The Hate U Give Themes

Pieter Vermeltfoort – 05.2023
Angie Thomas' "The Hate U Give" is a critically acclaimed young adult novel that has captured the attention of readers and critics alike since its publication in 2017. Released during the rapidly growing Black Lives Matter movement, the novel has been praised for its honest and powerful portrayal of the black experience in America. It has won numerous awards, including the William C. Morris Award, the Michael L. Printz Award, and the Coretta Scott King Award. The book was adapted into a movie in 2018, which received widespread acclaim from movie critics. "The Hate U Give" follows the story of 16-year-old Starr Carter, a black girl who witnesses the fatal shooting of her unarmed childhood best friend, Khalil, by

In interviews, Angie Thomas has clarified that "The Hate U Give" is not autobiographical. However, her personal experiences growing up in a poor and primarily black neighborhood in Mississippi have undoubtedly influenced the novel's themes and storylines as her neighborhood was plagued by gun violence. When Thomas was younger she witnessed a shootout between two rivalling gangs, this experience deeply affected her view of mankind. To help Thomas understand that the world was larger than the gun violence outside, her mother took her to a library, which ignited Thomas' love for stories and writing. This love eventually made her decide to attend Belhaven University to obtain a bachelor in Fine Arts. Attending Belhaven University, a primarily white private Evangelical Christian school, made Thomas feel like she became two separate people, one that spoke and acted differently depending on the environment she was in, something that we also see Starr do in the novel. The shooting of

The novel's protagonist, Starr, navigates between her predominantly black neighborhood and her predominantly white private school, highlighting the challenges of code-switching and the tension between these two worlds. In addition, the success of "The Hate U Give" has helped to pave the way for other black authors and stories to be recognized in the publishing industry. The book's popularity and critic’s acclaim demonstrate that stories by and about people of colour can have broad appeal and make a significant impact on the cultural