How Does the Hate List Connect to the Real World? (Reading Response)

Everyone has had that moment when something that you thought was harmless has spiraled out of control. When a foolish prank ended up hurting you or someone else. In Jennifer Brown's book, Hate List the characters Val and Nick made a list of the people that have wronged them. The list first starts off as a way to let out anger but then turns into a guide for a school shooting caused by Nick. During the shooting, Val jumped in front of a girl and stopped it. The shooting was a surprise to Val but since she was part of the Hate List, people are skeptic of whether or not she was a part of the shooting. People are wondering if she is the is the hero or villain. The events in this book, like things that spiraling out of control connect to the real world because all the events are based off of people's choices and decisions. Like in the real world, characters and people make mistakes, do things impulsively and have trouble recovering from major tragedies. 

The book switches from present time after the shooting and flashbacks to the day of the shooting. Shootings unfortunately also happen in the real world. In the book, it was caused because the shooter, Nick hated the people he shot. They were all in a list that had the names of the people that had tormented or hurt in in some sort of way. Although there are many reasons that shootings can happen. they all have the same effect. The characters all grieve and try to cope with their loss(es) just like in the real world. In the book, Detective Panzella jumped to the conclusion that Val was part of the shooting even though she wasn't. Val's parents also think she was a part of the shooting. They are all jumping to conclusions and none of them know the real truth of what actually happened, no one would listen to Val or hear her story. People jump to conclusions all the time in the real worlds and it isn't fair for the person who's story isn't fully heard. Another thing that connects to the real world are feelings. The Hate List was based off anger and it was a way to let it out. In real life, people let out their anger in different ways in this case, with Val and Nick, it was through a list. At first the list started of as what Val thought was harmless then without her knowing, it evolved into something that caused harm and destruction. 

The Hate List started off as a way to express anger but it turned in to a harmful list. Just like how a foolish joke can end up hurting someone, doing something impulsively and without thinking can cause a lot of harm without even knowing. Major decisions shouldn't be thought of without thinking of the consequences and effects. Teenagers can connect because they have a lot of big decisions to make like choosing high schools and decisions with their own lives. Teenagers have to think about the effects and outcomes their choices can lead to and what will happen afterwards. Its important to see if what happens will affect them or anyone else.