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Submitting a book for review, write the editor, you are here:, the hate u give.

To everyone at her school with a predominantly white population, Starr is the cool African American girl who is part of a semi-athletic group of friends, and has a sweet, yet oblivious boyfriend. That’s about all they know about her. They don’t know that she lives across town in Garden Heights, an area that’s known as the ghetto. Basically, she’s a part of two polar opposite communities, and Starr has to put on a different face for each one.

At school, she worries about her attitude and her actions, which in the wrong light could place her in the stereotype of the “angry black woman." At home, she’s ridiculed for losing her roots. Her two lives have always been separate, until she takes a ride home with her friend Khalil in Garden Heights, when they’re pulled over by a cop. With both of them unarmed, Khalil is taken out of the car, without a clear reason why. While they wait for the cop to return to the car, Khalil moves toward Starr in the car to check on her, and is shot dead. Being the only witness to Khalil’s brutal murder, Starr must decide if she’s willing to have her two worlds collide in a fight for justice.

"I am telling you right now, go read THE HATE U GIVE, and let it sit with you. Think about it everyday. Tell your friends about it. Read it once, twice, or three times. This is a story you need to know, and a situation you need to be aware of."

Before I start this review, it’s important for you to know the point of view I’m writing from. I am a girl who is completely of European descent, and am white. Because of that, I have a huge amount of white privilege in our society. I have never experienced the consequences of a racial remark or action toward me, and I’ve never had to worry about police brutality directed at me, a reality for so many minorities. In itself, reading THE HATE U GIVE was a privilege. I was able to just read about a situation like Starr’s, and didn’t have to experience it.

I would like to say that I was shocked when I read the outrageous injustices in Starr and Khalil’s story, but I wasn’t. In the years that I’ve finally started to become aware of social issues, I have read stories like Trayvon Martin, who was my age when he was murdered by a neighborhood watch guard for carrying a pack of candy at night, or Eric Garner, who was strangled to death during an arrest because he was selling cigarettes on the street. Those are just two of the hundreds of African Americans killed by authoritative figures in recent years, let alone in all of history.     

Starr was one of the most incredible woman that I have ever read in literature, and I would’ve said the same thing if she decided not to pursue the action she took. She constantly showed a track record of standing up for social injustices, and wasn’t afraid to call out someone who was in the wrong. At the same time, she was very aware of the racial construct in the two societies she lived in. From what I observed, she also had a pretty great bond with her family. Both of her siblings were protective of her in the same way she was protective to them.

I also really enjoyed how Angie Thomas worked at breaking down the cycle of poverty, and how it connects to violence, drugs and gangs. Right now, I think that a lot of outlets feed on demonizing anyone who is a victim of police brutality, exploiting any negative background knowledge about them. THE HATE U GIVE brings back their humanity by looking at several situations of people who are just trying to get through life and protect their family, even if their decisions might be dangerous.

Lastly, it’s important to say that in no way is this book anti-cop, and neither is the Black Lives Movement, which plays a huge role in THE HATE U GIVE. Rather, this book highlights the fact that there are fantastic cops and cops who abuse their power. In fact, Starr’s uncle, who is very influential in her life, is a cop, and constantly is a reminder to Starr that while there is evil, there is also good. On a side note, this book explores the complex actions and thoughts that feed into riots, and whether riots are effective or not.

I am telling you right now, go read THE HATE U GIVE, and let it sit with you. Think about it everyday. Tell your friends about it. Read it once, twice, or three times. This is a story you need to know, and a situation you need to be aware of. Most importantly, I urge you to become active in the fight for justice, because when there is injustice anywhere, there is injustice everywhere.

Reviewed by Reanna H., Teen Board Member on March 31, 2017

The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas

• Publication Date: September 4, 2018
• Genres: Fiction
• Hardcover: 512 pages
• Publisher: Balzer + Bray
• ISBN-10: 0062872346
• ISBN-13: 9780062872340

The Hate U Give

By angie thomas.

• The Hate U Give Summary

The novel opens on 16-year-old protagonist Starr Carter attending a spring break party with her friend, Kenya . Starr’s family lives in Garden Heights, a predominantly black and impoverished urban neighborhood, but she and her brothers attend a ritzy and mostly white private school forty-five minutes away. At the party, Starr is acutely aware of the double-sided personality this lifestyle engenders: she tries not to act “ghetto” at school, but neighborhood kids accuse her of abandoning them for white friends. Starr has just started to catch up with Khalil —her best friend from childhood, who has entered the dangerous world of drug dealing since Starr began attending prep school—when a gang dispute leads to a dancefloor gunfight. Starr and Khalil flee the scene and are pulled over by a police officer for driving with a broken taillight. The officer pats Khalil down and walks back to his car. When Khalil opens his car door to ask Starr if she’s okay, the officer opens fire, and Starr watches her friend die.

