The Race Talk in the Literary World
Isabelle Braun ’20 / Emertainment Monthly Staff Writer
Angie Thomas captures the daily strife between races in her recent novel The Hate U Give. HarperCollins Publishers saw something in this beautifully written book, and released it on February 28th, 2017. Thomas was inspired by the Black Lives Matter movement, and incorporates social issues into this realistic fictional piece flawlessly. She tells the story from a point of view that is not often shown to the public, and this book definitely reaches all different ages.
This young adult novel is a tough book to get through. Starr Carter witnesses the murder of her best friend, Khalil. She lives in two different worlds: the African American community she was born into and the white community she goes to school in. Starr struggles to keep the two worlds apart, but it becomes difficult with the murder of Khalil. One of her biggest struggles is determining whether or not she should speak out as threats from the police and local gangs circulate around her and those she loves. Starr’s relationships are put to the test and her worlds collide faster than Starr can comprehend. In the end, Starr determines what the right path for her is even though it could destroy her.
The effectiveness of the characters is very important. Thomas’ characterization is strong and effective throughout this piece. She writes on a fine line of how to portray the different races of white and black; she successfully portrays the different types of people within the same color when it concerns certain issues. The dialect and point of view that Thomas applies to the characters fully incorporates all of the individuals in each race. There are strong relationships that continue to develop as the plot proceeds forward, and the reader will get attached to the characters. Thomas does an incredible job in getting the reader to sympathize and also understand the two different sides of social issues through the way she portrays the characters.
The writing in The Hate U Give is pretty impactful on the reader. Thomas is able to tell a story factually and emotionally and does not let her writing get away from her. She stays in control of the detail of the setting and the detailed inner thoughts of Starr as a character. Thomas’s writing impacts more than just the reader as a reader, but it also affects them as a person. The way Thomas writes this book puts the reader’s life into perspective and how they treat others.
Overall, Angie Thomas created a powerfully written work in her recently published book, The Hate U Give. The story it tells is unique and incredibly relevant to today’s society as a whole. The writing teaches the reader about life, and how quickly it can change.