Real World Problems Through The Lens of an Adolescent

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    The Hate You Give by Angie Thomas is a story written out of grief and anger. It tells the narrative of racism and injustice. Thomas could have chosen to write a political article or started a petition. She could have led a social justice group or even ran for office. However, she chose to fight the injustice in this world by telling her story through the voice of an adolescent girl. Her choice to use a teenage girl impacts the text in several ways.

     One way that using an adolescent effects the text is through the tone. The tragic mood of the book due to it’s theme and events is juxtaposed with a sarcastic and at times upbeat tone. Starr is constantly giving the reader social commentary on the events in Garden Heights and at Williamson. Thomas is able to lighten the mood with stereotypical teenage drama like dealing with Starr’s boyfriend, Chris. Right after Khalil is shot, Thomas uses Chris to lighten the mood by singing the theme song to Starr’s favorite show, The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. She also uses Starr’s friends, Maya and Hailey, to lighten the mood at times. Together they sing songs from High School Musical, make jokes and get involved in a competitive game of basketball. However, throughout the rest of the book, Starr and her friend’s relationship’s are rocky to say the least. But, that is also a typical teenage trope. As kids get older, they begin to focus on each other’s differences more than their similarities. 

    The story is also filled with light hearted references that any modern teenager would be familiar with. One of Starr’s obsessions is Jordan shoes. You might even say that she is passionate about them. On page 14, Starr complains that “with each hard rub, the shoes cry for my help. No lie, every time a sneaker is cleaned improperly, a kitten dies”. And on page 19, Starr and Khalil reminisce about their love of Harry Potter. And throughout the whole book, Tupac is referenced. Many of his songs and lyrics are quoted as well as his philosophies. Khalil states his philosophy that “The Hate U Give little infants f*** everybody... Meaning what society gives us as youth, bites them in the butt when we wild out.” The rest of the book is framed around that same philosophy. All of these references were used for a reason. I think that Thomas used these pop-culture references to appeal to adolescents reading the book. Everyone may not be able to relate to Starr’s story, but we can find connections and similarities to one another. 

    I believe that Thomas used a young girl like Starr to tell this story for some very specific purposes. One, to lighten the mood of such a heavy story. Two, to appeal to younger audiences. Three, to help people who may not have lived a life like Starr’s make a connection. And most importantly, to show young people that they can make a difference in their world. Starr was at the age that it was time that she decided what to believe in and who to be. The events that occurred in her life, shaped her for who she would be the rest of her life. 



Comments

  1. Aniya HallSeptember 15, 2020 at 2:20 PM

    Candace! This is a great perspective on Thomas' intentions and themes evoked by her novel, "The Hate U Give". I find your point on the way using an adolescent to witness and experience these real world problems effects the text very compelling. So, for starters, I love your title for your blog. It really caught my attention & spiked my interest just by first glance. I agree that Thomas knew what she was doing when she made the narrator of the story, teenager Starr. Like you said, it helps the readers that might not be familiar or aware of the challenges people of color, like Starr, experience everyday. However, just because they might not be able to relate, the connections and similarities depicted throughout the story help them better understand the struggle that Starr endures.

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  2. Kels SalernoSeptember 15, 2020 at 8:34 PM

    Candace,

    I'm glad you brought up Starr's passion for shoes because I kept coming back to that throughout the reading. I thought perhaps her shoes were a symbol for something. They are the one thing Starr always has even when she code switches from Starr to Starr. I'm also glad you pointed out that this book gives readers a chance to somewhat take a walk in someone else's shoes.

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