Question

What was your reaction when you read the first line of The Nickel Boys? For reference, the line is "Elwood received the best gift of his life on Christmas Day 1962, even if the ideas it put into his head were his undoing".

Which aspects of the first line inspire interest in Elwood, the novel’s protagonist?


What aspects of this line inspire mystery?


What is the main word or phrase within the first line that you would like to have explained by someone who could unpack it? Why?


Who might be able to explain it further and why?


What possibilities exist in relation to Whitehead's use of this word or phrase within the novel’s first line?


Which three of these possibilities do you judge to be the most likely and why?

Answer 1

The first line of 'The Nickel Boys' intrigues readers with its mention of a 'best gift' leading to the protagonist's 'undoing,' provoking questions about the gift's nature and how it affects Elwood's life. 'Undoing' suggests potential themes of personal downfall or confrontation with societal norms in the 1960s, and can be further explained by experts in literature or history or by the author Colson Whitehead.

Step-by-step explanation:

The first line of The Nickel Boys contains elements that pique curiosity about the protagonist, Elwood, and create a sense of mystery. The phrase 'the ideas it put into his head were his undoing' immediately suggests an ominous turn of events linked to what initially seems like a positive experience, a 'best gift.' This paradox provokes questions about the nature of the gift and its consequences, drawing readers into the story. The word 'undoing' could have diverse implications, including personal downfall, political struggle, or social conflict, each potentially explicable by characters in the novel with greater insights into Elwood's life or historical context.

The most likely possibilities involving 'undoing' refer to a pivotal life change due to a gift Elwood receives, the ideas challenging societal or racial norms of the 1960s, or a stirring of ambition that could lead to a tragic outcome. Literary scholars, historians familiar with the Civil Rights Movement, or the author himself, Colson Whitehead, could provide deeper exploration of 'undoing' within the novel's historical and thematic framework.

Answer 2

Find the answers and explanations below.

Step-by-step explanation:

1. The aspects of the line that inspire interest in Elwood include

a. The best gift of his life. One wonders what the best gift could be and its importance to him.

b. ...even if the ideas it put into his head were his undoing. The reader might also wonder what the ideas were and why it would cause Elwood's undoing.

2. Mysterious things are unknown and hard to explain. The best gift of his life is mysterious because the reader has no idea of what that gift could be because not much is known about the protagonist. The ideas in his head which would cause his undoing are also mysterious.

3. The phrase I would want to be explained to me is; The best gift of his life. When I know what that gift is, it would help me understand the personality of Elwood and why he had ideas in his head on receiving the gift.

4. The author can explain it further because he knows the qualities of the characters involved in the story.

5. One possibility could be that the gift has a major significance in the story.

Another possibility could be that the gift promoted an ideology that the protagonist holds dear.

The use of the phrase might have also been to whet the reader's interest in the story.

6. I think that the last reason is most likely. Seeing that the reader is not yet acquainted with the character, the mystery surrounding the best gift would make him wonder what that gift was. He would also want to find out by reading more of the story.