The grief, confusion, anger, and fear that Starr must deal with in the aftermath of Khalil’s death make her initially unwilling to identify herself as the sole witness of the night’s events. As time passes, however, she loses her reluctance, serving as part of the police department’s investigation, speaking to the local defense attorney, and hiring a lawyer from a local activist group. Starr ultimately embraces activism herself by advocating for justice for Khalil on a nationally-televised interview and brazenly joining street protests after a grand jury fails to indict the officer who shot Khalil. Throughout the weeks that follow Khalil’s death, Starr must grapple not only with her own guilt and trauma, but also with white classmates who use the event as an excuse to get out of class or imply that the officer had done society a favor by shooting a drug dealer. She hides her involvement from her Williamson friends and her white boyfriend, Chris , before the truth comes bubbling up and Starr realizes which of her friends are worth keeping.

The tragedy of Khalil’s death tears through a neighborhood already fragmented by drugs and violence from deeply entrenched gangs. Starr’s father, Maverick, is a former gang member who spent time in prison before he could extricate himself from the street life. His long-standing feud with Kenya’s father, King —a gangster who effectively runs the neighborhood—puts Starr’s family in constant danger. Tensions arise between Maverick and his brother-in-law Carlos ; Carlos was Starr’s first father figure while Maverick was locked up. The tense situation is further complicated because Carlos is a cop serving on the same force as the officer who shot Khalil. Torn between the protective impulse he feels for Starr and the loyalty he has towards his career, Carlos helps Starr see that police cannot be characterized as generally corrupt or bad people.

Starr’s mother, Lisa, argues with Maverick about whether the family should move out of Garden Heights. At first, Maverick is opposed because he believes he can best improve Garden Heights when he is living in it; Lisa counters that their family’s safety is a priority and that Maverick can continue to use the grocery store he owns in the neighborhood as a means to help the community. Ultimately, the family moves to the suburbs, but Starr’s brother Seven—who lives with Kenya and King—remains torn between the urge to stay and protect his mother and sisters, and the desire to attend college outside of the city. Meanwhile, a newly initiated gangbanger named DeVante turns to Maverick for help in getting out of the gang; he ends up living with Carlos.

The tensions and feuds running through the novel come to a head with the grand jury decision over whether to arrest the officer who shot Khalil. When the jury fails to indict, protests and riots take over Garden Heights. King takes advantage of the chaos to set fire to Maverick’s store while Starr, Chris, Seven, and DeVante are trapped inside. With Maverick’s help, they manage to escape; the neighborhood turns on King, getting him arrested for arson. With the promise of Carlos’s protection, DeVante agrees to serve as witness to King’s drug-dealing schemes, removing him from the neighborhood’s gang scene and ending his abuse towards Kenya and Seven’s mother. Maverick also grows to accept Chris, inviting his daughter’s boyfriend to go boxing with him. The novel ends with Starr making a promise to Khalil’s memory: she won’t remain silent, and will continue fighting against injustice.

The Hate U Give Questions and Answers

The Question and Answer section for The Hate U Give is a great resource to ask questions, find answers, and discuss the novel.

Finally, Starr’s blog offers an important perspective on Khalil after he has been dismissed as a drug dealer and thug by the general public. Her tender snapshots of Khalil’s life demonstrate the importance of not limiting people to stereotypes, or...

How does Starr feel about being at the party

Starr feels invisible and uncomfortable at the party. She seems different from everyone else because she goes to a different school, dresses differently, and she is really not into drugs or alcohol.

The Hate You Give

Seven's living arrangements change for a few reasons, the first being his desire to protect his sisters. More importantly, Seven's relationship with his mother is strained, and his mother's relationship with King doesn't help matters. Seven feels...

Study Guide for The Hate U Give

The Hate U Give study guide contains a biography of Angie Thomas, literature essays, quiz questions, major themes, characters, and a full summary and analysis.

• About The Hate U Give
• The Hate U Give Video
• Character List

Essays for The Hate U Give

The Hate U Give essays are academic essays for citation. These papers were written primarily by students and provide critical analysis of The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas.

• Inequality Merges With Truth: Societies at Odds in 'The Hate U Give'
• 'The Hate U Give': A Critique of Modern Day American Society
• The Relationships: the Building Blocks of Life

Lesson Plan for The Hate U Give

• About the Author
• Study Objectives
• Common Core Standards
• Introduction to The Hate U Give
• Relationship to Other Books
• Bringing in Technology
• Notes to the Teacher
• Related Links
• The Hate U Give Bibliography

Wikipedia Entries for The Hate U Give

• Introduction

65 pages • 2 hours read

The Hate U Give

A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.

