The Hate U Give
Angie Thomas
Hardcover, 444 pages
Balzer + Bray
February 28, 2017
African-American Fiction,Coming-of-Age, Contemporary Fiction, Diverse Reads,
Social Justice, Young Adult Fiction
A three-time winner of Goodreads Choice Awards
Sixteen-year-old Starr Carter moves between two worlds: the poor neighborhood where she lives and the fancy suburban prep school she attends. The uneasy balance between these worlds is shattered when Starr witnesses the fatal shooting of her childhood best friend Khalil at the hands of a police officer. Khalil was unarmed.
Soon afterward, his death is a national headline. Some are calling him a thug, maybe even a drug dealer and a gangbanger. Protesters are taking to the streets in Khalil’s name. Some cops and the local drug lord try to intimidate Starr and her family. What everyone wants to know is: what really went down that night? And the only person alive who can answer that is Starr.
But what Starr does—or does not—say could upend her community. It could also endanger her life.
Sixteen-year-old Starr Carter moves between two worlds: the poor neighborhood where she lives and the fancy suburban prep school she attends. The uneasy balance between these worlds is shattered when Starr witnesses the fatal shooting of her childhood best friend Khalil at the hands of a police officer. Khalil was unarmed.
Soon afterward, his death is a national headline. Some are calling him a thug, maybe even a drug dealer and a gangbanger. Protesters are taking to the streets in Khalil’s name. Some cops and the local drug lord try to intimidate Starr and her family. What everyone wants to know is: what really went down that night? And the only person alive who can answer that is Starr.
But what Starr does—or does not—say could upend her community. It could also endanger her life.
********************
For this week's post,
we both read Chapters 1 to 7.
Be sure to visit Barb's blog to read
her half of our "chat"!
You can access her post HERE!!
Warning!!
This post, as well as that of my fellow
buddy reader, may contain spoilers!
Read at your own risk!!
I am once again teaming up with fellow book blogger Barb!! This time, we're reading a book that has received high acclaim from readers and critics alike, and has been made into a movie that has already grossed over $32 million at the box office. (Source: Wikipedia) The movie is now available on Amazon, in DVD, Blue-ray, and 4K.
For our buddy read, Barb and I have decided to read certain chapters each week. We'll be posing questions to each other, which we will then be answering in each other's weekly update posts. Our last post will be a review of the book. Please refer to our Launch Post for the weekly schedule. You can find that post HERE.
Blog visitors and regular readers, come on over to each of our blogs every Friday for the next few weeks, as we share our thoughts and insights on this highly-acclaimed novel! Thanks in advance for any comments you might wish to make! :)
For our buddy read, Barb and I have decided to read certain chapters each week. We'll be posing questions to each other, which we will then be answering in each other's weekly update posts. Our last post will be a review of the book. Please refer to our Launch Post for the weekly schedule. You can find that post HERE.
So now I'm going to answer this first week's questions from Barb. She, too, will be answering my own questions. The link to her post is above.
Barb: There is a scene where Starr and her friends are playing basketball in
the gym and one of her friends makes a comment which Starr interpreted
as a racial one. Do you think that was the case or do you think her
friend was just being ignorant?
Maria: Well, to be quite honest, I had no idea there was such a thing as a fried chicken stereotype, in reference to African-Americans. I really didn't.
This is the actual comment made by one of Starr's friends, Hailey, right in the middle of a basketball game in which some girls are playing against a group of boys: "Hustle! Pretend the ball is some fried chicken. Bet you'll stay on it then."
Hailey could have been just as ignorant as me, except for the fact that this definitely sounds like an intentional, sarcastic dig at Starr. Oh, and I almost forgot -- Hailey unfollowed Starr's Tumblr shortly before this incident, and Starr has been obsessing about that. WHY would Hailey unfollow her friend's Tumblr? Hmmm.... I SMELL A RAT. A BIG ONE, TOO.
