This Theme Page is a Reading Guide to the book The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas. Suitable for level A.2.2 – B1. (year 8-9 and above in Sweden)
NB! If a video doesn’t show in your browser, click on the link below to go to YouTube.
Related Theme: Black Lives Matter
Preview
Starr Carter is constantly switching between two worlds: the poor, mostly black, neighborhood where she lives and the rich, mostly white, prep school she attends.
Chapter 1
Read and/or listen to the first pages 7-18. Whenever you come across a slang word you would like to know the meaning of, check it up here.
Before you continue, you should know who Tupac (2Pac) was, where the title of the book comes from and what THUG LIFE really means.
Listen to Tupac’s rap Thug Life – Cradle To The Grave and read the lyrics.
Find out what the word thug means normally.
Read to the end of the chapter or you can continue listening here or here. Choose your favourite.
Questions Ch 1
All questions can be either discussed in class or written about as an assignment:
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- What do we know about Starr so far? You can list what you know in a mindmap.
- What did we learn about Kahlil? What do you think his “grown-up” business was?
Chapter 2
Before you read, watch the first 2:20 min of this video:
Chapter 3
Read ch 3 until almost the end of p 38. You can listen to it here or here while reading. Remember that you can check any slang words up here.
Read The Black Panthers’ Ten-Point Program.
These are The Ten Commandments.
Take a peek at The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air.
Watch this video that will give you an idea about what’s coming in the book. Reading any book, the first 30 pages will help you make your mind up if you really want to read it. This is the time.
If you have decided to continue, read to the end of chapter 3.
Now you get to know King. If you are getting confused about who is who, and how they are related, you can check them in this character list.
Watch this video to learn about Black Lives Matter:
Black Lives Matter is a movement created as a reaction to police violence and has since reached new levels.
Questions Ch 3
All questions can be either discussed in class or written about as an assignment:
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- Discuss what you have heard in the news about Black Lives Matter.
- On p 38 Starr’s family discusses keeping Starr’s involvement in the shooting a secret. Why? What do you think? Should they keep it a secret? What would happen either way?
Chapters 4-9
Enjoy reading. You can continue listening to either Ms Nisa or Genevieve while reading,
Whenever you come across a slang word you would like to know the meaning of, check it up here.
Chapter 10
p. 165
You will miss the clever characterisation of the Hogwarts Houses as gangs in Harry Potter if you have never read any of the books or seen any of the films. You can read about the Hogwarts Houses here. (Use Mercury Reader to clear the ads.)
pp. 166-167
The title of the book is explained, so you’d better reread the pages a couple of times to understand ‘THUG LIFE’ thoroughly before you continue reading.
p. 168
Watch this video to learn about systemic racism:
Systemic Racism Explained – YouTube (4:23)
Systemic racism affects every area of life in the US. From incarceration rates to predatory loans, and trying to solve these problems requires changes in major parts of our system. Here’s a closer look at what systemic racism is, and how we can solve it.
You can learn a lot more about systemic racism here and listen to a TEDx talk here.
Questions Ch 10
All questions can be either discussed in class or written about as an assignment:
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- Why is Starr mad at DeVante?
- What makes Starr forget her anger?
- Why did Maverick decide to help DeVante?
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Chapter 11
Watch this video and listen to the author of The Hate U Give:
The Hate U GIve, by Angie Thomas, is a powerful and brave YA novel about what prejudice looks like in the 21st century.
Questions Ch 11
All questions can be either discussed in class or written about as an assignment:
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- On p. 192 Sekani asks: “Why did they do Daddy like that?” Seven says he doesn’t know, but Starr does. Do you know? Explain.
- Is Starr a coward? What would you do or what would you say to her? Explain why.
Chapters 12 – 13
Enjoy reading.
Chapter 14
Watch this video to learn about Emmett Till’s murder:
The Body Of Emmett Till | 100 Photos | TIME – YouTube (8:18)
Emmett Till was brutally killed in the summer of 1955. At his funeral, his mother forced the world to reckon with the brutality of American racism.
Chapters 15 – 26
Enjoy reading till the end of the book.
Questions Ch 26
All questions can be either discussed in class or written about as an assignment:
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- Why did Starr write “Thing will never be the way they used to be” to Hailey? Explain Starr’s feelings towards Hailey.
- What is Mr. Lewis’ plan?
- What does the name list on p.437 stand for? Who are these people? Can you add any other names to that list?
- What will happen to Starr, Chris, Maverick, DeVante, Seven, etc. in a year’s time? Choose one or some and write a postface to the book.
- What’s a lesson you learned from The Hate U Give?
- If you’d like to make your own book report, here is a cute example.
- Loads more discussion questions here.
Quizzes
The Hate U Give Book Quiz
Online Quiz with 13 questions
Test your knowledge on all of The Hate U Give.