Chapter Summaries & Analyses

Chapters 1-5

Chapters 6-10

Chapters 11-15

Chapters 16-19

Chapters 20-21

Chapters 22-26

Character Analysis

Symbols & Motifs

Important Quotes

Essay Topics

Further Reading & Resources

Discussion Questions

Summary and Study Guide

The Hate U Give is a young adult novel published in 2017 by the American author Angie Thomas . The book’s protagonist is a 16-year-old Black girl who witnesses a white police officer kill her friend. A New York Times bestseller, The Hate U Give won several awards, including the American Library Association’s William C. Morris Award for best debut novel and the Coretta Scott King Award for the best children’s novel by an African American author. The book appeared on the National Book Awards longlist for young adult literature and received a nomination for the Carnegie Medal in 2018. Also in 2018, director George T. Tillman adapted the novel into a critically acclaimed film of the same name.

Content Warning: Both the source text and this guide contain descriptions of racism, police brutality and racial profiling, murder, addiction, drug-dealing, and gang-related violence.

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Plot Summary

The narrator of The Hate U Give is 16-year-old Starr Carter . At the outset of the novel, Starr attends a party in her neighborhood, Garden Heights, which is a primarily Black, lower-income area. A few years before, after witnessing the murder of her friend Natasha in a drive-by shooting, Starr enrolled at Williamson Prep, a private school of mainly white, wealthy students. As a result, Starr feels out of touch with her Garden Heights community. At the party, she reconnects with childhood friend Khalil Harris . When a gang fight at the party results in gunfire, Starr and Khalil leave together in his car. Driving away, they discuss Tupac Shakur’s theory of THUG LIFE, an acronym that stands for “The Hate U Give Little Infants Fucks Everybody.” However, they are soon pulled over by a white police officer who claims that Khalil has a broken taillight and proceeds to order him out of the car to search him. When Khalil moves to check on Starr, the officer shoots him multiple times, killing him. Starr is the only witness.

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Returning to school on Monday, Starr feels uncomfortable around her white boyfriend, Chris, who reminds her of the officer. She realizes that her classmates cannot understand what she went through, reinforcing the ways in which she is different from them. Starr’s uncle, Carlos, who is also a police officer, encourages her to give her statement to the detectives investigating the shooting. Starr goes with her mother, Lisa, to do so but finds that the detectives frame her interview around Khalil and his connection to gangs and drug-dealing. There are no questions about the police officer who shot him. Starr realizes that the detectives’ goal is to twist the story around to blame Khalil for his own murder.

At Khalil’s funeral, Starr meets the lawyer and activist April Ofrah , who confirms that the police will not charge the officer with a crime. Starr blames herself for not speaking out for Khalil in the media. At the funeral, King, the leader of a gang called the King Lords, places a bandana on Khalil’s chest, suggesting that Khalil joined the gang. The lack of justice for Khalil’s death leads to protests and later riots in Garden Heights. Starr and her family worry about their store, which her father, Maverick or “Mav,” owns and operates. During this time, DeVante , a local boy around Starr’s age and a member of the King Lords, comes to Mav for help, as Mav has already successfully extricated himself from this same gang. Mav agrees to help and allows DeVante to live with the family. When Mav learns that King wants DeVante dead, he sends DeVante to stay with Starr’s Uncle Carlos .

Starr also has several altercations with her friend Hailey, who frequently says casually racist things to both her and Maya, an Asian American friend. Ultimately, Starr cuts off contact with Hailey, who refuses to admit to any wrongdoing. Despite King’s attempts to intimidate her into silence, Starr testifies before a grand jury, which takes eight weeks to return a decision. They decide not to indict the police officer who shot Khalil. Angry, Starr goes with DeVante, Chris, and her half-brother Seven to the protests, which are reignited by the grand jury decision. They meet April Ofrah there, who persuades Starr to speak to the crowd.

After her speech, the police throw tear gas canisters at the crowd, and Starr throws one back at the police. The group then goes to Mav’s store to get milk to clear the tear gas from their eyes. While they are there, King and his gang try to burn the store down. Mav arrives just in time to save Starr and her group and tells the police that King is to blame, snitching on his old gang buddy. The neighborhood rallies around King, and DeVante agrees to snitch to the police to keep King in jail. Even though the store is destroyed, the family resolves to rebuild. Starr feels closer to Chris now that he knows more about her family and neighborhood. She also vows to keep speaking up and being an activist in search of a better future for everyone.

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Themes and Analysis

The hate u give, by angie thomas.

The book, ‘The Hate U Give’ isn’t just a book that some people are forced to read in English class, but instead a book that can teach you valuable lessons applicable to our lives. The lessons can be found in the themes.

Article written by Ugo Juliet

Former Lecturer. Author of multiple books. Degree from University Of Nigeria, Nsukka.

