Online Discussion: The Hate U Give Movie Adaptation (Jason Obaja)

            Empathy and Understanding:

a.     Which part of the movie did you find most impactful in building empathy or understanding for the characters and their situations? Why?

 

The most impactful part in the movie that builds empathy towards the characters and their situations is when Starr and Chris share their moments and have a conversation together throughout the movie. One of the main aspects of Starr and Chris's relationship is when Chris tries to understand Starr's feelings and perspective on how black people are treated negatively in society. Starr mentions how Chris doesn’t understand how black people are treated and how it is easy for Chris due to his identity as a white person to have a white privilege in life. Despite the differences in race and culture between Chris and Starr, Chris did not see it through a person's race but looked through someone for who they are. Chris does not treat Starr nicely just because she is her girlfriend or “act black” just to amuse Starr. Instead, he sees her as someone who needs to be loved and cared for. 

Societal Impact:

a.       What message does the film try to convey to its audience about racial injustice and activism?

b.       Do you think it successfully inspires viewers to think or act differently about these issues?

 

The film tries to convey the message of how the cycle of violence and racism in racial injustice will never end unless society stands and speaks up to it. The film focuses on the racial injustice that happens to the African American ethnic group, both from the inside and outside of the group. Violence and racism are the main aspects that are brought up in the movie. This can be shown and depicted through the police brutality and gangs that become the problems that the main character is facing. The main character, Starr who is facing these two things struggles in maintaining and conveying how she feels towards the situation. Starr happens to see police brutality through her own eyes when Khalil gets murdered by One-Fifteen (police) and how the Garden Heights community is being controlled by the King Lords gang. Starr manages to stand up for herself and the people around her on how she feels where the cycle of violence and racism will never end unless the community works together in achieving a peaceful resolution. Personally, I think the messages that the movie tries to convey have successfully inspired the viewers to think about the situation, considering the movie itself is a portrayal of the reality of racial injustice that happens in America.