The Best Book I Read in 2020 by Jaslyn

The Best Book I Read in 2020 by Jaslyn - October 2020 Scholarship Essay

I think the novel The Hate U Give by Angie Tomas is the best book I read in 2020. I chose this book because it has the power to benefit one’s life and raise awareness of what is happening in the world today. In this book, a young African-American woman named Starr had to witness her African-American friend get racially profiled and shot to death by police. The Hate U Give follows Starr as she tries to help her friends get the justice he deserves. This particular work of fiction can impact someone’s life because no matter what color the viewer’s skin color is, they can see different viewpoints and relate The Hate U Give to events that are currently happening in the world today.

Many people are closed off in their community bubbles where racism is not tolerated and they do not know what happens to people of color who are less fortunate. However, other people are closed-minded because of their peers around them and won’t do anything. Although many news outlets cover this topic, this book can bring these conflicts into light towards younger audiences who do not watch the news. When I read this book, I became more aware of what is happening today. During The Hate U Give I got to see how one person’s voice can change other people’s belief, views, or values. As I continued to read this book, I noticed how powerful multiple voices are and how people can come together to fight for what is what. As I watched The Hate U Give during the time in 2020 when police brutality and racism became a huge conflict, this film inspired me to speak out. If other people read this book, it can benefit us as a species because at the end of The Hate U Give readers can see the positive result of what would happen if we all came together to fight for what we believe in.