The themes of a story are the deeper meanings and truth that the book reveals. Sometimes they are easily found like this book, but other times, you have read it many times before you can find it. ‘ The Hate U Give ’ by Angie Thomas is a story for a young adult novel . It is about the life of 16-year-old Starr Carter, a young girl who witnesses the death of Khalil Harris, her childhood best friend. An unarmed Khalil was shot and killed by a white police officer, showing irresponsibility and police brutality present in many African-American communities. 

Most school teachers are teaching the novel ‘ The Hate U Give ’ this school year because the themes and events that take place in the novel connect to the society we live in today. There are so many themes that can be found in the book like police brutality, identity, and double consciousness. Here are some of them.

‘ The Hate U Give ’ Themes

Police brutality.

The leader of the drug gang in Garden Heights, King, constantly warns Starr not to speak up about this incident in order for his business to remain secretive. In the book, you see Garden Heights, the fictional neighborhood, isn’t the best place to be but they don’t usually call the cops. Many people believe that the novel would be a catalyst for deeper questioning and engaging class discussions. 

It is also believed that students will inevitably generate concern for relevant issues like police brutality that the book revolves around. Khalil’s death put Starr in a dilemma with the tough decision of either speaking up against police brutality or keeping quiet to ensure that King doesn’t come after her and her family. King takes advantage of the protest and riots to set Mavericks (Starr’s father) ‘s store on fire with both Starr and Seven (Maverick’s son) inside.

In the novel, Starr was confused, mad, and felt very lonely because she couldn’t understand her struggle. She tried rebelling and wanted to defend not only her beliefs but others ’ beliefs as well. King was arrested at the end of the book after being snitched on by neighbors, and the Carter family moved into a new house in a safer neighborhood. Also, Starr makes a promise to continue fighting against injustice and to never stay silent again.

Identity and Double-Consciousness

In an 1897 article in the Atlantic, W.E.B. Du Bois, a sociologist noted that he felt a “two-ness” came from seeing himself through the eyes of others. In ‘ The Hate U Give ’, the author increases Starr’s dilemma by having her dramatically move between two worlds – the neighborhood where she lives, African American Garden Heights, and the school environment, white Williamson Prep.

With her friends from Garden Heights, Starr uses slang, liberally uses ghetto languages, and topics like “stank-eye, gangbanging.” With her friends from school, she is careful to always use proper English and watches her tone so no one can dismiss her as an “angry black girl.” She learned early on, when she tried to have a slumber party with both sets of friends that the two worlds do not mesh, and she finds it exhausting to keep up two separate personas. 

Starr, trying to be acceptable to both worlds, causes an identity crisis that prevents her from being her real self and truly connecting with others. She wishes she could be like Will, the main character in the 90s sitcom The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, whom she believes acted true to himself despite attending a fancy school. Starr and her white boyfriend, Chris, share a fondness for the sitcom and can recite entire episodes to each other. Still, Starr does not feel safe enough with Chris to reveal her trauma over the deaths of Natasha and Khalil. When Chris confronts her at prom about being the witness to Khalil’s death, it is a watershed moment for Starr. 

The Pervasiveness of Racism

Khalil is a victim of thug life both in life and death. A lack of economic opportunity in their town led to his drug dealing. After his death, racial profiling led to his being blamed for his own murder. As Khalil’s friend and the witness to his shooting, Starr has to navigate the overt racism of One-Fifteen and the people who justify and guard him. And as an African American pupil in a predominately white school, Starr has to cope with each day’s microaggressions from human beings like Hailey, who refuse to renowned their white privilege.

One-Fifteen symbolizes the regular chance of police brutality in opposition to African Americans. Although he’s slightly gifted as a character, he looms over the complete narrative. One-Fifteen pulls the young adults over due to a damaged taillight. However, he’s unnecessarily competitive in the direction of Khalil, assuming Khalil is as much as not real due to the fact he’s African American.

In a TV interview, One-Fifteen’s father characterizes his son as “afraid for his life” for the duration of his come across with the young adults, whilst in fact, Starr and Khalil posed no threat to him. One-Fifteen’s father additionally paints his son as a type of white savior, nobly risking himself “to make a distinction withinside the lives” of the citizens of Garden Heights. Starr calls this mindset out as no exceptional from how slave masters notion they were “saving African Americans from their ‘wild African ways.” Because of a justice gadget stacked in opposition to African Americans, One-Fifteen suffers no effects for killing an unarmed teen.

Hailey casually throws cruel comments toward Starr and Maya, and she refuses to acknowledge that she has done anything wrong, even when directly challenged. Instead, she makes her feel guilty and turns their argument around, and in the process, making herself a victim instead of a perpetrator. Thomas shows how this is a kind of gaslighting that makes Hailey’s victims question themselves so she can retain the moral high ground and maintain the status quo. 

