The Hate U Give

I just finished reading The Hate U Give and it is such an inspiring book! I wrote a summary/reflection on it that states my thoughts on the book!

Speaking Up

“I can’t change where I come from or what I’ve been through, so why should I be ashamed of what makes me, me?” -The Hate U Give (Thomas 144)

The Hate U Give is an inspiring novel about a teenage girl growing up in an impoverished urban neighborhood. As this riveting story unfolds, Starr Carter, who is the main protagonist, learns how to speak up for herself and for her race against law enforcement, family, and childhood friends. At the beginning, Starr has trouble standing up for herself and typically reverts to “School Starr'' whenever with her friends from her predominantly white school. As the story unfolds, however, she is able to become her true self in front of her friends without worrying about judgments.

I am able to connect with this story partly because it is flawlessly written and partly because so many girls have gone through what Starr experiences. Although my life has not been as tragic and I cannot relate to being looked down upon because of racism, I can relate to the lengthy journey of learning how to speak up for yourself. This novel brings to light a girl’s struggle to make her voice heard while learning how to deal with grief.

Starr Carter is a sixteen year old teenager who lives in Garden Heights. Starr’s character evolves throughout this novel, starting as an unsure teen who is just trying to survive highschool, to a strong, confident young woman who speaks out for what she knows is right. Though she faces many challenges over the course of the book, Starr only grows as a human being and becomes both a leader and an activist.

Though Starr attends a school outside of her hometown, Garden Heights, she does have friends from her neighborhood. Kahlil, who was her best friend when she was younger, is shot by a police man early on in the story. I consider this one of the main conflicts since the story revolves around this moment in the novel. Starr deciding to speak up for Kahlil and bring justice to the black community is the focal point of this astounding book. At the end of the story, Starr learns to speak up for herself and though the police man does not go to jail, she is able to make her voice heard.

The Hate U Give touches upon the importance of standing up for yourself, your family, and your culture by weaving a tale full of grief, devastation, and resilience. Angie Thomas paints a captivating story that has you wondering about equal rights, racism, and activism.