Welcome to your online discussion of The Hate U Give!
Together with members of your book group, you’ll be reading The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas over the next several weeks. Although you're not required to take notes while you read, it would be wise to keep track of important events and characters for your own clarification. You are, however, expected to participate regularly and thoughtfully in an online discussion of FOUR essential questions.
Here's how it works:
Divide your book roughly in half. You need to have read and blogged about each half by the due dates below.
There are two kinds of posts in this discussion: response and comment.
Response = direct response to the essential questions
Comment = comment on someone else’s posted response or comment
Post at least THREE responses for each half of your book (SIX overall).
You must respond at least once to each of the essential questions over the course of your reading. One of your six responses can be a “free-response" post.
Post at least THREE comments for each section of your book (SIX overall).
Due dates:
- Post your first set of responses and comments by Monday, May 20 (Blue 2), and Tuesday, May 21 (Red 2).
- Post your second set of responses and comments by Thursday, May 30 (Red 2), and Friday, May 31 (Blue 2).
- How does prejudice affect the lives of young people growing up?
- How and why are people prejudiced?
- How are justice & courage related?
- In what ways does this book refute the notion of the “single story”?
** Free-response option: Address another issue/episode/or passage in the book that you find significant for any reason.
Assessment:
To earn maximum credit, post thoughtful responses that are at least a few sentences in length—and carefully proofread! Do not misspell characters' or authors’ names! Also, be sure to include specific references to the text (either details or short quotations). Page numbers, too, are always helpful.
Right from the beginning you can see that Starr has a lot of courage. She wears what she wants to the party and doesn't feel the need to keep up with her friend the whole time. She doesn't quite know where to fit in with the "white kid" crowd, or with the "black kid" crowd. She's stuck in the middle but doesn't feel the need to try and fit in. She wants justice for her friend who was killed by officer 115 and she's working on finding the courage to put herself out in the world and find justice.
ReplyDeleteStarr wants to find justice but her father is hesitant. Starr and her family might get threats from white people which could lead to other major issues. In an area with this much racial prejudice, it would be hard to convict a white police officer of shooting a black person because of his race. Another problem with Starr publically trying to convict him is the hate and disapproval she would most likely get from both the black and white communities.
DeleteThis was Avery's
DeleteI agree with Grady. I think Starr wanted justice but she is too scared to publicize that she was a witness. She doesn't want to be the main center of attention, and have to explain over and over again why het best friend died. I know that if I was in this situation, and my family was telling me to go on tv and meet with someone to talk about this, I wouldn't do it. She doesn't want to experience the backlash that she could get from doing this.
DeleteIn chapter 2-3 is when we are shown the first acts of prejudice. When they first get pulled over Starr remembers what her daddy told her "If your'e with somebody, you better hope they have nothing on them, or both y'all going down" (25) she soon after asks Khalil if he has anything. Fast forward to when Khalil is forced to get out of the car and put his hand on the dash, he goes into his car and grabs a hairbrush to brush his hair trying to be cool. But the cop thought he was going to reach for a gun...so he shot Khalil. I think if this was a white man reaching out for something in his car, I think the cop would have waited to see what he was grabbing/ pulling out before he shot.
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DeleteI completely agree with this. The one thing I slightly disagree with is the last sentence. If Khalil had been white, their car would probably wouldn't have been pulled over in the first place or would have been immediately released.
DeleteBut he was pulled over and wouldn't giver him a reason, so I think the cop would have pulled him over no matter what. I think a reason could have been they were seen leaving the party, they were speeding, or something else in this era.
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DeleteTrue. If the cop spotted them leaving the party, he would have seen their skin color and running to the car. This would have been a sign that they would be up to no good. What the cop didn't know is they were running away to safety.
DeleteStarr later in the book asks her uncle (a black man) if he would have shot a white man in Khalil's position or if he would say put your hands up. He said if it was a white man he would have said to put your hands up but he would shoot a black man. He doesn't give much of an explanation of why except for the fact that it is how it is. He has to go with the prejudice along with other police officers.