The Defeating Cycle of Poverty

The truth of Khalil’s character is at the forefront of Starr’s mind and thus becomes one of the focal points of Thomas’s narrative. Thomas investigates the crushing cycle of poverty through Khalil’s life and death, the way it limits choices for African Americans, and how their crimes provide justification for white people to continue to dismiss and oppress them.

Starr and Khalil have known each other since they were kids her babysitter, Ms. Rosalie, is Khalil’s grandmother. Although they have drifted apart since Starr started attending Williamson Prep, she trusts him enough to get in his car without a second thought when shots ring out at a party in Garden Heights. She is sure that One-Fifteen murdered him, as he did nothing wrong.

However, Starr finds herself conflicted and wondering how much she can defend someone who dealt drugs and may have been a gang member. In fact, she denies knowing him when her friends at Williamson prep dismiss him as a thug. When she hears One-Fifteen’s father lying about Khalil and painting him as a threat to his son’s life, Starr realizes she must speak for Khalil and let people know the true story, that Khalil is as much a victim of institutionalized racism as he is of One-Fifteen’s gun.

Khalil earned some money at Maverick’s store, but his grandmother’s cancer treatments became unmanageable. She wonders if this makes her a thug, too, providing justification for white people to kill her as well. Starr knows she is lucky to have two parents who are loving and gainfully employed and who have successfully escaped the depressing cycle of poverty. She knows that most people in Garden Heights are not so lucky, and it is up to her and those like her to help out in any way possible.

Analysis of Key Moments in ‘ The Hate U Give ’

There are various major events that happened in the novel. Here are some of the most notable ones.

• The teens at a party at Greater heights where gunshots were heard.
• The shooting of Khalil at the traffic stop by One-Fifteen.
• After the shooting of her friend, Khalil, by the police; Starr gained the firmness f mind within herself to testify before a grand jury to seek justice for his death.
• Starr made a decision not to keep silent anymore and agreed to testify before the grand jury. 
• Starr gives a statement to the police about what happened, after One-Fifteen shoots Khalil.
• Starr testifies in front of the grand jury, and this finally brings to light the full truth of what happened the night of Khalil death. After this testimony, Starr decides that she will do all she can do to seek justice for Khalil.
• The grand jury did not indict One-Fifteen. 
• Starr and her friends hide at her family store, but King burns the store by tossing a Molotov cocktail into the store and burns it down. The neighbors reported to the police that it was King who started the fire, which led to his arrest.

Style, Tone, and Figurative Language in ‘ The Hate U Give ’

The author used the first-person viewpoint throughout the story. Angie used the sarcastic, witty, and upbeat social commentary of the protagonist to give the novel an optimistic tone in the face of tragedy. Yet, there is an atmosphere of indignation in the book, which is directed at the oppressive systems in society. The characters in ‘ The Hate U Give’ have to fight against the system each and every day.

The major clash in the story is between Starr and herself as she struggles to speak up and fight for her friend, Khalil. Another major conflict is the one between the book’s African-American characters and the racism and brutality they face in their lives.

There is foreshadowing in the book when Starr shows concern over what to do if a police car stops her. This was a foreshadowing of Khalil’s later shooting. The intrinsic bad feeling that Starr and Lisa got about the police investigation into the case of Officer One-Fifteen is another foreshadowing of the jury’s decision not to prosecute the police officer.

Analysis of the Symbols

Khalil’s hairbrush.

Khalil’s hairbrush is similar to Khalil. This is because of the significance attached to a black teenager in such a neighborhood. The hairbrush looks dangerous to a cop who racially profiles, even though it is not. Therefore, the hairbrush represents the racist assumptions that white people make about African Americans.

An activist, Ms. Ofrah, informs Starr and her parents that officer Cruise mistook Khalil’s hairbrush for a gun because “the handle was thick enough, black enough, for him to assume it was a gun.” Maverick points out that Khalil was black too, suggesting that One-Fifteen only “saw” a gun because he expected one to be there. One-Fifteen, like other white police officers who monitor the black neighborhoods, makes the racist assumption that an African American teen who tries to resist them must be a criminal.

One-Fifteen

One-fifteen is the badge number of the cop who killed Khalil. In the novel, it is a symbol of unrestrained police brutality towards African Americans. Starr kept referring to the officer as “One-Fifteen,” instead of his real name because of two main things. First, Starr said she learned to get the badge number of any cop she interacted with because she was told about the police from her juvenile age.

