Home Turned Warzone – Bringing “The Hate U Give” to the Archetypal Literary Theory

The Hate U Give – Analyzing the Archetypal Literary Theory

Throughout reading the novel “The Hate U Give”, many different literary theories can be derived, however today I will touch base on the Archetypal literary theory. The Archetypal theory can be best described as, “a typical or recurring image, character, narrative design, theme, or other literary phenomenon that has been in literature from the beginning and regularly appears” (Makaryk 508). Simply put, an archetype is a stereotype that may help the reader relate and connect more to the character in the novel. Various different archetypes can be found in the novel however, I will only be reflecting on two archetypes and one symbol.

Absence of a Father/Father Figure Archetype

The first archetype I will reflect on is both the absence of a father/father figure. This archetype can be labeled to Maverick, Starr’s father. Maverick fits most of the qualifications for being a typical father; dominant, protective, wise, provider, role-model. Though Maverick is a typical father, his ways of providing led him to be absent for three years of Starr’s life creating conflict within the family. Personally, I don’t think Maverick wanted the drug industry to be his way of protecting & providing for his family but it was rather something that at a very young age he was roped into. I believe Maverick could also be described as a choleric. He is hot-tempered, often times feisty & fiery and quick to react when irritated. The following quotes found on page 175 and 176 can show the conflict that was brought on due to the way Maverick chose to provide for his family,

“Then I became a daddy, and I realized that King Lord shit wasn’t worth dying for. I wanted out. But you know how the game work, it ain’t easy as saying you done. King was the crown and he was my boy, but he couldn’t let me out like that. I was making good money too, and it was honestly hard to consider walking away from it.” – Maverick

“Those were the hardest three years of my life. Growing up I was pissed at my daddy for going to prison and leaving me. And there I was, in the same prison as him, missing out on my babies’ lives.” – Maverick

“I missed the first days of school, all that. Had my baby wanting to call somebody else daddy ’cause I wasn’t there.” – Maverick

Earlier in the novel, Starr touches base on her views and why she believes there is conflict between Uncle Carlos and her father,

“I was three when Daddy went to prison, six when he got out. A lot of memories include him, but a lot of my firsts don’t. First day of school, the first time I losta tooth, the first time I rode a bike without training wheels. In those memories, Uncle Carlos’s face is where Daddy’s should’ve been. I think that’s the real reason they’re always fighting.” – Starr, page 58.

Hero Archetype

The second and most obvious archetype I will reflect on is the hero archetype. This archetype can be labeled upon Starr. Though Starr has not saved the world or created a major paradigm shift (at least, not yet in the novel!) she has shown qualities of wanting to make a difference. Starr had gone through two traumatic events that have led her on a quest for justice for Khalil regarding gun violence in black communities. The following quote found on page 219 can show the feelings and emotions that Starr has that give her the drive to fight for her beliefs,

“I’ve tried to forget it, but I remember everything. The shots, the look on Natasha’s face. They never caught the person who did it. I guess it didn’t matter enough. But it did matter. She mattered.” … “And I want everyone to know that Khalil mattered too.” – Starr

After a conflict between Hailey and Starr, Starr finally recognized how many times she has allowed her to say racist comments, silencing herself to allow Hailey to feel more comfortable. Starr also realized that she has a voice and should standup for herself, and those of her colour,

“That’s the problem. We let people say stuff, and they say it so much that it becomes okay to them and normal for us. What’s the point of having a voice if you’re gonna be silent in those moments you shouldn’t be?”

Fire Symbol

The fire that was set ablaze at the police precinct show the anger and frustration that people share about the injustice of Khalil’s death. Starr realizes that the individuals participating in the riots are not only mad that Khalil died but that he was unarmed. In the following quote found on page 138, Starr outlines what the news is screening on tv,

“The news shows three patrol cars that have been set ablaze at the police precinct, about a five-minute drive from us.”

Overall, the novel depicts many archetypes and many symbols. Though, I only touched base on three. These characters and their archetypes may evolve to grow stronger or even change as the story comes to an end.

To get your very own copy of “The Hate U Give”, visit the link below:

THE HATE U GIVE – My Thoughts

“The Hate U Give” is a young adult fiction novel written by Angie Thomas and was published on February 28, 2017; this breathtaking book even debuted at number one on The New York Times young adult best-seller list for 50 weeks straight. Thomas wrote this book for her grandma who showed her light can be found in the darkness. “The Hate U

Give” follows a 16year old black female, Starr, who is faced with real black female issues. Starr’s home resides in a neighbourhood that is both poor and black but her school & friends reside in an all-white district about 45 minutes away. Due to the two completely different world’s Starr transitions from daily, she is faced with two different versions of herself. At home, Starr is comfortable in her own skin but when she’s at school she becomes Williamson Starr, a girl who doesn’t use slang, is nonconfrontational, and is approachable. Ultimately, the story begins with the reader being able to see these two very different personalities.

