Thomas, Angie: *1988

The Hate U Give, 2017 - Thematic Parallels: Racism

Racism is a system of beliefs, attitudes, etc. that create or reinforce inequality, discrimination, or prejudice based on the idea that some racial groups are superior or inferior to others.
Thomas, Angie: The Hate U Give, 2017
The story's explores themes of racism and police brutality.
The following books are thematically simliar. They lend themselves well to being read in groups, compared with one another, or used to teach a similar topic over an extended period with a class:
- Boyle, T.C.: The Tortilla Curtain, 1995, ~350pp
  This novel addresses immigration and racial discrimination.
  - The individuals suffer not only from personal prejudice but from institutional structures designed to exclude or control them. The novels expose how the American Dream is more accessible to some communities than others. They encourage readers to see beyond stereotypes and recognize human dignity.
- Hosseini, Khaled: The Kite Runner, 2003, ~340pp
  This novel deals with social injustice and human suffering.
  - Both novels show how large social systems shape personal relationships and trauma. They use violence not as shock but as a trigger for the protagonist’s confrontation with truth. By merging intimate emotional journeys with broader social critique, both works achieve a powerful blend of personal narrative and political statement.
- Morrison, Toni: The Bluest Eye, 1970, ~170pp
  This novel explores racism and internalized self-hate in African American communities.
  - Both works explore how racism, internalized oppression, beauty standards, and systemic inequalities shape Black girls’ lives—and how voice, community, and society determine whether they are crushed or empowered.
- Sillitoe, Alan: The Loneliness of the Long-Distance Runner, 1959, ~170pp
  This novel touches on social inequality and prejudice.
  - Both protagonists are young people whose life choices are constrained by social systems that treat them as problems to be managed rather than individuals to be understood. Each chooses a personal act of resistance—one by withholding victory (Sillitoe), the other by using her voice (Thomas). Both acts are symbolic and defiant responses to oppressive institutions.
List of general discussion questions on Racism (pdf)
List of essay prompts on Racism (pdf)