Recently I read the book The Hate U Give, by Angie Thomas. This novel was a heartbreaking, eye-opening experience that led me to think about aspects of my life. The Hate U Give points out topics in society including stereotype and identity.

Starr Carter, 16 years old African American girl, goes to an overall white preparatory school but lives in a poor black community. Since attending this school, Starr has felt out of place in her community and is trying her best to fit in. She goes to a party where she meets an old friend, Khalil. They have a deep conversation on how the hate given on little kids, messes everyone up, and how he had to start working with the drug and gang leader in town to help pay for his mother’s medical bills. While driving, the 2 kids get pulled over and Officer 1-15 wants Khalil out of the car. With one small action, Khalil is shot. After witnessing the event, Starr has nightmares about a childhood memory, her friend dying in the crossfire of a gang shooting. The young teen girl becomes anxious and guilty because of Khalil’s death. April Ofrah, lawyer and activist, sees this death as a chance to fight for the African American rights, so Starr gets dragged into a large legal battle. Later, Starr’s father and the gang leader gets into a conserved argument. Unfortunately, the police show up and shove Starr’s father to the ground. After witnessing this, Starr decides with confidence to no longer be silent. She testifies on the news, talking about her friend’s unfair death and why he distributed the drugs. After 2 months, Officer 1-15 is not charged with murder and Starr and her friends get caught in a resulting riot. Starr meets Ofrah in the riot, and the women hands the teen the megaphone to chant the protest. As the police force the angry group back, teargas is thrown and Starr rushes to her family’s store to heal her eyes. While in the store with her friends, the drug lord sets her family store on fire to get revenge on Starr for talking about his distributions. The police arrive and arrest him. However, during the event, Starr’s little brother holds up a gun that was laying on the ground. This scares everyone. Starr realizes that what Khalil said, “the hate you give messes everyone up” has an effect on everyone. Starr swears to keep fighting for justice on behalf of Khalil and all the innocent black people killed at the hands of police.

In The Hate U Give, Starr faced different stereotypes. She was supposed to keep her thoughts to herself, not use slang, and cover her head because of her hair in one setting (her school) to be respected and “successful”. On the contrary, at home Starr could be tough, dance boldly, say the “n” word, and show off her cornrows or afro. People give African American women the stereotype of being headstrong, curvy, and independent. However, for Starr, throughout the novel, she was uncertain of how to act in her two worlds. She wanted to be confident but was never was brave enough. At the beginning of the novel, Starr is an uncertain teenage girl but ends as a fearless leader fighting for change in her community of African Americans.

For Asian girls, we are given the stereotype of being quiet, nerdy, and having to get 110% in all our AP and honors classes. We are supposed to have strict parents who expect good grades and become doctors or engineers. We are supposed to wear small glasses for our “small eyes”, wear crocs for our “bad fashion sense”, and be short and delicate. Asians apparently look the same. We do not enjoy sports, and instead, we always play an instrument. Supposedly, we also have an accent when we talk.

All I can say is that I do not relate to the stereotype. I am not quiet, I am shy sometimes with the unknown, but who isn’t? I do not focus to get 110% on all of my tests or classes. I do not take, or necessarily want to take every AP and honors class, but I take some to challenge myself. My parents never asked me to be a doctor or engineer, rather they want me to find a career where I can enjoy working and also be a positive impact on others. I do not wear small glasses but I do wear glasses, nor do I wear Crocs necessarily. I do not look like the Asian girl I sit next to in class. I do not play a musical instrument, I tried but gave up (I wasn’t gifted in music). I enjoy multiple sports. I like running and throwing a ball. However, I do not like having a ball thrown at my head. I speak English with perfect clarity, I think because most people understand what I am saying.

When giving someone a stereotype, you label them. Sometimes stereotypes are good. Sometimes they make you feel good about yourself. When someone says “you are so smart” they make you feel proud. When getting an A on a math exam, you feel rewarded with yourself. You realize that it was worth staying up to understand the concepts. You’re glad to be the Asian stereotype and be “smart”. But the next day when the person who said you are so smart the day before asks you to send the math homework or the AP Human Geography notes you feel cheated. You always have the option to say no, but they pressure you to feel like a nobody. They pressure you to feel like it’s not a big deal to send homework. They know it took long, so they ask you, but they don’t consider the fact that your time is precious too. They don’t see how your life is rough, but you still put a smile on and send it to them. Stereotypes suck.

From the beginning, Starr struggles with her identity. She has to play 2 faces because of where she goes to school, which is half her life, and another face at home.  The young girl gives herself boundaries between school life and home life. Starr doesn’t want people from both communities to discredit her for being part of the two worlds. She wants to be 100% white while being 100% black. Her identity is divided by the way black and white people see her, causing internal conflict. In the end, the 16-year-old finds that she is an activist. She discovers that she is the one to give a voice to someone who cannot be heard. She finds in herself that she is the light, hope, and truth for those in the dark. She is the star.

I have never seen a riot. I have never seen a gun be shot. I have never seen a drug trade. I haven’t been through most of the experiences Starr went through. However, I have felt lost and I still do. I’m in high school. I am supposed to start thinking about what I want my future to look like because time “flies”. I need to start thinking about what college I want to go too. I’m surrounded by a community of students pushing their way to the top, and I need to keep up. I do not know how people perceive me, nor do I feel like I fit in a stereotype. I am a stranger in two cultures, but I am a Haley in a big world. And all Haley knows is that her job right now is to learn. She is supposed to realize and fix her mistakes when she fails. She is not supposed to be epic. She is supposed to make small marks in her community. Haley is supposed to concentrate on the positive side of things. Haley is supposed to be a light in someone’s dark day. Haley is supposed to keep learning because her life is not yet complete. Haley wants to travel, and experience different cultures. Haley wants to see the suffering in the world, and learn to further change it. Haley knows that things get better. Haley knows that life is an open book.