Year 10 English: THUG

Racism Quotes

• Williamson Starr doesn’t give anyone a reason to call her ghetto.”

• “What about in my hand?”

• "And at the end of the day, you don't kill someone for opening a car door. If you do, you shouldn't be a cop."

• “A hairbrush. Khalil died over a ****ing hairbrush.”

• “It's dope to be black until it's hard to be black.”

Racism Scenes

• Starr and Hailey’s argument

• Hailey talks to Starr at the basketball game

• Khalil’s death

• Williamson Prep

• Protests

• 10 Point Program

Racism Techniques

• Hayley is positioned above Starr during their argument, demonstrating their power imbalance.

• When the cop throws Starr on the ground while being handcuffed shows that the officer does not care about her or her rights.

Police Brutality Quotes

• “A hairbrush. Khalil died over a ****ing hairbrush.”

• "I'd ask him if he wished he shot me too."

• “I didn’t know a dead person could be charged with his death.”

• “This isn’t about how Khalil died. This is about how he lived.”

• “So Khalil will never have his day in court, all cause a cop shot him?”

• “I saw the bullets rip through him. I sat there in the street as he took his last breath.”

• “He was a kid” - Interviewer

Police Brutality Scenes

• Maverick and Khalil’s arrest

• The final protest

• The news interview (bias)

• Hands on the dashboard

Police Brutality Techniques

• Khalil’s death: Dashcam footage connects to the audience by making them relate to something the news constantly shows; retelling something the audience has seen before.

• Starr and Hailey’s fight: Mid shot of Starr and Hailey symmetrical on either side of the frame with a hairbrush between them. Symbolic of the conflict that divides them.

• Khalil’s death: The screen fades to black and the intense music ceases, indicating the end of Khalil’s life. 

• A zoom-in of Officer 115’s badge and his tight grip on his gun further highlight his position of power.

• The media works to disguise the racism in Officer 115’s actions by portraying them as logical and hence justified. For example, the news coverage over-emphasizes Khalil’s alleged gang connections, saying that he was armed and provoking the officer, kept bringing up the fact that he dealt drugs for King instead of mentioning how he was an innocent by killed, not old enough to graduate high school yet.
  

Finding Your Voice Quotes

• “What's the point of having a voice if you're gonna be silent in those moments you shouldn't be?”

• “Your voices matter, your dreams matter, your lives matter”

• “No matter what we say. No matter how loud we shout. They refuse to hear us”

• “My name is Starr.” (Claims her voice)

• “I need to speak for him”

• Holding the microphone “It is as heavy as a gun”

• “If 115 had traded in his weapon for this one, Khalil would still be alive.”

Finding Your Voice Scenes

• Starr talks to the crowd in the protest with a megaphone.

• Despite being afraid of being threatened by the Kinglords violence Star eventually realises that if speaking out is the only way to change things, she cannot stay silent. This realisation helped Star to find the courage to not fear judgment from others and just speak out.

• Starr does an interview as the witness.

• The interview (However, the blur still hides her identity)

• Protest (Protest shirt over uniform)

• Talking about the King Lords, regardless of the consequences

Finding Your Voice Techniques

• Kenya’s criticism of Starr’s silence also highlights that speaking up can be an act of love and support.

• The film emphasizes the importance of speaking out as a catalyst for changing unjust systems.

• Despite the Carter family being pressured/threatened by the kinglord, Maverick still encourages his kids to speak up when they are ready.
  

Identity Quotes

• “Know your rights, know your worth.”

• “I give each of you power in your name.”

• “My name is Starr.”

Identity Scenes

• The interview (However, the blur still hides her identity)

• Protest (Protest shirt over uniform)

• Talking about the King Lords, regardless of the consequences

Identity Techniques

• When interviewed she hides her face (identity), proving she has the willpower to speak up but is not completely unafraid.

• Symmetrical parallel between Starr and the interviewer, as if Starr is directly facing the people who are unwilling to listen and are causing this injustice. 

• Starr stands on top of the car at the protest and puts on her t-shirt of Khalil over her school uniform, merging both parts of her identity.

Community Quotes

• “We want freedom and justice for all. By what means? Any means necessary.”

• “I give each of you power in your name. Use it”

• “Light in the darkness.”

• “You’re gonna speak up for Khalil right.”

Community Scenes

• The  entire community show support at the funeral and protests

• 10 Point program recitation on the curb

• Witnesses recording “how they treat us” at the diner

• Protests and public demonstrations

Community Techniques

• Warm lighting when family are shown together, to show peace and love, and a sense of security and settle.

• Parallel of all African Americans on one side and police on the other highlight the community’s solidarity.

• Maverick has been breaking the cycle since they were too young to remember.

• Lighting differences, red and warm for Garden Heights where Starr feels like herself, and is the most comfortable, sterile blue for WIlliamson Prep where Starr hides her true character.