Love, Hate and Other Filters

Use this activity to engage all types of learners, while requiring that they refer to and incorporate details from the text over the course of the activity.

“A Cast of Characters”

In this activity, students will cast a movie version of the novel to demonstrate their understanding of characterization.

Maya’s hobby and future career aspirations involve film. Your task is to become a casting director for the upcoming film inspired by this novel, Love, Hate, and Other Filters. You need to cast the major roles, including Maya, Violet, Ethan, Brian, and Phil.

• For each role, pick a celebrity who you believe would best embody that character. Note: you should take the cultural heritage of the character into consideration when casting that role.
• Below your casting, explain in 3-5 sentences why you believe that celebrity would be best for the role. You may wish to ask yourself the following questions as you justify your choices:

o What important elements of the character must come through in the performance?

o Would they be able to capture the same character tone/personality?

o Do they have experience in similar roles?

Once everyone has made their casting choices, share them as a class. Discuss the similarities and differences, including what elements of the character you deemed most important in your casting decisions.

Teaching Suggestion: Because this book centers around Islamophobia and cultural traditions, it is important that Maya be represented by a Muslim/Indian actress. Consider providing students with a list of actresses or access to the internet so they can do their own research.

Differentiation Suggestion: For students who struggle with maintaining focus, consider narrowing down the characters they need to cast. A more focused approach to the assignment may allow students to produce more detailed responses. You may also consider pairing students up for this assignment so that they have to verbally justify their choices before writing them down.

Use these essay questions as writing and critical thinking exercises for all levels of writers, and to build their literary analysis skills by requiring textual references throughout the essay.

Differentiation Suggestion: For English learners or struggling writers, strategies that work well include graphic organizers, sentence frames or starters, group work, or oral responses.

Scaffolded Essay Questions

Student Prompt: Write a short (1-3 paragraph) response using one of the bulleted outlines below. Cite details from the text over the course of your response that serve as examples and support.

1. Throughout the beginning of the novel, Maya doubts that Phil has any genuine feelings toward her.

• How does the author prove to readers that Maya is wrong about Phil? (topic sentence)
• In the body of your essay, reference different moments in the beginning of their relationship where Maya doubts that they could have feelings for each other. Then, cite moments in the text where the author implies that is not true.
• In your concluding sentence or sentences, connect the author’s choice to make these moments implicit with the title of the novel.

2. When describing her relationship with her parents, Maya states, “And the world between us cracked because of the difference in how we understand that fundamental bond.” (Epilogue)

• What is the biggest difference between how Maya and her parents see their relationship? (topic sentence)
• In the body of your essay, examine what Maya means in the quote above. How has their relationship changed over the course of the novel? How has Maya’s choice to no longer lie about her wishes shaped their understanding of each other?
• Then, in your concluding sentence or sentences, connect this quote to the theme of Coming of Age Amid Social and Cultural Expectations or Indian Identity, Tradition, and Expectations.

Full Essay Assignments

Student Prompt: Write a structured and well-developed essay. Include a thesis statement, at least three main points supported by text details, and a conclusion.

1. The author spends most of the text intentionally obscuring Ethan (the bomber’s) identity. How does this literary decision help her build suspense? What is she banking on the audience to assume about the bomber? In your essay, find at least three moments where the reader is made to assume something incorrect about the bomber’s identity. Then, draw a conclusion about what the author is showing about the theme of Terrorism, Islamophobia, and Hate by forcing the reader to these conclusions.

2. Much of the second half of the novel is spent “explaining” who Ethan was and how his life shaped him. Do you as a reader have any sympathy for Ethan? In your argument, consider why the author may have chosen to include these moments of insight into Ethan instead of just leaving him as the mysterious bomber. You may also want to consider how Ethan’s and Maya’s lives compare to each other, as well as how they are forced to deal with the consequences of the bombing, as part of your argument.

3. Maya has two major female role models in her life: her mother, Sofia, and her aunt, Hina. Compare and contrast Maya’s relationship with each of these women. Consider their role in her life, their “model” of an acceptable lifestyle, and their expectations for her. Cite at least three pieces of evidence that explain how each of these relationships shapes Maya into who she is at the end of the novel. Be sure to include one of the following themes in your discussion: Coming of Age Amid Social and Cultural Expectations or Indian Identity, Tradition, and Expectations.

Multiple Choice and Long Answer Questions create ideal opportunities for whole-text review, exams, or summative assessments.

Multiple Choice

1. Which of the following themes best explains why Kareem has trouble getting through security at the airport?

A) Coming of Age Amid Social and Cultural Expectations

B) Indian Identity, Tradition, and Expectations

C) Racial Discrimination and Cultural Division Among Peers

D) Terrorism, Islamophobia, and Hate

2. Why does the media assume the terrorist was a Muslim man?

A) They found his picture.

B) There was a photo of a mosque found in the rubble.

C)They found an Egyptian passport at the scene.

D) The bomber was wearing traditional clothing.

3. Why can’t Maya hide at school after the bombing?

A) She is the only non-white student at school.

B) She has a gash on her head from the brick attack.

C) She’s recently started dating Phil, who is very popular.

D) She knew the man who committed the act of terrorism.

4. Why was Kamal Aziz in the federal building the day of the attack?

A) He was scouting for the bomber.

B) He worked there every day.

C) He was getting his American citizenship.

D) He was trying to get a divorce.

5. What literary device is represented by the mention of The Turner Diaries and John Wilkes Booth’s quote?

A) Metaphor

B) Allusion

C) Alliteration

D) Personification

6. What does Phil get at first for defending Maya from Brian?

A) A black eye

B) A kiss

C) A suspension

D) An assault charge

7. Why does the author provide background and interviews about Ethan after the bombing?

A) To show how the media tries to humanize white terrorists

B) To explain that Ethan had always been evil

C) To prove that he actually had connections to the Muslim community

D) To show how his story is similar to Maya’s

8. Why does Maya say that she is filming everything?

A) To submit a demo to get into college

B) To make a memory “documentary” for herself

C) To prove to her parents that she has talent

D) To keep up with the family business

9. What does Maya do when she is nervous or feeling embarrassed?

A) She giggles.

B) She runs away.

C) She blushes.

D) She lashes out.

10. Which theme is best embodied in the character of Brian Jennings?

A) Coming of Age Amid Social and Cultural Expectations

B) Indian Identity, Tradition, and Expectations

C) Racial Discrimination and Cultural Division Among Peers

D) Terrorism, Islamophobia, and Hate

11. What does Maya’s mother mean when she says “[they]’ll always be scapegoats” following the bombing? (Chapter 22)

A) They should go back to the farm they had in India.

B) Her community will always be blamed because of their religion.

C) Terrorists are often Muslim.

D) She and Maya will always be blamed for her dad’s actions.

12. What genre would Maya most likely consider the “film” that is represented by this novel?

A) Romance

B) Horror

C) Drama

D) Documentary

13. Which author does Ethan find inspiration from while in high school?

A) Walt Witman

B) Eleanor Rosevelt

C) Carl Marx

D) Jhumpa Lahiri

14. Who is Maya’s best friend?

A) Sofia

B) Hina

C) Violet

D) Lisa

15. Which of the following best describes Maya at the end of the novel?

A) Alone: She cannot talk to her family anymore.

B) Content: She is at NYU studying film and making friends.

C) Afraid: Another terrorist attack hits her school.

D) Remorseful: She wishes she hadn’t defied her parents.

Long Answer

Compose a response of 2-3 sentences, incorporating text details to support your response.

1. How does Maya change from the beginning to the end of the text?

2. How are Maya’s relationships with Phil and Kareem similar?