Performing Identity and Seeking Justice: A Goffmanian Reading of Activism in The Hate U Give and Moxie

Abstract

This study examined how the teenager protagonists formed their identity in The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas and Moxie by Jennifer Mathieu. This research uses Erving Goffman’s theory of self-presentation to look at how the female characters in The Hate U Give and Moxie deal with their personalities and developed their identity. The focus of this study is on how people choose to show themselves in front of others by hiding their identity and being what they are at back stage when they are alone, realising the importance of not just their identity but of whole community. With Erving Goffman’s theory of self- presentation as a guide, this study looks at how women deal with their personalities and participate in digital activism through the stories in The Hate U Give and Moxie. It makes a point of showing how identity changes as a activist at a young age for demanding justice, mostly women, became activist to control how they are portrayed, make connections, and fight against unfair systems. This paper also reflects how identity and justice can be interconnected, Both Starr in The Hate U Give and Vivian in Moxie realised the importance of their identity and moreover of their group. In The Hate U Give, Starr not just formed her identity but of all people of colour of her group. Similarly, in Moxie, Vivian got frustrated of experiencing injustice in her school where identity of girls is neglected, Vivian not just realised her own identity but of all the girls in school. This paper gives a wide discussion on activism, performance and social justice in Contemporary Young Adult literature.