The Hate U Give: Post-Colonial Theory #BlackLivesMatter

As I continue to analyze The Hate U Give with a variety of theories, I uncover so many different perspectives and aspects of the book that I would have never encountered with just passively reading the novel.

Angie Thomas’s novel uses the Postcolonial Theory to capture the attention of readers about a very controversial, but important issue. She tackles the issue of police brutality and the continuing racial divide between black and white individuals. She expresses a very dominant message towards the Black Lives Matter movement and the reality of the mistreatment the black community faces.

A very big idea of the Postcolonial Theory that heavily applies to The Hate U Give is the concept of cultural hegemony. Cultural hegemony was described by Karl Marx as the idea that a ruling class dominates a culturally diverse society by changing their views and their culture so that their domination becomes culturally accepted. The novel speaks heavily on the domination of certain people due to the colour of their skin. It was clear that whites were considered powerful both socially and culturally, while blacks were the ones being suppressed and dominated. When Starr was questioned for the investigation of the shooting of Khalil, she says, “Fifteen minutes later, I leave the police station with my mom. Both of us know the same thing: This is gonna be some bullshit” (103). This quote provides a strong message in the disturbing leniency of police brutality within the narrative. It foreshadows that the investigation will be an unfair one because Khalil had belonged to the black community and that the only witness was Starr, also belonging to the black minority. The white community had adapted their thoughts and views towards black people; that black people did not belong and cannot be trusted. This leads to the tolerance of violence towards them as a dominant white community are not going to trust a black man’s words.




Those who were white believed that they were the superior in comparison to blacks because it was socially and culturally acceptable. If you guys didn’t know, this novel was inspired by one of the greatest hip-hop artists known, Tupac Shakur. The novel titled “The Hate U Give” is based on the acronym THUG LIFE which stands for: “The Hate U Give Little Infants F***ks Everybody.” A scene I feel that perfectly sums up this acronym is when Lisa argues with Maverick about moving out from the Garden Heights neighbourhood and says, “I want my kids to enjoy life! I get it, Maverick, you wanna help your people out. I do too... You need to figure out what’s more important, your family or Garden Heights. I’ve already made my choice” (180). Here, Lisa argues with Maverick about his want to stay in the neighbourhood to help their community despite the unsafe environment they are placing their children in. I feel like this specific scene really helps capture the idea of Tupac’s acronym THUG LIFE. Lisa and Maverick both possess a very prominent internal struggle about Garden Heights and their children’s safety. The hate that the black community gets in Garden Heights messes with everyone. It has gotten to the point where the members of Garden Heights identify as the subordinate and the inferior. It creates worries for parents, children and teenagers fear about their future, and it creates an unsafe environment for the black community as a whole. Even young individuals like Khalil could have had a whole life ahead of him, but was dominated and defeated by white cops who shot him even when he was unarmed. This clearly shows that no matter the circumstances, the blacks will always be depressed and have a disadvantage against the dominantly populated white community. Lisa further explains that helping Garden Heights out of poverty and violence is important, but her heart knows that the family and children come first. She believes that there has to be a better life outside of Garden Heights where she does not have to fear that her children, Maverick or even herself being shot at or taken advantage of by the white community. This quote shows the fear taking over the African American community and that the white individuals have seemingly captured them in the palm of their hands. Disappointingly, the racial divide could not have been more clear at this point.




To end, applying this theory really opened my eyes to the importance of so many issues that take place in this novel. From racism, inequality and to police brutality, they all share one message: African American have never stopped living in this state of violence because of the imbalance of power and the domination of white individuals. Inspired by the late Tupac Shakur, this novel bravely expresses the colonialism of black vs. white. It shows the belief some individuals are more important than others. “‘Everybody wants to talk about how Khalil died,’ I say. ‘But this isn’t about how Khalil died. It’s about the fact that he lived. His life mattered. Khalil lived!’ I look at the cops again. ‘You hear me? Khalil lived!’” (412). Starr becomes the prominent speaker in part of the Black Lives Matter movement. Through this quote, she explains the importance of being alive regardless of colour. Angie Thomas beautifully displays the importance of appreciating a life even after death, that the death of a black young man should not be used as another news headline or statistic, but that Khalil was a living, breathing human just like any other person; treating him any differently because of his colour is wrong and unjust. All in all, the dehumanization of African Americans is what allows the white community to overpower and suppress them into a corner. This idea and action are what allows for the ruling class of white individuals to create a new idea that domination is culturally acceptable. This ideal will continue to dominate until brave individuals like Starr, have the courage to challenge it.