Sometimes, Silence Is Golden
The Hate U Give is an incredibly dense novel that covers a lot of territory in terms of social justice. From the necessity of code switching to the realities of racially induced poverty, Thomas addresses a plethora of societal problems inflicted on the African American community by a majority white culture. And therein lies my problem - I am white. I was raised in a white bubble, with white teachers, and white peers in a very small white town. The Hate U Give is a window (my most sincere thanks for the metaphor) and if there is one piece of understanding that I have taken from this novel it is that the white voice does not need to be heard right now. Thomas’s characterization of white people in her novel communicates to me a message I think we could all benefit from - Shut up and listen.
There is not a single prominent white character in The Hate U Give that does not have an open-mouth-insert-foot moment. Starr’s former best friend, Hailey, operates as your stereotypical “I’m not racist” racist. Hailey is a perfect example of what happens when whites deny their socially ingrained biases. Until we accept and recognize those biases, we can’t change them.
“I know you’re into that sort of thing now-” may possibly be the cringiest line uttered throughout the entire novel and Hailey, a white person, says it (Thomas 113). “That sort of thing” of course means the killing of unarmed black men by police. It’s language like this, a simultaneous dismissal and denial, that white culture has perfected and uses to perpetuate perceptions of superiority. And most of the time, we don’t even realize we’re doing it. I’m sure more than one of us read Hailey’s comments and winced before giving ourselves a reassuring psychological hug as if to say “I would never say anything like that!” Well, did anyone else see how quickly some (not suggesting anyone in this class) were to jump on the whole George-Floyd-had-drugs-in-his-system bandwagon (Raguse)? The sentiment is eerily similar to Hailey’s assertion that “He was a drug dealer and a gangbanger… Somebody was gonna kill him eventually” (Thomas 341).
Even Thomas’s most “woke” white character, “Plain-Ass Chris,” is not exempt from making some serious P.C. faux pas (Thomas 428). Case and point, “Why do some black people give their kids odd names? I mean, look at [your] names. They’re not normal” (Thomas 401). Chris seems to demonstrate that, even white people who are on the right side of the fight, would benefit more from listening than talking. From breadcrumbs (yum!), to names, to missing the point by claiming the riots “...won’t solve anything,” Chris frequently demonstrates his own white naivety by talking instead of listening (Thomas 389).
Through Chris, however, Thomas demonstrates that by listening whites can expand our understanding. We are not lost causes, simply misdirected and gaslighted by our own ingrained cultural biases. While we laugh and shudder at some (or all) of the statements made by Hailey and Chris, I personally feel they were Thomas’s way of saying to her white audience “This. This is what you sound like.” But, in the end, I think Seven said it best - “You don’t get it, so shut up” (Thomas 389).
Works Cited
Raguse, Lou. “New court
docs say George Floyd had ‘fatal level’ of fentanyl in his system.” Kare 11, NBC, 26 August, https://www.kare11.com/article/news/local/george-floyd/new-court-docs-say- george-floyd-had-fatal-level-of-fentanyl-in-his-system/89-ed69d09d-a9ec-481c-90fe-7acd4ead3d04. Accessed
12 September 2020.
Thomas, Angela. The Hate
U Give. HarperCollins Publishers, 2017.
I think this is a great response to the 'The Hate U Give,' Chelsea. I think you completely captured and understood the message Thomas was trying to give her white audience.
ReplyDeleteFor the entirety of American history, white people, specifically white males, have had the loudest voice in society and politics. As such, we have always believed it is our right to have the most important seat at the table. We have always believed our voice is the most important in every conversation. We cannot imagine important social change occurring without our opinion being listened to and heard. But Seven does say it best: "You don't get it, so shut up." It is high time white people come to understand that the change we want to see in the world in regards to racism and police brutality needs us to be in the background. White people need to take a back seat and be there to support Black people and minorities in this fight. We still to need to be engaged and aware and present in this fight, but we need to stop forcing ourselves to the forefront of the conversation.
Chelsea, I think that this is my favorite post so far. You took your discussion and not only explained key parts of the book, but also provided a view of how racism can be prevented. The main cause of racism is because white people do not understand. Personally, I did not even think about how lack of resources/ opportunities causes poverty in these neighborhoods. I never thought about why people become drug dealers, and the line that says, "...He got tired of choosing between lights and food," really opened my eyes. (Thomas 169). It's not that neighborhoods like Garden Heights choose to be poverty stricken, it is what happens when there are no opportunities for growth. When you think about it, Starr and Seven have to travel a long way to even get to a good school to receive a good education. Just knowing this, I think of how far away opportunities are. I mean, in Garden Heights, the store is pretty much the only place to get a few groceries. There is no means for growth in Garden Heights, which is the cause for many drug dealers. If white people would take a second to listen, they may would understand this.
ReplyDeleteHi Chelsea,
ReplyDeleteI want to begin by saying I think this is a great response to the novel as a whole. I'm so glad somebody also agreed on possibly the most cringeworthy line in the entire book. The same line took me aback when I read it. Especially because I have heard this exact line in real life. I also appreciate that you brought to light the situation regarding George Floyd. The similarities in this novel and in real life are painfully similar. I imagine that Thomas's novel was meant to tell a tale of the past rather than speak so accurately to today's world. It's a shame that the loudest voices in the room are the ones doing the most damage.
Chelsea, this is an amazing post and it perfectly described the essence of this novel. I love how you tied it back to what happened recently with George Floyd. When reading the book, it's easy to think "I would never say that," like you said, but once it actually happens it can be a different story. It's somewhat similar to when Starr says "I always said that if I saw it happen to somebody, I would have the loudest voice, making sure the world knew what went down. Now I am that person, and I'm too afraid to speak" (Thomas 34-35). I know it's not an exact comparison, but the idea is the same. In hindsight, it's easy to claim you're "one of the good ones" or that those words would never come out of your mouth; that is until the situation actually happens (not speaking about anyone in particular). It's important to recognize that many people still have biases and that they can be harmful because ignoring them won't solve anything.
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