The fact that Hailey directed her "joke" specifically at Starr makes me think that she was very much aware of the existence of this stereotype. Heck, Starr is one of only three black people at Williamson, the elite prep school her parents have enrolled her in.
According to Wikipedia, "It is a commonly held stereotype that African-Americans love fried chicken, which race and folklore professor Claire Schmidt attributes both to its popularity in Southern cuisine and to a scene from the film Birth of a Nation, in which a rowdy African-American man is seen eating fried chicken in a legislative hall. The stereotype is occasionally portrayed as "chicken and waffles". Source: Wikipedia)
The intention behind this stereotype was to portray African-Americans as animals. Here's another quote from the Internet article, "How Can Fried Chicken and Watermelon Be Racist? This Might Surprise You", by Franchesca Ramsey. (You can access this article HERE.) Check out this quote: "Fried chicken became the go-to way to make black people look like animals. But the savage, chicken-loving black person wasn’t just a stereotype of the distant past. Until the late 1950s, there was a successful restaurant chain literally called The Coon Chicken Inn. No, that’s not cool."
I suspected that the word "coon", which I previously knew only as the short form of "raccoon" probably had racist connotations, as well. So I googled it. Sure enough, it's a derogatory slang term for a black person.
So to conclude, it seemed to me that the white students at Williamson tended to be insulated from everything REAL connected to the African-American community. The only black person they knew was Starr. They never set foot in Garden Heights, for example, which is where Starr lives. Therefore, they had no clue as to what the real lives of African-Americans were like. All they probably knew about blacks was the stereotypes.
Barb: It seems that the book is trying to make a point (which I figure we'll learn more about as we continue reading). However, do you find it surprising that the author herself kind of used some typical stereotypes for her portrayal of Starr (good athlete, use of slang, etc).
Maria: Well, I think that the author, Angie Thomas, was trying to portray Starr, as well as her family and friends, realistically. However, it would seem that she did engage in some stereotyping herself, not only in her depiction of Starr, but of her family and friends (the ones who lived in Garden Heights).
I have stated "it would seem" because I happen to work in a high school (although I teach adults in the evening program, and not teens). When I go in to work every afternoon, there are still day school kids hanging around. So, as I'm heading toward the school entrance, I catch snatches of conversations. I hear "the F bomb" quite often, and unfortunately, also "Hey, mah n____r", plus " 'Sup?", and other stuff. I hear this both from white and black kids. This is a public school, too, so I don't know if prep school kids also talk this way. The author of this novel seems to think that they don't, as she contrasts the Starr who lives in Garden Heights (which Starr herself labels "the ghetto") with the Starr who attends Williamson. When she's at her school, Starr makes every attempt to NOT sound like "a ghetto girl". She doesn't use slang, nor typical expressions used by the kids who live in Garden Heights.
In other words, Starr feels ashamed of her origins. I think Thomas wrote the character this way in order to highlight the cultural differences between African-Americans who grew up in "the hood" and white people, either from the middle class or the upper classes.
I also think she did this to emphasize -- and I think this is her point, or at least, one of them -- that, when you have a dominant group that has oppressed an "inferior" group for centuries, members of the oppressed group tend to feel ashamed of belonging to this group, and make every effort to distance themselves from it, especially while in the presence of members of the dominant group. It's a psychological defense tactic.
Barb: Although it's still early, Uncle Carlos is already having to straddle both worlds because, while he loves Starr, he is also in law enforcement and knows "115," the officer that shoots Khalil. I kind of feel badly for him in a way and in a way I don't. What are your feelings about Uncle Carlos?
Maria: So you zeroed in on Uncle Carlos, too! You must have read my mind, because I almost sent you a question about him!
To be honest, I have VERY mixed feelings about Uncle Carlos. He does seem to love Starr, but, on the other hand, I don't like that he came off as a bit defensive when first speaking to Starr's family about this killing. He seems to be unsure whether to side with his colleagues, who are all cops, or his own niece, Starr.