Starr and other children in the African American neighborhood are taught early how to avoid confrontation with the police. This is because they are much more likely to be harassed by police because of racial profiling. So they are taught to always cooperate and never make any sudden movements in order to stay safe. The second thing is that by not referring to One-Fifteen by his given name, Starr is refusing to make him human or sympathize with him. She puts the focus squarely where it should be: on his victim, Khalil Harris.

How many times did Khalil get shot?

The police officer that killed Khalil shot him three times. He felt he was grabbing a gun and shoots Khalil immediately, killing him. The only reason Starr agrees to go to an interview with police about the shooting is because of the encouragement by her detective Uncle.

What does Khalil’s hairbrush represent?

Khalil’s Hairbrush is one of the symbols in the book. The hairbrush represents two things. The first thing is the blinding power of a racist system. The second thing is the senselessness of racism. One-Fifteen alleges that he shot Khalil because he mistook his hairbrush for a gun.

Why did One-fifteen pull Khalil over?

According to the police officer, One-Fifteen, Khalil was pulled over because of a broken taillight. He asks them where they are coming from, to which Khalil responds with “nunya.” One-Fifteen demands that Khalil gets out of the car, pins his arm behind his back, and proceeds to search him.

What does One-Fifteen symbolize in ‘ The Hate U Give ’ ?

One-Fifteen, the badge number of the cop who murders Khalil, is another symbol in ‘ The Hate U Give ’ . It symbolizes unfettered police brutality against African Americans. One-Fifteen becomes a symbol for the larger issue of institutional racism because white parents never have to give their white children this safety talk.

What is a symbol in ‘ The Hate U Give ?’

There are two main symbols in the book. They are Khalil hairbrush and One-Fifteen, the police officer. One of the protest chants was that ‘A hairbrush is not a gun!’, in protest of the shooting of Khalil under the guise of him having a gun and the anger felt by the African-American community.

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About Ugo Juliet

Juliet Ugo is an experienced content writer and a literature expert with a passion for the written word with over a decade of experience. She is particularly interested in analyzing books, and her insightful interpretations of various genres have made her a well-known authority in the field.

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The Hate U Give

Angie thomas.

Sixteen-year-old Starr Carter begrudgingly attends a party in Garden Heights with Kenya , a childhood friend with whom she shares an older half-brother, Seven . At the party Starr reconnects with Khalil , a close childhood friend. When shots ring out, Khalil and Starr run from the party together and Khalil offers to drive Starr home.

While in the car, Khalil explains rapper Tupac Shakur’s definition of the phrase Thug Life as “The Hate U Give Little Infants Fucks Everybody.” A police officer pulls Khalil over. A terrified Starr implores Khalil to do whatever the officer, whose badge number she notes is one-fifteen, says. One-Fifteen demands Khalil get out of the car, searches him, and then tells him to stay where he is while he walks back to his patrol car. When Khalil opens the car door to ask if Starr is okay, One-Fifteen shoots and kills him. One-Fifteen tells Starr not to move and points his gun on her until other officials and an ambulance arrive.

Later that night Starr overhears her parents, Lisa and Maverick , arguing with Lisa’s brother Carlos , a detective, about Khalil’s shooting. Carlos reveals that he is on the same force as One-Fifteen and defends his colleague’s actions, questioning why Starr was in the car with a “drug dealer.”

On Monday Starr returns to Williamson, the prep school she has attended for the past six years, but tells no one about the shooting. Things are tense with Hailey , her oldest friend at school, and have been ever since Hailey unfollowed Starr’s Tumblr after she posted a photograph of Emmett Till. Outside a classroom Starr sees her boyfriend Chris , who is white, but recoils when he reaches for her hand.

That afternoon Starr and Lisa arrive at the police station for Starr’s interview with detectives about the shooting. The detectives ask Starr whether Khalil was drinking, sold drugs, and or was in a gang. Lisa asks why it seems like they are putting Starr and Khalil on trial instead of One-Fifteen.

Khalil’s name appears on the news, along with the title “Suspected Drug Dealer.” At Williamson, Starr plays basketball with Hailey and another friend, an Asian-American girl named Maya . They ask Starr about Khalil, but she denies knowing him.

At Khalil’s funeral, Starr sees multiple people in “RIP Khalil” t-shirts. April Ofrah addresses the church and says she is with Just Us for Justice, an organization calling for police accountability. She tells the church that Khalil was unarmed at the time of his death. King , a local gang leader and Kenya and Seven’s father, arrives and lays a gray bandana across Khalil’s body, signaling he was a King Lord (a member of King’s gang). Starr is appalled that Khalil joined a gang.

That evening, protests erupt in Khalil’s name throughout Garden Heights. The police appear on television to say they have no reason to arrest One-Fifteen, and mention an unnamed witness who spoke to investigators.

