Genre
young adult fiction
Setting and Context
The novel is set in the fictitious urban neighborhood of Garden Heights as well as the wealthier suburbs surrounding the city, circa 2017.
Narrator and Point of View
The narrator is Starr Carter, a 16-year-old African-American girl living in Garden Heights and attending Williamson Prep school. It's in the first-person viewpoint.
Tone and Mood
Starr's witty, sarcastic, and upbeat social commentary gives the novel an optimistic tone in the face of tragedy. However, the book also has undertones of anger at the oppressive systems that its characters must fight against each and every day.
Protagonist and Antagonist
The protagonist is Starr; the antagonists are Officer Cruise, King, and more broadly racism and gang violence in general.
Major Conflict
The major conflict is between Starr and herself as she struggles to speak up and fight for Khalil. Another major conflict occurs between the book's African-American characters and the racism and brutality they face.
Climax
The climax of the novel occurs when King sets Maverick's store on fire; ultimately, Starr and the others manage to escape, and King is arrested.
Foreshadowing
Starr's concern over what to do if a police car stops her foreshadows Khalil's subsequent shooting. The innate bad feeling that Starr and Lisa get about the police department's investigation into Officer Cruise foreshadows the jury's decision not to indict.
Understatement
Allusions
The novel's title, The Hate U Give, is an allusion to a Tupac song.
