Archetypes are common, inborn representations of individuals, attitudes, or personalities affecting human behavior. They were developed by the Swiss psychiatrist Carl Jung who proposed that these archetypes were ancient manifestations of inherited human information passed down from our ancestors. As I was reading the novel, I was able to identify many archetypes and symbols that helped me to analyze the novel through an archetypal lens and find a deeper meaning. The Hate You Give follows unfortunate events that are taking place in Star’s life. I feel there are many characteristics of the hero archetype that fits in with Star. The character hero usually goes through many obstacles. He or she focuses on achieving certain goals and overcoming thoughts in his or her head which helps the character to grow and become a better version of them. As I continued to read the novel, she seems to be going through both physical and emotional journeys after she first handedly witnesses the killing of Khalil. She has a very difficult childhood that contributes to the development of her hero persona. She watches her childhood friend, Natasha, die from a drive-by shooting, and later she witnesses Khalil die in her arms by an armed police officer. Following the death of Khalil, Star struggles with nightmares that take her back to the night, Khalil is killed. As the novel goes on, Star finally breaks through and realizes that staying silent isn’t acceptable. “What's the point of having a voice if you're going to be silent in those moments you shouldn't be?” (Thomas 210). She starts realizing that this is a real issue and needs to be dealt with. She starts to speak on behalf of Khalil and other victims who have died because of police brutality and demands for justice. It reveals the hero archetype in her because she realizes many things in her personality which her past didn’t. By facing these obstacles, it gives her the power to speak against police brutality. The mother archetype in the novel would definitely be Star’s mother, Lisa. When Lisa and Maverick Star’s father reach the crime scene, Lisa immediately runs to Star to give her a tight hug. Lisa constantly reassures Star she will be okay and not to worry. As they are driving home from the crime scene, Star is extremely traumatized and asks to stop the car and throws up. When this happens, Lisa is the first one to run to Star and comfort her. “Momma hops out and runs around to me. She holds my hair out of the way and rubs my back” (Thomas 28). This reveals how Lisa is doing everything in her power to make Star feel safe once again, as to how any mother figure would do. When they arrive home, Lisa continues to nurture Star. She undresses Star, for a hot bath to relax and take in what just happened. It is clear, Lisa is very caring and nurturing towards her daughter, having characteristics of a mother archetype. Star even tells her mother about her white boyfriend but hasn’t been able to tell her dad. This reveals how supportive and approachable Lisa is, which allows Star to tell her mother about her white boyfriend. Symbolism is also a big part of the novel. Star’s father is from Garden Heights and even though both Star’s parents can afford to move to a safer neighborhood. Star’s father insists they keep living in Garden Heights with their people. Garden heights is a very dangerous area, in some ways it represents the effects of black Americans being left behind by power systems, the ways they 're held back, and forced into desperate circumstances. Khalil’s hairbrush is symbolic of the distrust the officers have for minorities. In the novel, one of the protesters yells “A hairbrush is not a gun” (Thomas 304). It demonstrates the anger and rage the black community is experiencing when it comes to shooting an unarmed black person, because of stereotypes and insufficient facts. The hair-brush also invokes Amadou Diallo 's death in 1999. Police officers wrongly assumed Diallo 's wallet was a pistol and shot him 41 times. The death of Diallo resulted in an intense outcry and a public debate on racial discrimination and police violence (Olumhense 2019).
Work Cited Olumhense, Ese. “20 Years After the NYPD Killing of Amadou Diallo, His Mom Asks: What's Changed?” THE CITY, THE CITY, 2 Feb. 2019, www.thecity.nyc/justice/2019/2/1/21211182/20-years-after-the-nypd-killing-of-amadou-diallo-his-mom-asks-what-s-changed. SparkNotes, SparkNotes, www.sparknotes.com/lit/the-hate-u-give/summary/. TAGS: ARCHETYPE, NOVEL, LENS
1 Comment
Nicholas Vertentes
7/27/2020 12:18:15 pm
I've actually read this book this year and I think that it is very good. I agree that Star definitely represents the "Hero" archetype; she does everything in her power to get justice for Khalil. I also agree that Star's mother represents the "Mother" archetype; she is always very supportive of Star and does her best to nurture her. Have you considered who the "Villain" archetype would be? I think it would be the police system and their racist nature. Good work!
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