DeleteDo you think her uncle has internalized society's prejudice against black men—so that, as a police officer, he's biased against members of his own race?
DeleteMany people would have been more cooperative with the police so I believe he had been more respectful and listened then he might have been able to avoid getting shot. So although its bad that he was shot partially from prejudice he might have been able to avoid it.
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ReplyDeleteAt the beginning of chapter 2, we already see the prejudice of the police towards blacks. Starr says "When I was twelve, my parents had two talks with me. One was the usual birds and bees...The other talk was about what to do if a cop stopped me." (24) This proves that even at a young age, blacks are racially viewed as not equal or "sketchy". In the book, prejudice is thought to be in the police system. This is extremely wrong as the police and judicial system is supposed to be judgement free and based off only facts.
ReplyDeleteStarr was lucky to have learned what to do because she easily could have been in Khalil's position. So although the justice system is terrible it's good to be prepared for what to do. She was taught and educated on what to do and she survived.
DeleteStarr was also trying to tell Khalil what to do, but he wouldn't listen. He was nagging the cop, and acting all cocky. I think this led to Khalil getting shot, and also that he is a black person, so prejudice had something to do with this.
DeleteDue to the shooting of Khalil, I believe PTSD has started to affect Starr and her daily life. This is making her act abnormally. All she can think about is officer one-fifteen, the blood, and Khalil's dying face. When Starr tries to talk to Chris, she experiences flashbacks which make her break down crying. Later on Starr thinks, "I count: One. Two. Three. Four. I lose track around twelve because the guns in their holsters are all I can see. All of them. Two of us." (95) This time she is in a police station getting ready to be interviewed. All she can look and think about are the guns on the police's belts. Although the shooting is a major event, she will break at some point as the anger and other emotions are slowly building up in her. This will lead to more trouble if she doesn't find a way to cope with her feelings.
ReplyDeleteI agree with the whole PTSD thing because she is very stressed and is always having flashbacks to what happened that night at random times. Her having this PTSD is starting to affect her greatly.
DeleteIn Chapters 6 and 7, it seems like both the media and investigators are trying to twist the story about Khalil as Starr tries to tell them the truth. For instance, a single story is created when the news reports headline is "Khalil Harris, a Suspected Drug Dealer." While this may have been true, the report only said negative things about Khalil and not even mentioning he was unarmed. During the investigation at the police station, the investigators let Starr tell her story and then start asking questions to make there be an "excuse" for the shooting. They really tried tricking Starr and getting her to say something false about Khalil to make him look like a bad guy.
ReplyDeleteI agree with this, it does seem like the reporters have their own opinions on what happened but Starr is too scared to come out and say that she a witness of this. So she lets them say whatever
DeleteI agree, Starr is kind of just letting them walk all over her because she is too scared to say what really happen, because she doesn't know what the outcome will be.
DeleteI believe that many of the reporters have their opinion about blacks and situations but they do what is best for the company to cause drama. It's not good that they twist the story but I do believe it's their job to stir up drama.
DeleteIn chapter eight its Khalils funeral and there are a bunch of T-shirts that say like"Rip Khalil" and stuff like that. I think people are going to try and fight injustice because this is becoming a very huge thing that has happened to this community. The open casket is starting to make her have ptsd and she feels out of place in a way.
ReplyDeleteAlthough the open casket makes Starr upset and hurt it's also more meaningful because others can see the body and really think about what happened. The book really focuses on small things to make the characters feel more like the open casket.
DeleteIn chapter 9 the people are starting to riot because of the injustice that has taken place in the community. The decision was made that officer 115 wont even be arrested and Starr feels like it's her fault. Also, when the news people are reporting on the story they emphasize the bad things that Khalil did like drug dealing and gang activity; making him look like a bad person.
