A Cycle of Hate

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     In the novel The Hate U Give, Tupac alludes to the violence that circulates in Garden Heights, and how Starr pushes for justice in the death of Khalil. The title comes from Tupac’s meaning of “Thug Life,” which correlates to how the continuance of violence is a never-ending circle. Once the violence starts within a community, such as Garden Heights, it becomes a continuous cycle that is passed on to the youth. In Starr’s community, some certain gangs and affiliations share conflictions. This leads to an ongoing war between the two and causes heartbreaking realizations for families. Although her own father was once a King Lord, he was able to break out, but he was still known to be a part of it. When being in a gang, you will always be known as such, and carry that with you for the rest of your life. In the novel itself, King laid a bandanna on Khalil in his coffin, so that he may carry that same life with him when he is gone. Although Tupac may sound as if he praises the Thug Life, he is actually sharing the hardships of having to go through it, and the never-ending cycle of violence. 

    Although violence is a result of gangs, some conflicts lead people down this specific path. Due to the oppression, stereotypes, and racism that African Americans face, the youth is not forced to succumb to gangs, but they have limited opportunities in life. The death of Khalil in the novel is an example of such. Because of how the police officer perceived Khalil, he was shot. Because of how the other officers made stereotypical assumptions, there was no immediate justice. When analyzing the conversation between Starr and her father, Maverick said, “When the Khalils get arrested for selling drugs, they either spend most of their life in prison, another billion-dollar industry or they have a hard time getting a real job and probably start selling drugs again. That’s the hate they’re giving us, baby, a system designed against us. That’s Thug Life” (Thomas, 170). Although people can make their own decisions in life, this is a corrupt system that pushes hardships on people. In the novel The Hate U Give, Tupac alludes to a corrupt system of violence, which leads to the death of Khalil and awakening in Starr to seek justice.





Comments

  1. Wilson LongSeptember 18, 2021 at 3:43 PM

    Quite accurate and very poignant. I did not know Tupac said this and otherwise deconstructed the life of criminal gangs like this. I feel he was accurate in his commentary, and i do think that a cycle of sorts falls upon those who take up that life as a result of oppression. I would like to note that this cycle you reference is also tied heavily to many stigmas and stereotypes about ex-convicts and convicted felons. not all of the people who fit those labels are genuinely bad or villainous, yet they are shunned and criticized. This criticism often means they have few job opportunities and fewer prospective escapes, and so they return to crime because they feel or perceive that it is all people think of them as or that it is the only way they can try to rise above the minimum wage existence. Not that minimum wage is bad, but it certainly isn't the most fulfilling thing in the world, and it's easy to find that life a kind of frustrating and infuriating that i personally can't relate to, but know of and understand.

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  2. Shaekwon HeardSeptember 19, 2021 at 4:43 PM

    Hey, Sam! I agree 100% with Wilson about how accurate your post is. I appreciate when people understand that systems are cyclical, and that is what needs to be addressed, not individuals. Phenomenal post.

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