The novel titled "The Hate You Give" written by Angie Thomas, follows Starr who feels she must speak out against the injustice and police brutality present in her community. As the story progresses, the decision between doing what is right and protecting her family and friends from potential harm is tearing Starr apart. Struggling between personal beliefs and family responsibilities is a constant theme throughout the book. Putting yourself through struggles or doing something difficult for the sake of your family.
Since the beginning of the novel, Starr’s love for her family has been clear. Even though Starr was raised in a mainly black neighbourhood, her parents sent her to a mostly white private school to provide her with better educational
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Since Maverick is a former gang member and an ex-convict, he feels the need to protect his family from the gang lifestyle while also teaching them to have a sense of pride in their cultural heritage. The protective nature of Maverick is visible when he teaches his children how to defend themselves from potential threats like the police. However, when his son, Seven, is threatened by King, the leader of a gang, Maverick’s feelings of duty for his family and community takes over, and he risks his own life to protect them. "I can't mess up. I can't afford to mess up. One little thing can blow everything up. It's like putting a hot pan in cold water, and the pan shatters" (Chapter 5). The novel represents the selflessness and love that he has for his family by putting himself in danger in order to protect them.
Besides Starr and Maverick, there were other characters in the novel that also had to deal with the struggles of balancing personal beliefs and family responsibilities. For instance, Carlos, Starr’s uncle, is a police officer who enforces law and order into the community he grew up in. However, Carlos, like many others, cares deeply about his family and has a dilemma between his desire to protect his community and his loyalty to the police force. "I'm stuck between two worlds, Starr. I need my job to take care of my family, but I also need my family to make it through my job." (Chapter 11)
The novel portrays Carlos as a complicated character who is constantly trying to merge his personal beliefs with the duties he has for his