He definitely appeared to be conflicted. He wanted Starr to clear things up regarding Khalil's death, but..... it REALLY bothered me that he insisted Starr didn't need a lawyer present during her interrogation by the police. Say WHAT?! Isn't it standard procedure for a person to have a lawyer present when the police want to interrogate him/her? At least, this is what I know from watching "Law and Order" on TV. So to me, this was a HUGE red flag.
You used the right word: "straddle". Uncle Carlos is not quite sure where his loyalties lie. This is bad enough, since he's a black man himself, but the fact that his NIECE is involved makes it even WORSE. He should be protective of her, as well as on her side!
Barb: We're only 7 chapters in and already music is playing an important role in the book. I love music, but have to admit that at times I feel I surprise people with my musical preferences. What about you? Any surprising musical choices? (Most people have trouble reconciling me with my love of Eminem's music.)
Maria: Yes, you're right, music does play an important role in this book. I LOVE that, too!
In answer to your question, I tend to be pretty eclectic. I listen to classical music (my favorite composers are Rachmaninoff and Brahms), jazz, classic rock, New Age music, and electronic music. I also love certain singers, like Whitney Houston, Barbra Streisand, Janet & Michael Jackson, and Donna Summer. Michael Jackson's music style is also a favorite of mine. Oh, and I also like Cher.
I also LOVE progressive rock. My favorite groups in this category are "Yes", "Led Zeppelin", and "Pink Floyd".
Some people are surprised when I tell them I enjoy listening to electronic music. This type of music is mostly associated with people in their twenties. I'm not in that age group, lol. But I really enjoy listening to this type of music! I would LOVE to attend an electronic music festival, such as "Ultra", which is held annually in Miami.
Thanks for the GREAT questions, Barb!! <3 :)
Maria: Well, to be quite honest, I had no idea there was such a thing as a fried chicken stereotype, in reference to African-Americans. I really didn't.
This is the actual comment made by one of Starr's friends, Hailey, right in the middle of a basketball game in which some girls are playing against a group of boys: "Hustle! Pretend the ball is some fried chicken. Bet you'll stay on it then."
Hailey could have been just as ignorant as me, except for the fact that this definitely sounds like an intentional, sarcastic dig at Starr. Oh, and I almost forgot -- Hailey unfollowed Starr's Tumblr shortly before this incident, and Starr has been obsessing about that. WHY would Hailey unfollow her friend's Tumblr? Hmmm.... I SMELL A RAT. A BIG ONE, TOO.
The fact that Hailey directed her "joke" specifically at Starr makes me think that she was very much aware of the existence of this stereotype. Heck, Starr is one of only three black people at Williamson, the elite prep school her parents have enrolled her in.
According to Wikipedia, "It is a commonly held stereotype that African-Americans love fried chicken, which race and folklore professor Claire Schmidt attributes both to its popularity in Southern cuisine and to a scene from the film Birth of a Nation, in which a rowdy African-American man is seen eating fried chicken in a legislative hall. The stereotype is occasionally portrayed as "chicken and waffles". Source: Wikipedia)
The intention behind this stereotype was to portray African-Americans as animals. Here's another quote from the Internet article, "How Can Fried Chicken and Watermelon Be Racist? This Might Surprise You", by Franchesca Ramsey. (You can access this article HERE.) Check out this quote: "Fried chicken became the go-to way to make black people look like animals. But the savage, chicken-loving black person wasn’t just a stereotype of the distant past. Until the late 1950s, there was a successful restaurant chain literally called The Coon Chicken Inn. No, that’s not cool."
I suspected that the word "coon", which I previously knew only as the short form of "raccoon" probably had racist connotations, as well. So I googled it. Sure enough, it's a derogatory slang term for a black person.
So to conclude, it seemed to me that the white students at Williamson tended to be insulated from everything REAL connected to the African-American community. The only black person they knew was Starr. They never set foot in Garden Heights, for example, which is where Starr lives. Therefore, they had no clue as to what the real lives of African-Americans were like. All they probably knew about blacks was the stereotypes.
