The Hate U Give

Thomas, A. (2017). The Hate You Give. New York, NY: Harper Collins.

Summary

Starr Carter is caught up in a tragedy that unfortunately will play out for more than just her. It will put her, her family, and her neighborhood under a microscope. The city and perhaps the whole country are watching. Starr is a witness to the police shooting her childhood friend Khalil. She must conquer not just her nerves but fear of retributions against her in order to tell the truth about what happened that night.  She has to worry about the consequences from the black community, the police and city officials while she decides if she should do what is right. Thrust into unwanted attention, Starr also is contending with being one of only a few black students and an all white prep school. She is living a double life.  Her friends at school know very little about her life outside of school. She has a white boyfriend that she must hide from her family. When she testifies. the hope for justice is short lived as the verdict comes back and the police officer is let off.  The anger in the town boils over and Starr realizing that she is the onlv voice her dead friends has understand then that she must begin to speak for Khalil and others again police brutality and profiling.

Commentary

You can't read this and not see the connection between what is going on the the wold today. Police harassment and Black Lives Matter are hot topic in our country now. So the timelessness and relevancy of the novel is appreciated. There aren't many books that are written in the view point of someone who was with the victim and explain what they have to go through as survivors. In this day and age where everything is recorded and shared on social media, this novel serves the same purpose. It shares Starr's story. Readers are left to observe and come to their own conclusions on the killing just like we do when we watch reports on the news or video shared to our facebook page.

Connections

Teaching about the responsibility of teenagers in society using The Hate U Give and Romeo and Juliet
-Teaching Shakespeare 

Similar book  All American Boys

Connections to Textbook

Realistic fiction for this age should provoke thought and discussion and be current.  Life for young adults is not all easy and our present day society definitely  is not especially if your black and or poor in the United States. This book touches a nerve because the topic of theme of racial equality is still something our country is struggling with.  As a theme for a book, it falls in line with conflict for the characters.  Realistic Fiction in YA literature should be reflective of what is going on in the lives of those like the characters in the books.  There is character vs character conflict. Young girls are trying to figure out their relationship with the opposite sex like Starr is with her boyfriend.  They are also adjusting to changes in the relationship with their parents just like Starr is with her mother Lisa and dad Mav. There is character vs society conflict. Starr must face the city, the police, and the black community in order to tell the truth about the incident.  There is also character vs self.  She is fighting a battle within herself as she debates on what to do. 

Realistic Fiction for YA

This genre is sometimes called contemporary fiction as it deals with settings that include the present day scenarios. The characters, settings, and plot are believable. The elements must be consistent with the present day real world. Carefully consideration should be given to gender roles and cultural stereotypes.

Themes and subject matters may cover sensitive matters especially when the audience is teens and young adults. Their world is full of changes and conflict. Stories written for them should include the same to be considered realistic.

My reflections 
As I read these novels, I see that the realistic fictions deal with love, friendship and finding a role or spot in society. Some of the subject matters are sex, rape, and drug use.  Authors include these because the characters are teenagers and those are some of the themes in real teenage lives. Teens are more apt to read stories where the characters are going through the same types of conflict as they are. The solutions that the characters find for these problems are eye opening. I am getting insight into how young adults think. It has been a while since I thought my whole existence revolved around friendships and finding a mate to share life with. These books remind me how teens have tunnel vision when it comes the world. Everything revolves around how others will perceive them.

How I will evaluate 
As I look for realistic fiction books to add to my collection, I will look for books that have themes of finding love, friendship, feeling alone or misunderstood. Books should include language that is consistent with the language we hear today.  Books that include slang should be approached cautiously as it changes quickly and it can date a book.  Not every YA realistic books should be sad and have moody characters. They can be upbeat and hopeful as long as they are consistent with how teens conquer the world today. I definitely think social media and digital media sources should be included in any text to be considered realistic.