The Hate U Give - Novel

The novel “The Hate U Give” was written by Angie Thomas and published in 2017 deals with the way of life of an African American girl who has to live two separate versions of her. The text excerpt is from the sixth chapter, in which Starr’s feelings about Detective Gomez and the means used to convey them will be analyzed.

Starr‘s feelings towards Detective Gomez turns more angry and disappointed as the interview carries on, which is conveyed by the change of register and the use of interior monologue in the dialogue.

From the beginning of the conversation Starr talks in another register what is also shown by the use of inner monologue. She “choose[s] every word carefully” and “pronounce[s] them well” (p. 85, l. 29-32). Starr thinks that the police is distrustful and acts as normal and innocent as possible, so that they do not think that she is “ghetto” (p.85, l. 32). It shows that she is already beginning to feel hostile toward the detectives. It could be her first time being in an interrogation because of her small outliers nonverbally but also verbally. After saying something with the wrong register or for example thumping on the table, she immediately regrets it which the author clarifies with inner monologue (p. 86, l. 29 f.; p. 87, l.7; p. 87, l. 22 f.). It shows that she goes to the interrogation with the thoughts and basic attitude towards the Detective as she used to learn from her parents which indicates the basic attitude towards the detectives.

On the other hand, Starr is partly trying to understand why Gomez is asking certain questions. For example when Gomez asks why Khalil has been at the party, she firstly criticizes the question in her mind but then she comes to the conclusion that it is “recreational purposes” which is clarified by the use of the inner monologue (p. 87, l. 12 ff.). She still tries to see the good and the neutral positioning in the detective but also shows a careful behavior when speaking.

Later in the interview Starr gets slowly more annoyed and angry towards Detective Gomez because of her questions which is also shown by the usage of interior monologue but she continues to answer kindly (p. 90, l. 30).

Taking the aforementioned aspects into consideration ..

Conclusion:

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