Barb: It seems that the book is trying to make a point (which I figure we'll learn more about as we continue reading). However, do you find it surprising that the author herself kind of used some typical stereotypes for her portrayal of Starr (good athlete, use of slang, etc).
Maria: Well, I think that the author, Angie Thomas, was trying to portray Starr, as well as her family and friends, realistically. However, it would seem that she did engage in some stereotyping herself, not only in her depiction of Starr, but of her family and friends (the ones who lived in Garden Heights).
I have stated "it would seem" because I happen to work in a high school (although I teach adults in the evening program, and not teens). When I go in to work every afternoon, there are still day school kids hanging around. So, as I'm heading toward the school entrance, I catch snatches of conversations. I hear "the F bomb" quite often, and unfortunately, also "Hey, mah n____r", plus " 'Sup?", and other stuff. I hear this both from white and black kids. This is a public school, too, so I don't know if prep school kids also talk this way. The author of this novel seems to think that they don't, as she contrasts the Starr who lives in Garden Heights (which Starr herself labels "the ghetto") with the Starr who attends Williamson. When she's at her school, Starr makes every attempt to NOT sound like "a ghetto girl". She doesn't use slang, nor typical expressions used by the kids who live in Garden Heights.
In other words, Starr feels ashamed of her origins. I think Thomas wrote the character this way in order to highlight the cultural differences between African-Americans who grew up in "the hood" and white people, either from the middle class or the upper classes.
I also think she did this to emphasize -- and I think this is her point, or at least, one of them -- that, when you have a dominant group that has oppressed an "inferior" group for centuries, members of the oppressed group tend to feel ashamed of belonging to this group, and make every effort to distance themselves from it, especially while in the presence of members of the dominant group. It's a psychological defense tactic.
Barb: Although it's still early, Uncle Carlos is already having to straddle both worlds because, while he loves Starr, he is also in law enforcement and knows "115," the officer that shoots Khalil. I kind of feel badly for him in a way and in a way I don't. What are your feelings about Uncle Carlos?
Maria: So you zeroed in on Uncle Carlos, too! You must have read my mind, because I almost sent you a question about him!
To be honest, I have VERY mixed feelings about Uncle Carlos. He does seem to love Starr, but, on the other hand, I don't like that he came off as a bit defensive when first speaking to Starr's family about this killing. He seems to be unsure whether to side with his colleagues, who are all cops, or his own niece, Starr.
He definitely appeared to be conflicted. He wanted Starr to clear things up regarding Khalil's death, but..... it REALLY bothered me that he insisted Starr didn't need a lawyer present during her interrogation by the police. Say WHAT?! Isn't it standard procedure for a person to have a lawyer present when the police want to interrogate him/her? At least, this is what I know from watching "Law and Order" on TV. So to me, this was a HUGE red flag.
You used the right word: "straddle". Uncle Carlos is not quite sure where his loyalties lie. This is bad enough, since he's a black man himself, but the fact that his NIECE is involved makes it even WORSE. He should be protective of her, as well as on her side!
Barb: We're only 7 chapters in and already music is playing an important role in the book. I love music, but have to admit that at times I feel I surprise people with my musical preferences. What about you? Any surprising musical choices? (Most people have trouble reconciling me with my love of Eminem's music.)
Maria: Yes, you're right, music does play an important role in this book. I LOVE that, too!
In answer to your question, I tend to be pretty eclectic. I listen to classical music (my favorite composers are Rachmaninoff and Brahms), jazz, classic rock, New Age music, and electronic music. I also love certain singers, like Whitney Houston, Barbra Streisand, Janet & Michael Jackson, and Donna Summer. Michael Jackson's music style is also a favorite of mine. Oh, and I also like Cher.
I also LOVE progressive rock. My favorite groups in this category are "Yes", "Led Zeppelin", and "Pink Floyd".
