The Hate You Give
“The Hate You Give” by Angie Thomas gives a story of a sixteen-year-old protagonist, Starr Carter. The setting of the novel is in such a way that injustice due to racial discrimination takes a significant part of the story. Starr is exposed to the trauma of her friend Khalil dying in the hands of a white cop and has to live as the only witness of the murder. The whole story revolves around Starr’s choice of whether to speak or to remain silent on the entire murder story since whichever choice she makes is sure to twist the whole story. The author’s main aim of writing the novel is to bring to the attention the negative impacts of racism in a society where justice comes only at a cost.
Starr is the only witness in the murder of Khalil and has to bear the weight of such a burden despite being a young girl. According to Starr, Khalil’s death is only motivated by racism. The fact that Khalil was unarmed and did not offer any resistance towards the police means that the police officer should be charged with murder. However, the case to determine the fate of the police officer sets him free and proves the intensity of injustice that the society is facing. The residents are forced to live in fear of police officers who should be providing security: “When I was twelve, my parents had two talks with me…The other was about what to do if a cop stopped me…,” Thomas (p. 20). The injustice surrounding the death of Khalil paves the way for Starr’s complicated life.
The death of Khalil brings difficulties in Starr’s life. First, Starr has to cope with white classmates who have a different perception of the murder of Khalil. According to the white students, the police officer should have instead been awarded for a job well done. The students were for the point that Khalil was a drug dealer and that the police officer had saved the community. Also, the events that follow after the murder change the way Starr had perceived justice in her community. Starr realizes that the blacks are entitled to know justice and that even the judicial systems have been infected with the racism menace: “I leave the police station with my mom… know the same thing: This is [is going to] be some bullshit…,” Thomas (p. 103). Starr has been exposed to events that are too heavy for her age, and this affects the way she relates with her friends.
Racism destroys friendly relationships. Maverick’s joint efforts with Starr of fighting for justice affect Starr’s relationship with her white friends. Starr is in a relationship with a white boyfriend, Chris and her perception towards the whites has changed with the turn of events. Starr believes that Chris does not take the issue of racism with the seriousness that it deserves although Starr is being affected. Also, Starr is in a crisis with her friend Hailey who shares a different perspective from Starr’s. Hailey’s perception towards Starr is said to have changed after Starr posted a picture of a murdered black boy. The friendship between Starr and Hailey eventually comes to an end: “Starr… After everything we [have] been through, you think I’m a racist…,” Thomas (p.112). Generally, Starr has changed throughout the story due to exposure to racism.
In sum, “The Hate You Give” is based on the prevalence of injustice in a society that has been hit with racial discrimination. The author aims at presenting the negative impacts of racism and the effects on the relationships between friends. The story of Starr presents a changing life of an individual due to exposure to racism.
Work Cited
Thomas, Angie. The hate u give. cbt Verlag, 2017.