The Hate U Give

Kenya accuses Starr of being a “coward” and failing to speak up about something that could help the whole neighborhood. Starr explains to her father that she is terrified that either the police or the local gang leaders will hurt her family if she talks about Khalil in public: “ ‘I am a coward. After seeing what they did to you, I don’t wanna say shit now.’ ” (Chapter 11, 100%). Starr’s father, however, tells Starr not to fall into the “trap” of being too afraid to speak, because “that’s what they want” (Chapter 11, 100%). 

As the weeks pass, Starr gains confidence in her own voice. She realizes that Khalil no longer has a voice, because he has been unfairly killed: “The only way people will know his side of the story is if I speak out.” (Chapter 12, 93%). Starr therefore agrees to do an interview on live TV, where she speaks about the Khalil she knew (Chapter 16). As she is talking, she realizes that she is good at making impactful statements: “ ‘I didn’t know a dead person could be charged in his own murder, you know?’ The moment I say it, I know it’s my jab to the mouth.” (Chapter 16, 86%)

This leads up to Starr’s speech to the crowd during the protests at the end of the novel. April Ofrah invites her to speak, reminding Starr that her voice is her “biggest weapon” (Chapter 24, 42%). Her short speech encourages the crowd to chant with her: “ ‘This isn’t about how Khalil died. It’s about the fact that he lived. His life mattered. Khalil lived!’ […] ‘Khalil lived!’ we chant.” (Chapter 24, 58%) At this point, Starr has finally overcome her fears and realized that she can play an important role in the fight for justice.

Her newfound resolve is repeated at the end of the novel, where she once again notes her determination to keep fighting, even though the case against One-Fifteen did not play out as she had hoped: “Khalil, I’ll never forget. I’ll never give up. I’ll never be quiet. I promise” (Chapter 26, 100%). At the end of the novel, we get the impression that Starr has become a confident, brave and determined person, dedicated to the memory of her friend and the pursuit of justice.