Thomas, A. (2017). The hate u give. NY: HarperCollins
The truth casts a
shadow over the kitchen—people like us in situations like this become hashtags,
but they rarely get justice. I think we all wait for that one time though, that
one time when it ends right.
Maybe this can be it.
Maybe this can be it.
The Hate U Give by
Angie Thomas is the best book for every single young adult and adult in
2017!!!! The book is inspired by the BlackLivesMatter movement. Everyone needs to read this book. That is how
powerful, transparent, and hopeful this book leaves you. The main character is
a teenage black girl, Starr Carter, who lives in a crime-riddled neighborhood,
so each day she leaves her home, Garden Heights, to attend an affluent school
across town, Williamson Prep. So she is
faced with the realities of living a double life. She must navigate through
both worlds. She gets to be herself with her black friend and in her
neighborhood. She must be another person with her predominantly white wealthy
friends from her school.
One night
she attends a party in her neighborhood that turn violent. After leaving the
party with her childhood friend, Khalil, her life and her community is forever
changes. A traffic stop turns tragic when unarmed Khalil is repeatedly shot by
a police officer after failing to follow police instructions. Khalil goes to
pick up a hairbrush and is killed by the police office. When reading the book I
felt like Khalil was the face of all the many recent police killings of unarmed
young black men in America. The events of that night serve as the spark that
sets off an explosion. Starr’s neighborhood has a long-standing animosity for
the police, citing multiple instances of police brutality and harassment. This
book addressed every single contemporary topic on race relations, police, social,
political, and economic issues that our country is facing at this moment. This
book gives a human voice to the debate that dived this country BlackLivesMatter,
AllLivesMatter, BlueLivesMatter. All the characters in the book are full dimensional
and have powerful voices.
The literary element was the most powerful in
this book was Thomas’s use of symbolism throughout the book. There are two that
embodied the theme and tone of this novel. The author Angie Thomas publicly
states that rapper Tupac Shuakur’ was an inspiration because she wanted this
book to be a platform and give voice to her activism jut like Tupac used his art
as a platform for activism. Tupac Shakur’s concept of THUG LIFE- The Hate U
Give Little Infants Fucks Everybody- is an important motif in the novel and the
source of the books title. Tupac’s acronym explains the evil nature of poverty
and crime.
The reason for the poverty and crime is a
result of an oppressive, racist social system. Starr and Khalil discuss the
acronym shortly before Khalil’s death, and Starr discusses Tupac’s message with
her father later, she concludes that she can’t be silent about the shooting.
She must use her voice to speak out against the horrible incident. This motif/symbol
is carried throughout the entire novel. It represents the darkness of the world
that we live in every day. But, the second symbol is what makes this book so powerful
and inspirational.
The second
symbol is Black Jesus is a symbol of love, hope, and strength of African-American
in the face of oppression. Maverick makes Jesus black and leads his family in a
group prayer each morning. The family get strength from this prayer every day. Black
Jesus is a symbol of religion and the hope and belief in a greater good. That we
must have faith and hope that things will get better. It represents the hope and light of humanity that
despite all the hate in the world that there is still love and light.
The Hate U Give
is powerful, emotional, and inspirational. I look forward to more books by
Angie Thomas because her voice is needed. The book has won numerous awards most
notable is the Coretta Scott King Award Nominee for Author Honor, National Book
Award Nominee for Young People’s Literature, Carnegie Medal Nominee, NAACP
Image Award Nominee for Youth/Teens, Michael L. Printz Honor Award.
Grade Level Recommendations: 9-12th
Author’s Website
Book Review
Books and Big Hair
Interview with Angie Thomas on her inspiration for The
Hate U Give
Official Movie Trailer The Hate U Give
Teacher Resources
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