Maverick and Starr go to the family grocery store and find DeVante , a local teen and King Lord, hiding from King. DeVante asks Maverick, who was once a King Lord too, for help getting out of the gang, and Maverick agrees. Starr learns Khalil’s case will be going in front of a grand jury. In preparation she and her parents meet with April Ofrah, who reveals that One-Fifteen allegedly mistook a hairbrush in Khalil’s car for a gun. She encourages Starr to use her voice to help Khalil.

Realizing how unsafe DeVante is in Garden Heights, Carlos agrees to take him in. Chris shows up unannounced at Carlos’s house, and Maverick is furious to learn that Starr has a white boyfriend. DeVante later tells Starr that King tried to get Khalil to become a King Lord, but Khalil refused; the bandana at the funeral was King’s way of saving face. DeVante further explains that Khalil only started selling drugs to pay back his mother’s debt to King.

Starr goes to Maya’s house, and they, along with Hailey, watch a television interview with One-Fifteen’s father . Starr is outraged when he portrays Khalil as dangerous. Hailey expresses sympathy for One-Fifteen, which angers Starr. After Hailey storms out, Maya confesses that Hailey has made racist comments to her too. She and Starr form a “minority alliance” to hold Hailey accountable for her prejudice.

Starr does an interview with a major television network, in which she gives an account of the Khalil she knew and calls out his unfair treatment by the media. She also dry snitches on King for being the biggest gang leader in Garden Heights. At prom Chris tells Starr he recognized her voice in the interview and knows she is the witness. Starr opens up to him about her life in Garden Heights.

The night before Starr testifies in front of a grand jury, someone shoots and throws a brick at the Carters’ house. In response, Maverick enlists the protection of his former gang mates. The next day, Starr begins her testimony in front of the grand jury. After a somewhat halting start, she is strengthened by the thought that Khalil needs her voice.

Two weeks later, Hailey tells Starr that the cops did the world a favor by killing Khalil and ridding the world of another drug dealer. The two get into a physical fight.

Carlos throws a barbeque to celebrate Seven’s birthday and graduation. Iesha , Seven’s mother, shows up unannounced and says that King has it out for the Carters ever since Starr snitched. Later, DeVante goes missing. Starr, Chris, and Seven find DeVante at Iesha and King’s house, huddled in pain from being beaten. Iesha distracts King as they escape.

The grand jury decides not to indict One-Fifteen and riots erupt throughout Garden Heights. At the protests, Starr, Seven, DeVante, and Chris see April Ofrah, who again tells Starr that her voice is her biggest weapon. Starr climbs atop a patrol car and begins a chant to honor Khalil’s life. Police tear-gas the protestors.

Starr and her friends get a ride from Maverick’s former gang members to the family store. While inside, it is set on fire. Maverick arrives and opens the back door so everyone can escape. King pulls up across the street and laughs. When the police and a firetruck arrive, Maverick tells them King started the fire. Soon, many neighbors join in to snitch on King. Maverick gains respect for Chris upon learning that he stayed with Starr all night through the riots. DeVante agrees to turn witness on King if it will mean putting him away for good, echoing the claim that his voice is his strongest weapon.

Later, The Carter family has moved to a new house in a safer neighborhood. Starr wakes in her new bedroom and looks at the poster of Tupac on her wall. Starr decides it is time to “un-fuck” everybody. The family goes to see the remains of the store. Mr. Lewis , their neighbor whose shop was also ruined, says he is retiring and wants Maverick to take over his own shop so he can expand and remain a good influence on Garden Heights. Kenya and Starr reconnect. Starr thinks about all the people killed by police brutality and promises to keep speaking up for racial justice.

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"The Hate U Give" Summary

Starr Carter navigates between her impoverished, predominantly black neighborhood and her affluent, predominantly white prep school after witnessing the fatal shooting of her childhood best friend by a police officer.

young adult | 512 pages | Published in 2017

Estimated read time: 5 min read

One Sentence Summary

Table of contents, introduction, brief synopsis, main characters, chapter summaries, main events, themes and insights, reader's takeaway.

"The Hate U Give" is a compelling young adult novel written by Angie Thomas. The book addresses relevant and critical issues such as racial discrimination, police brutality, and finding one's voice amidst adversity. The story is emotionally charged and thought-provoking, offering readers a glimpse into the life of a young girl caught between two different worlds.

Plot Overview

The story is set in a predominantly black neighborhood where Starr Carter, the protagonist, resides. Starr attends a prestigious, predominantly white private school, creating a dichotomy in her life. The narrative takes a turn when Starr witnesses her childhood friend, Khalil, being fatally shot by a police officer during a routine traffic stop. This tragic incident forces Starr to confront the complexities of her identity and find her voice in the fight for justice.

The novel is primarily set in Garden Heights, a fictional urban neighborhood where Starr lives with her family. The contrast between the two worlds Starr navigates, her predominantly black neighborhood and the predominantly white school she attends, plays a significant role in shaping the story's dynamics.

