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Elwood

This character is the protagonist at the center of the 1960s-era narrative. Near the beginning of the novel, this character is accused of car theft, though he had only accepted a ride along his seven-mile journey to Melvin Griggs Technical College. This character was subsequently sentenced to a stint at Nickel and was shot to death during an escape attempt.

Turner

This character is the protagonist of the twenty-first century narrative interwoven into the novel's narrative. At the end of the novel, Whitehead reveals that this character has been the adult Nickel Boy featured in every one of the modern-day vignettes. This character had in fact survived the escape attempt he had instigated only to save the life of his good friend. Instead, this character survived, while his friend was not so lucky.

Harriet

This character is the grandmother of the 1960s-era protagonist. She has worked at the...

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