Speaking out

In The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas, Starr’s development is connected to her experiences of racial injustice and her growing belief that she needs to fight for equality. At the beginning of the novel, she is scared to speak up about Khalil’s death and doesn’t push back when Hailey denies being racist. As Starr develops, however, she gains confidence in her voice, led by her parents as well as the attorney and fellow activist April Ofrah. 

Eventually, Starr gives an anonymous interview on national television, and then she even gives a speech to a crowd of protestors. Her short speech encourages the crowd to chant with her – they all use their voices together: “ ‘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%). April Ofrah encourages Starr to continue using her voice, saying she thinks Starr has a “future in activism” (Chapter 26, 0%). 

At the en...