ReplyDeleteI think they wanted to make Khalil seem like a bad person so others didn't realize how unjust it was to let officer 115 go free. Starr was getting people to see that Kahlil wasn't just a bad person and he lived, he was never a bad person until he died and people made him one.
DeleteI completely agree. The news story almost seemed as propaganda to make an excuse for the shooting. I believe the riots will not stop unless something major happens such as another police shooting which would just enrage the protesters, or if Starr speaks up and forms peaceful protests.
DeleteThroughout the book many people use the term "thug life" which stands for "The hate you give little infants f*cks everybody". I don't quite understand what it means and I cant get a clear meaning. I believe it could mean that hating on little kids could make them do the same when they are older.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you. I believe the message is that when people hurt the youth, once grown, might continue to hurt others as that's the way they were treated. This is why it says it "f*cks everybody" in a sense that spreading hate only returns in larger amounts to everyone.
DeleteYou're right on! Hate simply perpetuates hate.
DeleteI believe a major part of the story is Starr trying to fit in an be "normal". This is hard for Starr as she has witnessed two deaths, goes to an mainly white school and is black, and lives in a very rough area. She describes as having two sides: her school and formal side and her Garden Heights side. Flipping between these sides is stressful for her as she can only act one way around certain people otherwise they will think she is weird. She doesn't have to choose around Chris which helps her. Starr says, "Chris is the kind of normal I really want. The normal where I don't have to choose which Starr to be." (162) This proves some of her stress related problems could be related to switching her behaviors depending on who she is with. Also, this tells us that Chris helps her and she wishes she could just have one way she acted rather than two and still be accepted.
ReplyDeleteI also think that Starr's struggle to fit in is a major part of the story. Her journey trying to be normal compared to other kids is a huge struggle especially when she is black. Chris is like a shoulder to lean on at times, she can be herself around him as you said.
DeleteAs the story continues, we see Starr start to realise that her silence about Khalil is not helping anybody like her who faces racial prejudice. For about the first 1/3 of the book, she does nothing and says nothing about the shooting. She is afraid something bad would happen to her due to her speaking up. I believe this will change and she will start advocating for her cause and try and create change instead of doing nothing. I also believe she will try and help other young people like her who face prejudice as they grow up and learn to fight it.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you on this, I think that Starr with eventually speak up for what's right and ignore the dangers that are involved. I think the author may be foreshadowing this in certain parts and it will be a big part of her character development.
DeleteI think that the news media and many white characters in this book promote 115's version of events because by protecting him, they protect law enforcement from charges of racism. Uncle Carlos, Starr’s black uncle on the same police force as 115, also initially defends 115's actions before realizing he wrongly tried to justify the shooting of Khalil. I think that the media works to disguise the racism in 115's actions by portraying them as logical and justified. For example, news coverage emphasizes Khalil’s alleged gang connections, perpetuating stereotypes of black boys as violent and dangerous. Upon hearing these reports, Hailey, Starr’s Williamson Prep friend, concludes that Khalil was nothing more than a thug.
ReplyDeleteI completely agree with this argument. In this story, the media portrays a sort of racially targeting way to spread propaganda and provide an excuse for violence against blacks when regarding the police force. This creates a single story and builds prejudice around blacks. When non-blacks hear this news, they believe it and believe false stories.
DeleteYeah I agree with this too, people are just making him look like a bad person and it's easy for all the white people to believe what the News is saying. They have no reason to believe otherwise so it's just easy for people to think he's just another thug.
Delete“Everybody wants to talk about how Khalil died,” I say. “But this isn’t about how Khalil died. It’s about the fact that he lived. His life mattered. Khalil lived!” I look at the cops again. “You hear me? Khalil lived!” (chapter 24.) This quote shows me how Starr was actually feeling when she was talking to the police about Khalil and how it affects the community.
