The Hate U Give: Chapter 17 Summary & Analysis

The interview proves one of the most watched in the network’s history, and there is an outpouring of support for Starr online. Kenya texts her approval, but also says King is angry that Starr effectively snitched on him.

The Saturday of prom arrives, and Starr is sitting in a Rolls Royce with Chris. He behaves coldly towards Starr, answering her questions “robotically” and barely looking at her. Loud music greets them as they arrive at the ballroom, and Starr notes how different Williamson and Garden Heights parties are. For one thing, the people at Williamson can’t dance like those at Big D’s. Starr feels less hesitant here, however, because being black makes her “cool by default.” She could make up a dance and everyone would think it was a new trend.

Maya finds Starr and says that she asked Hailey about the “cat” comment, but Hailey refused to apologize. Hailey has stopped speaking to both of them, in fact, and both Maya and Starr express anger at themselves for letting Hailey get away with her comments in the first place. Starr is thankful to have Maya in her life, and they dance with their other friends from the basketball team.

Chris continues to behave coldly towards Starr all evening, however, to the point that Starr storms out of the ballroom and back to the Rolls Royce. Chris runs after her and tells her he watched the interview and recognized her voice; he knows she is the witness. He is heartbroken that she kept that, and so much more about her past, from him. Starr explains that she feels she can’t share that part of herself with his world because people “use it against her,” treating her like a charity case from “the ghetto.” Chris begs Starr to open up to him. Unable to keep up the charade of bouncing between her two different personas, Starr relents.

Still in the car, Starr opens up about her life in Garden Heights, as well as witnessing Natasha’s death and later Khalil’s. She tells Chris about living in a smoky, rat- and roach-infested apartment in the projects. Maverick, who struggled to get a job as an ex-con, had to use food stamps to buy clothes. She admits her guilt over not being there for Khalil. She calls Chris her “normal.” They say “I love you” to each other.

Seven and Layla tap on the car door, and the four go back inside the prom. Chris gets up in front of the crowd and raps The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air theme song for Starr. They dance the night away, and Starr doesn’t think about Khalil or Natasha. She calls it “one of the best nights of her life.”