This paper explores the ethics of nonviolence and grievability as represented in Colson Whitehead’s The Nickel Boys. Judith Butler emphasizes the importance of life, approaching the ethics of nonviolence and grievability through the logic of human vulnerability and interdependency. Recognizing this interdependency becomes crucial for fostering the possibility of equal social relations. Incarcerated in the Nickel Academy, Elwood confronts a microcosm of the racial segregation prevalent in American society. Faced with extreme systemic violence, Elwood strives for an egalitarian interdependency, not just for blacks but also for the white individuals who discriminate against and control him. He practices nonviolent resistance by writing letters to expose the corruption of the authorities, including the US government and the Nickel Academy. Witnessing Elwood’s death, Turner breaks free from racial defeatism and chooses to live a ‘sturdy’ life, akin to Elwood’s, thereby restoring the life of his fallen comrade, who was denied a proper obituary and mourning, to a life worth living and grieving. While Elwood’s journey comes to an end, the hope remains that future Turners will carry on the torch of nonviolent resistance, envisioning an egalitarian world where all subjects can experience grievable lives.