ReplyDeleteIn chapter 24, Starr finally comes out of her shell and uses her voice and story of Khalil as her weapon to try and push back racism and police brutality. This is a major turning point in the book because before this, Starr was afraid to speak up as she didn't want to get hurt by the police or other people. She is also speaking up against the media because they were creating excuses about the shooting when there is no excuse for it except racism toward blacks.
ReplyDeleteI agree with this, as from my comment above. I think Starr got tired of people trying to make Khalil look like a bad person. Khalil was her best friend and i'm guessing she doesn't like the way people are talking abut Khalil, and was just in general afraid of people hurting her, or saying that she is just saying this because she is defending her friend, even though she knows what really happened.
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ReplyDeleteThe meaning of thug life or "the hate you give little infants f*cks everybody" comes from a rapper named Tupac who Kahlil adored. Tupac's meaning of it is "What you feed us as seeds, grows and blows up in your face." King Lord is the result of someone before him and Kahlil is probably the result of his father. Sekani will probably be the result of his father and be a good man. King lord probably had a lot of hate in his life when he was younger so he grew up to "f*ck everybody".
ReplyDeleteAt the beginning of chapter 10 Starr and Lisa pull up a a police road-block and Starrs PTSD is coming back and she can't do anything except close her eyes and hope nothing happens. She is no longer comforted by the words "Everything will be fine."
ReplyDeleteIn chapter 11 people are leaving school to go protest Khalils death, but some students are just using that as an excuse to skip out on school. This makes Starr extremely angry but she doesn't want to leave because school distracts her from the incident. It helps her cope with what happened, but also she doesn't like how people are making it all about race I feel.
ReplyDeleteSo one thing I noticed as I was reading is, Mavericks roses. I think Maverick’s work in his rose garden represents like his values as a parent and his loyalty to Starr, Seven, and Sekani. Maverick says that gardens need conversation to grow, And you can kind of see throughout the book that conversation is a way of his parenting style.
ReplyDeleteAnother thing we learn from this is that the roses start drying up before the initial riots. Which is when Starr first blames herself. Soon after this is when Maverick gives he the "thug life" talk...which then leads to Starr wanting to testify
I enjoyed this book because it enlightened me to something I don't quite understand. Many people go though things that we aren't always capable of understanding but seeing this book in the eyes of Starr has taught me what other people have to go through on a regular bases.
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DeleteI'm so glad you enjoyed the book and feel that it broadened your awareness of other people's experience. That's the beauty of fiction, especially multicultural fiction.
DeleteStarr says this in Chapter Eleven after she saw two police officers attack Maverick, Daddy once told me there’s a rage passed down to every black man from his ancestors, born the moment they couldn’t stop the slave masters from hurting their families. Daddy also said there’s nothing more dangerous than when that rage is activated. This can like to some of the stuff we talked about in class saying that rage, and prison can be passed down through families. This book definitely does a good job at showing how that can come into play and is true.
ReplyDeleteI agree with this, because when people get mad things get dangerous. It's never good for tensions to get high in any situation.
DeleteWhen Starr goes to introduce her boyfriend to her father she knows it will not go well because he is white. Growing up in the "hood" its not usual that a white person from a good home goes to a black persons house. If people were more accepting then it probably would have been fine that he was white but because her family and everyone else grew up around black people not in a great environment its not very acceptable and her dad was mad and upset.
ReplyDeleteA major point in the story is when Starr's family takes in DeVante as he is trying to hide from King. I believe they see how he is on a similar path which Khalil took and almost want a do-over. If King finds out they are hiding DeVante, this might cause problems. DeVante might be have a major role in the protests in the later part of the book.
ReplyDeleteIn the end Starr is in Kahlils room looking at the harry potter wands that her and her friends used to play with realizing the amount of hate and discrimination towards her and her skin color. Both of her best friends had died from a gun and if it weren't for Starr maybe no one would try to get justice for them and other victims. Starr had great courage and it paid off for her.
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