Some people are surprised when I tell them I enjoy listening to electronic music. This type of music is mostly associated with people in their twenties. I'm not in that age group, lol. But I really enjoy listening to this type of music! I would LOVE to attend an electronic music festival, such as "Ultra", which is held annually in Miami.
Thanks for the GREAT questions, Barb!! <3 :)
Blog visitors and regular readers, come on over to each of our blogs every Friday for the next few weeks, as we share our thoughts and insights on this highly-acclaimed novel! Thanks in advance for any comments you might wish to make! :)
What do you all think?
Have we piqued your curiosity
about this book?
Be sure to let us know!
Don't forget to visit Barb's blog
to get her side of this "chat"!!
This sounds fascinating, I wish that I was reading the book :) I will eventually get to this one. Uncle Carlos sounds like a great character and an important one. His inclusion in the plot sounds like Thomas is employing some complexity here.
ReplyDeleteI look forward to your future posts.
Hi, Brian!
DeleteOh, it is!! It's such an eye opener, too!! This means I have to read more books by African-American authors! I wish you were reading this book right along with us..... :( But I know you'll get to it!
Yes, Uncle Carlos is indeed a great character! And you're right about his importance. He's a bridge between Starr and the police. He does seem like a good guy, but it really bothered me that he suggested not bringing a lawyer to represent Starr when she went to the police interrogation.
Yes, Thomas has definitely invested her characters with nuance and complexity. And Starr's narration is quite poignant.
I can see why this book has been so highly-acclaimed! The reader gets totally immersed in the characters' reality. It's just totally RIVETING!!
The one thing I don't like is all the profanity, but this is how it is in Starr's world....and, as I stated in the post above, I've also heard this kind of talk at the high school where I teach adults, part-time, afternoons and evenings.
Bottom line, this is a book to LIVE through! You suffer right along with the characters, you see things through their eyes....in short, it's a TRUE MASTERPIECE!
Thanks for the great comment!! <3 :)
PS - The thing about stereotypes when portraying individual characters is that sometimes people do embody them. I think that it is really important never to prejudge an individual and assume a stenotype is true.
ReplyDeleteHave a great weekend!
Hi, again!
DeleteYou're absolutely right. Some people DO embody stereotypes. Unfortunately, this gives racists the idea that they are then justified in applying such stereotypes to EVERYONE in a given group. And racists tend to be VERY rigid in their views, even when contrasting evidence is presented to them. Prejudice is an irrational thing; NO amount of logic or real-world evidence will EVER convince a die-hard racist to change his/her views. As the saying goes, "My mind is made up. Don't confuse me with the facts."
Thanks for commenting again!! Hope you're having a great Sunday!! <3 :)
Wow! Awesome answers. You are on top of your game. Can't wait for next week's feature!!!!
ReplyDeleteHi, Barb!
DeleteThank you so much!! As you can see, I LOVE to be very detailed. Lol.
I can't wait for next week's feature, either!! Moving right along with my reading!! :)
Thanks for the nice comment!! <3 :)
Darn I just got the book so I could read it before seeing the movie. Sorry I couldn't read this. I hope you enjoy the rest of the book!
ReplyDeleteHi, Laura!
DeleteYeah, I prefer to read the book first, too.
No problem! That's why I put the warning at the beginning of the post. People will then read at their own risk, because there ARE going to be spoilers in every one of these posts!
I'm sure we'll enjoy the rest of the book! So far, it's been RIVETING!!
Thanks for commenting!! <3 :)
What a wonderful example of a buddy read - I loved the way you both discussed the book, back and forth:))
ReplyDeleteHi, Sarah!
DeleteThanks for the compliment!! :) :)
This is our second buddy read. The first one, for the book "Dread Nation", took place back in May.
I do think this back and forth question format works very well! I did the same thing with another blogger buddy, Brian @ Babbling Books, back in 2014. The book we read was "Jane Eyre". That novel is my ALL-TIME FAVORITE classic!!
Thanks for commenting!! <3 :)