Specifically, they expressed some disappointment and frustration because of the on-screen script changes that flattened out characters that, in the book, helped to offer opportunities for discourse about police brutality.įor this class, I rely on the definition of positive and negative media stereotypes about black people created by scholars Richard L.
The students discovered significant scripting adjustments to the movie that flattened the depth of characters they considered important. Even fast-paced books require more reflection and consideration of the plot presented, compared to movies.įor this reason, books such as “The Hate U Give” are ideal for media education lessons.Ī. Books require a different cognitive processing and take more time to digest. Visual media is easily accessible and the messages are persistent. They were also asked to address distinctions between how the characters they chose are represented in the book and the movie.Ĭonsuming both the movie and book offers unique opportunities for discourse about contemporary issues. The aim of the assignment was for my students to identify the stereotypes associated with black characters who are introduced in this story and to consider how media content can add to the assumptions, expectations and pressures placed on African American youth. They were then asked to select a character or characters to analyze in a relatively short paper, six to eight pages long. The class was assigned to both read the book and watch the movie. How did you use “The Hate U Give” in your course? What was your aim?Ī.
We sat down with Adams-Bass to discuss how she used the book and film this spring in her course, “Media Socialization, Racial Stereotypes and Black Adolescent Identity,” and what her students learned. The story unfolds in the wake of the killing. They get pulled over by a police officer, and Khalil is shot and killed. One night, Star leaves a party in Garden Heights with her childhood friend, Khalil Harris.