The Hate U Give Sociology

Netanya Dorlus

Dr. Heyward

SO121-SU23 – Intro to Sociology

3 August 2023 Hate U Give Film Analysis: Racism and Identity

The young-adult-turned-feature film, The Hate U Give, adapted from the novel by Angie Thomas, explores the issues of inequality and race/ethnicity in a thought-provoking and impactful manner. The film centers around the story of Starr Carter, a Black teenager who navigates an often divided and racially charged society. She uses this film to open the door to explore the nature of identity while diving deep into the conflicts of racism, police brutality, culture, and community within the life of a colored individual living in America. These aspects of the film resonate deeply with those who can connect with it, highlighting

The constant shifting between lives has caused a rift in Starr's life, creating a sense of conflict within herself and her identity. In the first few minutes of the film, we listen as Starr describes her need to separate her true self from the version she presents to her white peers as she code-switches to prevent herself from being seen as "too hood", and suppresses aspects of her identity to prevent being discriminated against. Acts like this are created due to the pressure of assimilation, which is a survival tactic among many racial-ethnic minority group members. Although it causes the individual to become less authentic, it helps them become one with the crowd, which can be seen with Starr as we observe her changes within the film. However, this battle with her identity is not only shown at school but when she returns home. In Garden Heights, her neighborhood, Starr often gets criticized for being "too white", which is mentioned by many of the characters during the Spring party she attends. As we continue to watch, we can see how different she is from her peers, by her appearance and her disinterest in drugs and alcohol, which is extremely common to participate within her community. Not only has

The way it explores these themes has been applauded by critics and reviewers worldwide, as it sheds light on the systemic racism and the lived experiences of Black individuals in America. As a critic of the movie, I find the ending of the movie to be unrealistic. After all of the tensions and injustice shown throughout the movie, the ending seems to provide a simplistic and optimistic resolution to the complex issues it addresses. It seems too quick to be able to jump to a happy ending when Khalil's murder goes unpunished and the deep-rooted issues of racism persist. However, as a viewer, the movie was brilliant in its ability to spark conversations and create awareness about the ongoing struggles of racial inequality in society. It's a very emotional movie that evoked strong reactions from its audience, including me who cried multiple times throughout the movie. I believe it hit all of the targets of the life of a Black individual in America, and helped its non-black viewers better understand the struggles that we face. As a Black individual in America, I can relate to the experiences and challenges depicted in The Hate U Give. Additionally, it's helped me understand how to act, and what to do in the case of racial profiling and encounters with law enforcement. It's taught me to be vigilant, know my rights, and advocate for justice in the