"The Angry Black Girl" : Using The Hate U Give To Teach Critical Race Theory

Abstract: This essay examines the portrayal of institutionalized racism and internalized racism in Angie Thomas' novel The Hate U Give. We also offer a model based on our analysis to help facilitate discussion among students and teachers about our chosen concepts of critical race theory. The analysis is done by focusing on the portrayal of institutions, characters, and relationships in the novel as well as using previous work on critical race theory. The model is created with the intention not to be exclusive to our chosen novel but instead be applicable to other stories about race and/or racial injustice. Some connections to reality are made in order to bring more relevance to the subject. We briefly examine difficulties students may encounter when reading The Hate U Give through the lens of critical race theory. By engaging with these themes and providing an instructional model, this essay contributes to a deeper understanding of the novel's exploration of racism and offers a framework for examining racial issues in literature more broadly.