In the first third of the novel, the reader’s are introduced to both of Starr’s personality as well as her family, friends and the lifestyle she lives. At the ripe and young age of 16, Starr has lost and witnessed the death of 2 childhood best-friends due to gun violence; one death by a gang drive-by and the other by a cop. By default, Starr becomes the main and only witness to Khalil’s death and is forced to deal with the pressure of being interrogated by the police and reliving the incident time and time again.

Though “The Hate U Give” is a fictional novel it has fuelled the Black Lives Matter movement. As a reader who has never experienced losing someone to police brutality, this novel has allowed me to understand and acknowledge that it is in fact something real; that there is SO much inequality and injustice surrounding the matter. Injustice is the theme of the novel and it is showcased with the unjust murder of Khalil. During Khalil’s funeral service, a woman named April Ofrah, who is part of a small organization ‘Just Us for Justice’, recognized this injustice, “… despite a credible eyewitness account, the police department [had] no intentions of arresting the officer who murdered [Khalil]” (page 128). Ofrah also recognized that Khalil was silenced and it was now their job to stand up, using their voices that they still had, to honour Khalil’s legacy. Not only does this novel focus on gun violence but also the other issues Starr is faced with as a black woman. Starr spends the day in a relatively safe place, school, where she would only have to deal with the few racist remarks from her so-called friends, but when she goes home to her black neighbourhood she is faced with the dangers of crossing paths with gangs and even the police. One thing that really got me is that these individuals are constantly living in fear, constantly focusing on how they could be perceived when around an authoritative figure such as a police officer. “Keep your hands visible. Don’t make any sudden moves. Only speak when they speak to you” (page 20), Khalil reminded Starr moments before he was shot at point-blank range.

Personally, I find reading rather difficult and especially when I don’t have free range of book choice. Though, I have really enjoyed reading this first third of the novel, it’s super engaging and really interesting. I found that listening along while reading myself as well was a really effective way to keep me on task and help to lessen the distractions around me.

To get your very own copy of “The Hate U Give”, visit the link below:

Guilty – But Not Proven Beyond a Reasonable Doubt?

Is Adnan Syed Guilty or Innocent?

As the podcast “Serial”, came to a closing after 11 hour long episodes we were left with a story that only had a beginning, a story that had no ending. Sarah Koenig’s goal with the podcast was to report and bring awareness to this true story, not to exonerate and bring up painful memories. But as she went along she realized there were holes so large in this case that they couldn’t be filled.. and she wanted to get to the bottom of it.

https://www.natchitochestimes.com/2017/08/29/west-monroe-football-guilty-or-recruiting/

I believe Adnan is guilty of the crime, for these following reasons:

Adnan’s main defense is that it was an ordinary and forgettable day. This ordinary and forgettable day also happened to be an important day of Ramadan, his best friends birthday, the day after he got his first phone; all of which was a day he skipped school… a day where his ex-girlfriend went missing. Adnan was noted to be possessive; this was written in Hae’s diary and the “Serial” podcast seemed to have brushed over it, I’d consider it a big clue as to how Hae perceived Adnan. Hae also mentioned in her diary that she changed her whole being to make sure Adnan was always happy, one of the many mind tricks he would play on her; several of his friends also confirmed this behavior of his. Now, why was this never really covered in the podcast? This was a domestic violence case, there had to be some sort of evidence pointing to abuse before the crime. I personally believe Koenig left out the evidence that pointed to Adnan as someone being controlling and someone who couldn’t let Hae go because the media had never covered that part of the case.

Jay and Adnan claimed to have only driven to the mall the morning of Hae’s disappearance, but the phone records that pinged the towers nearby showed that they in fact drove all around town and even in the area where Hae’s car was found. The phone records also revealed that Adnan’s recollection of the day, that he most likely went to the mosque, to be untrue. But these phone records support Jay’s account of the night. Jay even led the police to Hae’s car and provided vivid details and descriptions of her body.

In all honesty, I think it’s rather hard to say if he is innocent to guilty. I’m not a lawyer and I definitely don’t know all the details, and the details I do know, I’m not sure I can say I completely understand it. But from what Koenig says in this podcast I can draw a conclusion that I believe Adnan is guilty. Then again, Koenig could be a bias and may only be telling us the information she wants us to hear. To really understand and form an accurate opinion of the case I think I’d have to listen or read other reports about the case.

I chose to use a blog post as the media text to share my thoughts about Adnan’s innocence or guilt. Blogging also helps one to become a better thinker, it encourages you to stop and think deeper. Blogs become very personal and opinative, thus making you delve into the matters of your life and your views or morals. Blogs help you to articulate these personal thoughts and train one to be more observant. I find it easier to express opinion and put tone to my voice in blog posts compared to any other media text. For example, a website is more presentational and just offers information whereas blogs are similar to diary entries, updates, etc. Blogs are WAY more dynamic and thrive on personal touch. I also like that blogs provide a space for readers to respond, often times these responses may challenge my views and will make me take a new look at the topic. I think the main reason I chose to use a blog as my media text is so I can see my thoughts right in front of me; when I’m able to visually see my thoughts I’m able to sort them, organize them, remove some, etc.

