is flawed on so many levels. This experience quickly begins to change him, as he begins to view society as flawed. He also loses faith in the Civil Rights Movement and stops believing in change. The most shocking part of this novel was when Elwood thinks, "Violence is the only lever big enough to move the world." This is the same Elwood that was peacefully protesting, following MLK almost religiously, and believing in Civil Rights with all his heart. Elwood's character is clearly regressing at this point, and it's incredibly heartbreaking to see how a flawed society resulted in such a bright and hopeful mind becoming dulled.

Comments

  1. Arush AlapatiJanuary 9, 2022 at 2:25 PM

    This is really interesting Ruthesh, the idea of a "reverse" character arc is definitely something unique. The way you interpreted the character arc of Elwood is really well done.

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  2. Sanjit VijayJanuary 9, 2022 at 3:13 PM

    I liked how you explained the progression of Elwood and provided an explanation as to why his mindset changed. I also like how you used that quote about violence, which is very contrary to what he first believed in.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Trevor MoreyJanuary 10, 2022 at 3:41 PM

    Ruthesh, I think your analysis really goes to show how broken our society is. If a character such as Elwood can be changed in such a matter, could we all not be changed as well? Hopefully the author points to a brighter message as the plot continues, where Elwood can realize a more important truth, that even as the world forces you down, its not just you pushing back, but a multitude spanning across the globe.

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