Daniel asked this question about The Nickel Boys:
I've not finished the book but I'm bothered why the author did not go into more detail on how Elwood was convicted of that crime. Couldn't he have been absolved by his teacher and others, like his employer? I understand that blacks were not given anything close to fair treatment but simply having Elwood go from being in a stolen car to the Nickel "school" seems to be lacking more explanation. Comments?
Manda It seems that Whitehead based part of Elwood's conviction off of Jerry Cooper.
"Cooper is 67 now. He was sent to what at the time was called the Flori…more
It seems that Whitehead based part of Elwood's conviction off of Jerry Cooper.
"Cooper is 67 now. He was sent to what at the time was called the Florida School for Boys in 1961. He'd been running away from home and hitchhiking when he was picked up by an AWOL Marine driving a stolen car." https://www.npr.org/2012/10/15/162941...(less)
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by Colson Whitehead (Goodreads Author)
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