The Hate U Give features a diverse cast of characters, each playing a pivotal role in the narrative. Below are the main characters:

Starr Carter

The protagonist of the story, Starr, is a sixteen-year-old girl who witnesses the shooting of her friend Khalil, leading her to grapple with issues of race, identity, and injustice.

Khalil Harris

Khalil is Starr's childhood friend, whose fatal shooting by a police officer serves as the catalyst for the events that unfold in the story.

Maverick "Big Mav" Carter

Starr's father, Big Mav, is a strong and supportive figure in her life. He is a former gang member who now owns a grocery store and is dedicated to providing for his family.

Lisa Carter

Starr's mother, Lisa, is a nurse who strives to create a better life for her children. She is protective of her family and advocates for their well-being.

Chris is Starr's boyfriend and a classmate at her private school. He hails from a different racial and social background, adding another layer of complexity to Starr's life.

Seven Carter

Starr's older half-brother, Seven, provides guidance and support to Starr throughout the story.

Chapters 1-5: Witnessing the Shooting

Starr attends a party in Garden Heights where she reconnects with Khalil, her childhood friend. On their way home, they are pulled over by a police officer, and Khalil is fatally shot. This traumatic experience leaves Starr shaken and reluctant to speak about the incident.

Chapters 6-10: Navigating Two Worlds

Starr grapples with the aftermath of the shooting and the conflicting expectations of her two worlds. She struggles to keep her involvement in the incident a secret from her school friends while dealing with the pressure to speak out from her community.

Chapters 11-15: Speaking Out

Starr decides to speak out about the shooting and attends a protest to demand justice for Khalil. As she becomes more vocal about her experiences, she faces backlash from her peers at school and the community.

Chapters 16-20: Confronting Injustice

Tensions rise as the community demands justice for Khalil. Starr's family faces threats, and she must navigate the complexities of testifying before a grand jury while dealing with the trauma of the shooting.

Chapters 21-25: Seeking Closure

Starr's testimony becomes crucial in the quest for justice. As the trial unfolds, she grapples with the weight of her words and the impact they could have on the outcome of the case.

Chapters 26-30: Embracing Activism

The trial reaches its conclusion, and the community's response to the verdict leads to protests and unrest. Starr finds her voice as an activist, determined to honor Khalil's memory and advocate for change.

• Witnessing Khalil's Shooting
• Starr's Internal Struggle
• Speaking Out and Facing Backlash
• Testifying Before the Grand Jury
• The Trial and Its Outcome
• Community Response and Activism

Racial Injustice

The novel delves deep into the pervasive issue of racial discrimination and police brutality, shedding light on the challenges faced by black communities and individuals.

Identity and Belonging

Starr's internal conflict and the dichotomy of her two worlds underscore the theme of identity and the struggle to find a sense of belonging.

Finding One's Voice

The story emphasizes the importance of speaking out against injustice and finding the strength to use one's voice to effect change.

Family and Community

The novel portrays the significance of family support and the resilience of communities in the face of adversity.

"The Hate U Give" offers readers a powerful and poignant exploration of pressing social issues through the eyes of a relatable and courageous protagonist. The narrative encourages self-reflection and empathy while addressing the complexities of race, identity, and activism.

Angie Thomas's "The Hate U Give" is a compelling and timely novel that resonates with readers through its authentic portrayal of societal issues and the strength of the human spirit. The story's impactful themes and well-developed characters make it a must-read for audiences seeking a thought-provoking and emotionally resonant narrative.

The Hate U Give FAQ

What is 'the hate u give' about.

The Hate U Give is a novel that follows the story of Starr Carter, a 16-year-old African American girl who witnesses the fatal shooting of her unarmed friend Khalil at the hands of a police officer. The book explores themes of racial injustice, identity, and activism.

Is 'The Hate U Give' suitable for young readers?

The Hate U Give is considered suitable for young adult readers, but it contains mature themes, including violence and strong language. Parents and educators should consider the reader's maturity and readiness for the content.

What are some key themes in 'The Hate U Give'?

Key themes in 'The Hate U Give' include racial discrimination, police brutality, the importance of speaking out against injustice, the impact of violence on communities, and the complexities of identity and belonging.

Is 'The Hate U Give' based on real events?

While 'The Hate U Give' is a work of fiction, it addresses issues that reflect real-life events related to police shootings and the Black Lives Matter movement. The author drew inspiration from real-world experiences and activism.

What age group is 'The Hate U Give' recommended for?

The Hate U Give is generally recommended for readers aged 14 and above, but its themes and content may also resonate with older readers. It's important for younger readers to have guidance and discussions about the book's themes.

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