Seven, Kenya, and Lyric’s mother, and King’s girlfriend. Seven resents Iesha’s lack of maternal support. She is also a sore spot in Starr’s parents’ relationship, as Maverick cheated on Lisa with her. Though unwilling to stand up to King for much of the novel, Iesha ultimately redeems herself by distracting him while Seven helps his sisters and DeVante escape from the house. King’s subsequent beating sends her to the hospital.
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Iesha Character Timeline in The Hate U Give
The timeline below shows where the character Iesha appears in The Hate U Give. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
Chapter 3
...how King, a major neighborhood drug dealer, has moved in with his girlfriend, Seven’s mother Iesha. Maverick offers to let Seven live with the Carters, but Seven wants to be there...
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Chapter 8
King, Iesha, and a group of King Lords suddenly enter from the back of the church. Iesha...
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...it back at King, calling him a demon and screaming for them all to leave. Iesha calls Mrs. Rosalie an “old hag,” and reveals that King offered to pay for the...
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Chapter 12
...clothes next to Seven’s bed, and Seven tells her that King moved back in with Iesha and officially kicked him out of the house. Starr tries to comfort Seven, but he...
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...dealing with the fallout of King, who beats her and her sister in addition to Iesha, moving back into her house. Starr knows Kenya won’t open up about that, but tells...
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Chapter 15
...love for them outweighs that. Lisa stayed with Maverick after he cheated on her with Iesha because she decided that the good in their relationship outweighed the bad. She advises Starr...
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Chapter 18
...all he did to raise Starr and Seven while Maverick was in prison. Every time Iesha dropped Seven off, often for weeks, he bought clothes and food, and provided shelter. He...
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Chapter 21
...the kitchen when a call comes through from the security guard of Carlos’s gated complex: Iesha is at the gate. She did not attend Seven’s graduation, and was not invited to...
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Seven explodes with hurt and rage, telling Iesha he is so ashamed of her that he has never even told his Williamson friends...
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...be sitting with Kenya, whose father wants to kill her. Kenya apologizes on behalf of Iesha, saying she wishes she would leave King. Starr sympathizes, saying Iesha might be too afraid—just...
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Chapter 22
...with Kenya, who is clearly distraught. The three get into Seven’s car and speed to Iesha’s house.
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...about what he thinks of it. He does not say anything, however. They arrive at Iesha’s house, which is dilapidated from the outside but “five-star-hotel nice” on the inside. Shoes dangle...
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Kenya leads the group to Iesha’s bedroom, where DeVante is huddled on the floor in pain. Blood is all over the...
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Iesha smirks when Seven asks her for help, and scoffs at his calling her “momma.” Starr...
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As the group rushes out, Starr notices Iesha dancing in King’s face and pushing him down seductively when he tries to stand. The...
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Chapter 24
...asks if King kicked him with his boots. Seven notes that he did that to Iesha once, breaking her ribs. The group again hears police telling people to get off the...
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Chapter 26
...says she heard her father started the fire. She also tells Starr that King beat Iesha so badly that she is in the hospital, but she will be okay. She says...
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