3. During what period of Elwood's life did he play a game wherein he tried to guess how may "Negro patrons" (18) were seated in the Richmond Hotel's dining room?

4. By what name did the Nickel Boys call the Nickel Academy's "official cemetery" (3)?

5. Once Elwood started to work for Mr. Marconi, Harriet put half of his wages toward household expenses and saved the other half for what expense?

Short Essay Questions

1. Describe Elwood's family, as it is presented in Chapters 1 through 3.

2. How are the themes of brutality and oppression intertwined within Chapter 6?

3. How many boys were incarcerated at Nickel at the time of Elwood's arrival and in what way was the campus divided into two?

4. How did Elwood turn the nasty trick played by the Richmond Hotel staff into a boon?

5. What was ironic about Harriet's punishment of Elwood upon learning that he had participated in a protest?

6. For what reason was Elwood unable to get a full night's sleep the day of his arrival at Nickel?

7. For what purpose does Whitehead allude to Life magazine within Chapter 2?

8. What disappointing news did Blakely reveal to Elwood about educational opportunities at Nickel?

9. What does the industrial fan within Chapter 6 symbolize and with what theme does Whitehead connect the fan?

10. What Christmas present did Elwood receive in 1962 that the narrator described as "the best gift of his life" (11)?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Analyze the interplay between the resolution of The Nickel Boys and one of the novel's main messages. How does Whitehead make connections between these elements and how does their juxtaposition help them get across one main message of the novel?