The Hate U Give Characters: Full List & Analysis

Who drives the story

Main characters

Starr Carter

Sixteen, sharp, and split between Garden Heights and Williamson Prep — until witnessing Khalil's death forces her to become one person in both worlds. Her arc is the slow, costly discovery that silence has a price too.

Appears in:: Part 1: The Party, the Stop, the Shots; Part 2: Two Selves, One Secret; Part 3: Finding Her Voice; Part 4: The Riot and the Rebuild
Themes:: Code-switching and the split self; The media's power to define the dead; Family as political education; Speaking up and its costs

Khalil Harris

Starr's childhood friend, killed by Officer One-Fifteen at a traffic stop. Posthumously smeared as a drug dealer, he sold drugs to support his addicted mother — and gave Starr the words, minutes before dying, that become the book's spine.

Appears in:: Part 1: The Party, the Stop, the Shots; Part 2: Two Selves, One Secret; Part 3: Finding Her Voice; Part 4: The Riot and the Rebuild
Themes:: Code-switching and the split self; The media's power to define the dead; Speaking up and its costs; Systemic cycles — the hate u give

Maverick Carter

Starr's father, a former King Lord who bought his way out by confessing to a crime to protect King. Now he runs the neighborhood grocery store and raises his kids on Black Panther history — until the store becomes the riot's battleground.

Appears in:: Part 1: The Party, the Stop, the Shots; Part 2: Two Selves, One Secret; Part 3: Finding Her Voice; Part 4: The Riot and the Rebuild
Themes:: Family as political education

Lisa Carter

Starr's mother, a nurse who pushes the family out of Garden Heights for safety. She wants her children alive; the book keeps asking what that safety costs.

Appears in:: Part 1: The Party, the Stop, the Shots
Themes:: Family as political education

Seven Carter

Starr's older half-brother, son of Seven's mother Iesha, King's girlfriend. Protective, loyal, and the one who pulls Starr from the police line at the protest.

Appears in:: Part 2: Two Selves, One Secret; Part 3: Finding Her Voice; Part 4: The Riot and the Rebuild

Chris

Starr's white boyfriend from Williamson Prep. Hurt when he learns she hid the witnessing from him, he chooses to learn her full self and stands beside her through the riot.

Appears in:: Part 2: Two Selves, One Secret; Part 3: Finding Her Voice; Part 4: The Riot and the Rebuild

Hailey Grant

Starr's longtime friend whose racism — from fried chicken jokes to "got what he deserved" — finally breaks the friendship. The book's portrait of the friend who won't see.

Appears in:: Part 2: Two Selves, One Secret; Part 3: Finding Her Voice
Themes:: Speaking up and its costs

Maya Yang

Starr's other best friend, who reveals years of Hailey's racism, including mockery of her Chinese heritage, and stands with Starr against it.

Appears in:: Part 2: Two Selves, One Secret; Part 3: Finding Her Voice

King

The ruthless King Lords leader who lives with Seven's mother and terrorizes the neighborhood. He threatens Starr's family, burns Maverick's store, and is finally undone by DeVante's testimony.

Appears in:: Part 2: Two Selves, One Secret; Part 3: Finding Her Voice; Part 4: The Riot and the Rebuild
Themes:: Speaking up and its costs; Systemic cycles — the hate u give

DeVante

A teenager trying to leave the King Lords, sheltered by Maverick after King threatens him. His testimony puts King away.

Appears in:: Part 3: Finding Her Voice; Part 4: The Riot and the Rebuild

Also in the story

Supporting characters

Uncle Carlos

Starr's uncle, a police detective and father figure during Maverick's prison years. He embodies the family's split over the badge — encouraging Starr's statement while defending the officer's perspective.

Appears in:: Part 2: Two Selves, One Secret
Themes:: Family as political education

Kenya

Starr's friend and Seven's half-sister, who brought Starr to the party. Her home life under King's roof strains everything.

Appears in:: Part 1: The Party, the Stop, the Shots

How they are connected

Key relationships

Starr Carter Khalil Harris
Sixteen, sharp, and split between Garden Heights and Williamson Prep — until witnessing Khalil's death forces her to become one person in both worlds.
Maverick Carter Starr Carter
Starr's father, a former King Lord who bought his way out by confessing to a crime to protect King.
Maverick Carter King
Starr's father, a former King Lord who bought his way out by confessing to a crime to protect King.
Lisa Carter Starr Carter
Starr's mother, a nurse who pushes the family out of Garden Heights for safety.
Uncle Carlos Starr Carter
Starr's uncle, a police detective and father figure during Maverick's prison years.
Uncle Carlos Maverick Carter
Starr's uncle, a police detective and father figure during Maverick's prison years.
Seven Carter Starr Carter
Starr's older half-brother, son of Seven's mother Iesha, King's girlfriend.
Seven Carter King
Starr's older half-brother, son of Seven's mother Iesha, King's girlfriend.
Chris Starr Carter
Starr's white boyfriend from Williamson Prep.
Hailey Grant Starr Carter
Starr's longtime friend whose racism — from fried chicken jokes to "got what he deserved" — finally breaks the friendship.
Maya Yang Starr Carter
Starr's other best friend, who reveals years of Hailey's racism, including mockery of her Chinese heritage, and stands with Starr against it.
Maya Yang Hailey Grant
Starr's other best friend, who reveals years of Hailey's racism, including mockery of her Chinese heritage, and stands with Starr against it.

Go deeper

The Hate U Give themes & symbols

Code-switching and the split self · The media's power to define the dead · Family as political education · Speaking up and its costs

Themes explained

Read the full The Hate U Give summary

The full story act by act, the ending explained and a quick quiz.

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