The student demonstrates a thorough understanding of the literal meaning of *The Nickel Boys*, effectively analyzing the influence of systemic racism and personal relationships on the characters’ perspectives. They convincingly interpret the indirect meaning of the text, particularly through Elwood's connection to Martin Luther King Jr. and the impact of his experiences at the Nickel Academy. However, the student needs to improve the clarity and focus of their thesis statement to better align with the analysis in the body paragraphs. Additionally, the analysis would benefit from clearer connections to the thesis and the inclusion of specific textual references to support their arguments. Overall, while the interpretations are insightful, there are areas that require refinement for a more cohesive exploration of the thesis.
