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The Relevance of Angie Thomas's YA novel, The Hate U Give

Summary

    I chose to read Thomas's The Hate U Give because the novel goes beyond the character's inner challenges to see how our created systems can distort our perceptions and influence our paths and decisions. The Hate U Give explores these systems through the main character, Starr's narrative of recent events that put her at a crossroads with her identity, friendships, and family. 

Published: 2017

Genre: urban fiction

Pages: 464



Notable Awards & Recognitions ("notable" because this novel received so many awards and recognition since its publication)

  1. Coretta Scott King Book Award (2018)
  2. Goodreads Choice Award for YA Fiction (2017)
  3. National Book Award Nominee for Young People's Literature (2017)
  4. Boston Globe-Horn Book Award for Fiction (2017)
  5. Canegie Medal Nominee (2018)
  6. There are so many!...More can be found here: The Hate U Give Awards & Recognition

Teaching Considerations

  • As with all of my previous posts, I suggest educators use sensitivity and care in establishing a safe and respectful classroom environment from which to use and explore this text and it's themes. While The Hate U Give is an essential book for addressing societal injustices, it includes mature themes such as violence, language, and trauma. I'd encourage teachers to create supportive environments for discussion, allowing students time to reflect on their own experiences and perspectives. 
  • As with all of the books I've read for this course, I suggest students always have individual time to reflect upon the literature and themes as well as the option to participate in whole-group or whole-class discussion. 

Classroom Ideas

    I suggest educators contextualize this novel with a broad range of background knowledge that includes the Black Lives Matter movement, the history of police brutality in the U.S., code-switching and identity struggles, and the significance of Tupac Shakur's impact on society through his activism and lyrics--as noted in the novel's underlying message of cyclical violence and struggle through societal injustice and oppression. 
    I had a hard time with the part of the story where the plot's rising action/conflict begins. Here's an excerpt that could be used in a read aloud once students begin reading the novel. This part is one where some or most students may be able to connect to recent headlines--or possibly their own personal stories. 

When I was twelve, my parents had two talks with me.

One was the usual birds and bees. Well, I didn’t really get the usual version. My mom, Lisa, is a registered nurse, and she told me what went where, and what didn’t need to go here, there, or any damn where till I’m grown. Back then, I doubted anything was going anywhere anyway. While all the other girls sprouted breasts between sixth and seventh grade, my chest was as flat as my back.

The other talk was about what to do if a cop stopped me.

Momma fussed and told Daddy I was too young for that. He argued that I wasn’t too young to get arrested or shot.

“Starr-Starr, you do whatever they tell you to do,” he said. “Keep your hands visible. Don’t make any sudden moves. Only speak when they speak to you.”

I knew it must’ve been serious. Daddy has the biggest mouth of anybody I know, and if he said to be quiet, I needed to be quiet.

I hope somebody had the talk with Khalil.

He cusses under his breath, turns Tupac down, and maneuvers the Impala to the side of the street. We’re on Carnation where most of the houses are abandoned and half the streetlights are busted. Nobody around but us and the cop.

Khalil turns the ignition off. “Wonder what this fool wants.”

There's a good deal of foreshadowing in this part but I won't elaborate to prevent any spoilers as this is the cornerstone part of the story.

    Racial profiling, police violence, systematic inequality can all be examined by having students read The Hate U Give. Beyond this building of background knowledge, I think that students need encouragement for activism. The novel highlights different responses to injustice--peaceful protests, riots, media representation, and grassroots activism--giving students a framework to discuss and analyze how social movements operate. 

    By incorporating The Hate U Give into your curriculum, you can provide your students with a critical lens to analyze injustice, empower their voices, and encourage meaningful engagement with the world around them. 

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