The Hate U Give
Author: Angie Thomas
Publication: 2017
Number of pages: 444 pages
Author:
Angie Thomas is zelf ook opgegroeid in een wijk zoals die waarin Starr opgroeit.
Angie Thomas vindt het belangrijk dat de witte gemeenschap meer luisterd naar de stem van
de Black Lives Matter beweging.
Content:
Starr Carter, a sixteen-year-old black girl, attends a party in her neighborhood, Garden
Heights. Starr goes with Kenya, a friend with whom she shares an older half-brother, Seven.
Ever since attending Williamson Prep, a primarily white school, Starr feels out of place in the
Garden Heights social scene. When Kenya goes off with other friends, Starr runs into her
childhood best friend, Khalil Harris, whom she hasn’t seen in a long time. Gunshots from a
gang fight interrupt the party, and Khalil offers to take Starr home. While Khalil drives, he
explains rapper Tupac Shakur’s idea that “Thug Life” stands for “The Hate U Give Little
Infants F---- Everybody.” Soon after, a white police officer with the badge number one-fifteen
pulls them over. Khalil questions the motivation for the stop, and One-Fifteen orders him out
of the car and searches him. One-Fifteen commands Khalil not to move, and returns to his
car. Khalil opens the door to check on Starr. One-Fifteen fatally shoots Khalil.
Starr has nightmares about the death of another childhood friend, Natasha, who died in the
crossfire of a gang shooting. At school on Monday, Starr feels tense around Hailey and
Chris, her white friend and boyfriend, as memories of Khalil’s death interrupt her thoughts
and she realizes they don’t understand. At the urging of her uncle Carlos, a police officer,
Starr goes into the police station after school with her mother, Lisa, to testify about Khalil’s
shooting. Starr realizes that the officers are asking more questions about whether Khalil was
a troublemaker than about the night of the shooting. She worries that justice for Khalil will not
be served. At Khalil’s funeral, a lawyer and activist named April Ofrah confirms Starr’s fears
when she announces that the police will not pursue legal action against One-Fifteen and
invites the attendees to a rally in Khalil’s honor. Starr blames herself for the police’s inaction.
King, the head of a local gang called the King Lords, also interrupts the funeral and places a
gray bandana on Khalil’s casket, signifying Khalil’s membership in the King Lords. April Ofrah
tells Starr to call her if she needs legal representation.
The news that the police won’t prosecute One-Fifteen leads to days of protests in Garden
Heights. During this time, Maverick, Starr’s father, explains to her his interpretation of
Tupac’s phrase “Thug Life.” He believes that Thug Life describes a system designed against
black communities. Only by speaking out can black communities begin to break the cycle. At
the Carter family’s grocery store, a teenage member of the King Lords named DeVante begs
Maverick, a former King Lord, to help him leave the gang. Maverick agrees. Starr sees
DeVante’s request as a chance to help someone in a similar situation as Khalil. A few days
later, Maverick gets into an argument with the neighborhood barber, Mr. Lewis. Although the
argument is peaceful, two police officers intervene, and when they see Maverick is Starr’s
father, they push him to the ground and search him. Between this scary event and pressure
from Kenya, Starr decides that she will no longer be silent.
The District Attorney calls Lisa to announce that a grand jury will hear the case against One-
Fifteen and asks if Starr will testify. Starr agrees, and April Ofrah decides to represent Starr
pro bono, and also find a way to get Starr a television interview. Meanwhile, DeVante tells
Starr that Khalil had never been a member of the King Lords and only sold drugs for King to
Author: Angie Thomas
Publication: 2017
Number of pages: 444 pages
Author:
Angie Thomas is zelf ook opgegroeid in een wijk zoals die waarin Starr opgroeit.
Angie Thomas vindt het belangrijk dat de witte gemeenschap meer luisterd naar de stem van
de Black Lives Matter beweging.
Content:
Starr Carter, a sixteen-year-old black girl, attends a party in her neighborhood, Garden
Heights. Starr goes with Kenya, a friend with whom she shares an older half-brother, Seven.
Ever since attending Williamson Prep, a primarily white school, Starr feels out of place in the
Garden Heights social scene. When Kenya goes off with other friends, Starr runs into her
childhood best friend, Khalil Harris, whom she hasn’t seen in a long time. Gunshots from a
gang fight interrupt the party, and Khalil offers to take Starr home. While Khalil drives, he
explains rapper Tupac Shakur’s idea that “Thug Life” stands for “The Hate U Give Little
Infants F---- Everybody.” Soon after, a white police officer with the badge number one-fifteen
pulls them over. Khalil questions the motivation for the stop, and One-Fifteen orders him out
of the car and searches him. One-Fifteen commands Khalil not to move, and returns to his
car. Khalil opens the door to check on Starr. One-Fifteen fatally shoots Khalil.
Starr has nightmares about the death of another childhood friend, Natasha, who died in the
crossfire of a gang shooting. At school on Monday, Starr feels tense around Hailey and
Chris, her white friend and boyfriend, as memories of Khalil’s death interrupt her thoughts
and she realizes they don’t understand. At the urging of her uncle Carlos, a police officer,
Starr goes into the police station after school with her mother, Lisa, to testify about Khalil’s
shooting. Starr realizes that the officers are asking more questions about whether Khalil was
a troublemaker than about the night of the shooting. She worries that justice for Khalil will not
be served. At Khalil’s funeral, a lawyer and activist named April Ofrah confirms Starr’s fears
when she announces that the police will not pursue legal action against One-Fifteen and
invites the attendees to a rally in Khalil’s honor. Starr blames herself for the police’s inaction.
King, the head of a local gang called the King Lords, also interrupts the funeral and places a
gray bandana on Khalil’s casket, signifying Khalil’s membership in the King Lords. April Ofrah
tells Starr to call her if she needs legal representation.
The news that the police won’t prosecute One-Fifteen leads to days of protests in Garden
Heights. During this time, Maverick, Starr’s father, explains to her his interpretation of
Tupac’s phrase “Thug Life.” He believes that Thug Life describes a system designed against
black communities. Only by speaking out can black communities begin to break the cycle. At
the Carter family’s grocery store, a teenage member of the King Lords named DeVante begs
Maverick, a former King Lord, to help him leave the gang. Maverick agrees. Starr sees
DeVante’s request as a chance to help someone in a similar situation as Khalil. A few days
later, Maverick gets into an argument with the neighborhood barber, Mr. Lewis. Although the
argument is peaceful, two police officers intervene, and when they see Maverick is Starr’s
father, they push him to the ground and search him. Between this scary event and pressure
from Kenya, Starr decides that she will no longer be silent.
The District Attorney calls Lisa to announce that a grand jury will hear the case against One-
Fifteen and asks if Starr will testify. Starr agrees, and April Ofrah decides to represent Starr
pro bono, and also find a way to get Starr a television interview. Meanwhile, DeVante tells
Starr that Khalil had never been a member of the King Lords and only sold drugs for King to
