Plot Events
In Chapter Four, Starr and her family visit Khalil's grandmother, ______________, who assures Starr that she was the best friend Khalil ever had.
Who is Ms. Rosalie?
This character explains to Starr the meaning behind Tupac's idea of "THUG LIFE"
Who is Big Mav?
"Does this have something to do with the police shooting that drug dealer in your neighborhood?" (Thomas 113)
Speaker: Hailey
Context: Hailey confronts Starr in the locker room after the boys v. girls basketball game, asking why she has been acting so "weird" lately.
Significance: This quote both serves to characterize Hailey as insensitive to Starr's emotions, and also to emphasize how people outside of Garden Heights are being influenced by images on the news to believe that Khalil was just a "drug dealer".
In Chapter 7, this character makes a racist remark to Starr and tries to play it off as "game talk"
Who is "Williamson Starr"?
This character calls Starr a "coward" because she has stayed silent about Khalil's murder.
"I ask you to join us and Khalil's family after the service for a peaceful march to the cemetery. Our route happens to pass the police station. Khalil was silenced, but let's join together and make our voices heard for him" (Thomas 129).
Speaker: Ms. April Ofrah
Context: Ms. Ofrah is speaking to the audience gathered for Khalil's funeral
Significance: Ms. Ofrah's speech at Khalil's funeral translates the crowd's emotion into action: she inspires them to join together and make their voices heard for Khalil, empowering her community to make social change.
This is what Starr's Williamson friends are arguing over in the cafeteria on Starr's first day back to school.
What are Pop-Tarts?
What is basketball?
This character works as a lawyer for a local activist group in Garden Heights, focusing on police brutality cases.
Who is Ms. April Ofrah?
"'Sometimes you can do everything right and things will still go wrong. The key is to never stop doing right'" (Thomas 154).
Speaker: Lisa Carter
Context: Lisa explains to Starr why Khalil's death isn't her fault.
Significance: In this quote, Starr's mom Lisa tries to make Starr understand why she can't feel guilty about Khalil's death, and to inspire her not to give up on Khalil. She can keep fighting for him.
Who is Detective Gomez?
In Chapter Eight, when Starr views Khalil's body at the funeral, it makes her think of her other friend ___________________, who died when she was ten.
Who is Natasha?
This character presides over Khalil's funeral, and emphasizes that, while it is sad to lose Khalil, his funeral was truly a "homecoming celebration"
Who is Pastor Eldridge?
"You got folks like Brenda, who think they need them to survive, and then you got the Khalils, who think they need to sell them to survive..." (Thomas 170).
Speaker: Big Mav
Context: Explaining the meaning behind "THUG LIFE" to Starr
Significance: In this quote, Big Mav challenges his daughter to think more systematically about the problems affecting her community, the deeper meaning behind Tupac's idea of "THUG LIFE".
This is the dessert Starr enjoys with Uncle Carlos when he picks her up early from school.
What is fro-yo?
These are two ways Big Mav helps out DeVante in Chapter Ten.
This character reminds Starr of Khalil. She thinks that she can possibly help him out of trouble, what she couldn't do for Khalil.
Who is DeVante?
"All my life, people made him sound like a real king, you know what I'm saying? A legend. But he was a weak old man, regretting the time he missed with me" (Thomas 176)
Speaker: Big Mav
Context: Telling Starr & DeVante about his time in prison
Significance: This quote shows Big Mav, who lived through the full consequences of "Thug Life" and got out with his life, explaining to the next generation why they shouldn't make the same mistakes both he and his father made.
In Chapter 10, Big Mav explains that this is why went to prison.
What is he took a charge for King in exchange for getting out of the King Lords gang.