Featured image link: Serial’s Adnan Syed to Get New Trial …eonline.com

Below is a link to the podcast, “Serial”. Do you think Adnan is guilty or innocent?

Podcast – Serial

Work Cited

Heller, Corinne. “Serial’s Adnan Syed to Get New Trial?” E! Online, E! News, 29 Mar. 2018, http://www.eonline.com/news/923968/serial-s-adnan-syed-to-get-new-trial-court-upholds-decision-overturning-murder-conviction.

McDonell-Parry, Amelia. “Adnan Syed Case Stalled for at Least Another Year.” Rolling Stone, 13 July 2018, http://www.rollingstone.com/culture/culture-news/adnan-syed-case-stalled-for-at-least-another-year-699265/.

“Season Three.” Serial, serialpodcast.org/.

Tkacik, Christina. “Who Is Adnan Syed? Here’s What You Need to Know about the Case Chronicled by ‘Serial’ Podcast.” Baltimoresun.com, 14 May 2018, http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/crime/bs-md-who-is-adnan-syed-20180329-story.html.

Podcasts – Yes or No?

https://nostringsattachedshow.com/category/podcasts/

I’m not sure I can recall ever listening to a podcast before this assignment, but I had definitely heard of them before. Podcasts became a “thing”/were invented in 2004 by two guys named Adam Curry and Dave Winer, and ever since then have been a big hit. The “Serial” podcast would be the first podcast I had ever listened too. I’m actually not exactly sure if I like the concept of sitting down and hearing someone talk or tell a story, it seems very similar to audio books which really never worked for me. I think that if I could pick a podcast that appeals to my interests a little more I might not get distracted and stay more focused on listening. I do definitely think that books are better for me though as they can keep me on task. I’ve never been a great listener… in fact every year on my report card in elementary school there was always a comment on it! I find it helpful, especially with assignments to be able to flip back, highlight certain things, put a tab on a specific page, or even just reflect and reread.

I think podcasts are a new way and a new thing for investigative journalism. Unlike articles, podcasts really allow you to understand tone and form a real opinion. They allow the listener to hear the voices of victims and witnesses through interviews right from the source; there is no questioning whether it is factual or not. Podcasts can also bring a lot of attention to certain topics and in this case, “Serial” is one of those podcasts that became pretty popular. It makes you wonder how the families of the victims in these investigative podcasts feel, with so much attention drawn to such an emotional, personal subject. The “Serial” podcast aims to prove the innocence of a teenage boy who murdered his classmate and I couldn’t begin to imagine how the family of the victim must feel knowing people are questioning the death of their child.

https://www.health.harvard.edu/mind-and-mood/tips-to-get-the-most-from-your-memory

Like books or articles, the introduction or start of something that needs to draw in attention is very important. Koenig starts off her podcast by discussing the challenges of memory, asking simple questions about the listener’s past week. It got me thinking, how good is my memory? How good would my memory be if I needed to remember specific details from 15 years ago for a very serious matter? I often forget what I’ve had for dinner the previous night, what show I just watched on tv, let alone what I may have done 2 weeks ago. Memory is such a difficult thing… if you don’t know something is important at the time are you really going to focus on it and remember it? Remembering your alibis for something that happened 15 years ago could either make or break the case, especially because there was no DNA evidence involved. Should those alibis be considered exculpatory evidence? Personally, I think it’s so difficult to say, I don’t have all the facts, I don’t have the knowledge of a lawyer, I haven’t got to speak to the people involved in the case. Like I said, memory is such a confusing thing. To me it sounds like one person’s word against another and how can you say if ones guilty or not based on their own recollection of the events?

Can you even trust your own memory?

Below is a link to the podcast, “Serial”. Do you think the alibis should be considered as exculpatory evidence? Also, what’d you do last Tuesday?

Podcast – Serial

University Programs requiring ENG4U for Admission – Yes or No?

Should ENG4U be a requirement for entry into all university programs?

I strongly believe that every student applying for a University should meet the requirement to have ENG4U for admission. Though, I don’t believe the grade should play a particularly strong role in the admission average, depending on the program being applied too. That being said, an ENG4U grade will definitely need to be taken into consideration when applying for an English Language or Literature program. Whereas, a Mathematics, Science or Engineering based program should not take the grade into consideration because there are more important pre-requisites that may be of demand.

However, having the skills that are taught in an ENG4U course are very important because students will gain knowledge and the ability to communicate with others. Communication is a skill that will allow one to reach their highest potential, in their social life and in a work environment, whether that be getting employed or maintaining the job.

Though, the strongest reason I believe that the grade should not play a strong role in a Mathematics, Science or Engineering based program is because being able to write an essay or have perfect spelling and grammar should not decide their future. Some students may be talented in different subjects and I personally think it’s unfair to see someone who is so passionate and strong in a field of learning not be accepted to a University because of an ENG4U mark that dropped their average.

For these few and simple reasons, I agree that ENG4U should be an entry requirement so long the admission average is based on the course being applied too!