ipl-logo

The Hate U Give Character Analysis

1393 Words6 Pages

As bullets ring in her ear and the fog clears, three bullets fly past her, and the environment suddenly shifts into a heartbreaking moment of silence. Starr Carter fights to resolve the harsh world she lives. Angie Thomas follows Starr Carter's mainly black neighbourhood of Garden Heights and the privileged, white community of Williamson Prep. Starr, the novel's protagonist, is left with the task of gaining justice for Kahlil, her best friend who gets shot by a cop. In The Hate U Give, Angie Thomas uses Starr Carter's character to demonstrate struggles while navigating through two different worlds, media struggles and how people's opinions affect her ability to speak out. Throughout this novel, Starr faces challenges as she finds her way through …show more content…

Similarly, readers can see how Starr's dual personalities, her internal and external selves, affect her relationships. "'I can't share that part of me here, Chris.' 'Why not?' 'Because,' I croak. 'People use it against me. Either I'm poor Starr who saw her friend get killed in a drive-by, or Starr the charity case who lives in the ghetto. That's how the teachers act.'...' I would never use that against you. You once told me I'm the only person you could be yourself around at Williamson, but the truth is you still didn't trust me'" (300). A part of Starr is closed off, ensuring no one can say anything negative about her. Starr is careful of her words around Chris, not wanting to expose too much about herself, making it a struggle for them to maintain an honest relationship. Starr is hesitant to speak about Garden Heights and her community to Chris. Starr is afraid to reveal her true self and the struggles of Garden Heights to Chris. In conclusion, The Hate U Give shows Starr's challenges as she navigates between the two worlds of Garden Heights and Williamson and her …show more content…

But I guess—' I think about DeVante for some reason. 'I don't understand how everyone can make it seem like it's okay if he got killed if he was a drug dealer and a gangbanger.' A hook straight to the jaw" (288). After a police officer kills Khalil, he is quickly referred to as a gang member and portrayed as a threat, despite not having any involvement in criminal activity. The police question Starr, focusing more on Khalil as a person than the specifics of what took place the night of the shooting. The media's portrayal of Khalil affects Starr by making her doubt memories and emotions towards Khalil. The media pressures Starr to conform to this narrative, which causes internal conflict and makes it hard for her to speak the truth, which is seen through her hesitation to speak to the

Open Document