Born A crime pt2

  1. Born a Crime by Trevor Noah

  2. Study Guide/Part II

    1. What does Noah mean when he states, “The history of colored people in South Africa is worse than the history of black people in South Africa”? Noah means that while Black African people have endured significant suffering, they have a clear sense of identity, whereas mixed-race people struggle with belonging.

  3. What is the legal definition of a white person under apartheid?

  4. Under apartheid, a white person was legally defined as someone who appeared obviously white and was not generally accepted as colored, or someone generally accepted as white but not obviously non-white in appearance.

    1. Give an example of how Noah was bullied as a child.

  5. Noah was bullied when some kids threw berries at him and called him slurs.

    1. Who is Abel?

  6. Abel was his mother’s boyfriend.

    1. How did Noah get revenge in “The Mulberry Tree” story? What made Noah realize it was wrong? In “The Mulberry Tree,” Noah got revenge by telling Abel about the bullying, which led to Abel whipping the kids. He realized it was wrong when he saw the fear in their eyes.

    2. Why did Noah tell the story of Valentine’s Day and Maylene?

  7. Noah shared the Valentine’s Day story to highlight how girls typically chose more popular and attractive boys.

    1. What is petrol? What are some of the ways that Noah’s mom saved petrol?

  8. Petrol is fuel for a car. Noah’s mom saved petrol by turning off the car while waiting in traffic.

    1. What is a Model C school?

  9. A Model C school is a semi-private school that blends government and private education, similar to a charter school.

    1. With which group did Noah feel the most affinity? Why?

  10. Noah felt the most connected to the poor Black kids.

    1. How did Noah become the “tuck-shop guy”?

  11. He became the “tuck-shop guy” by being fast and picking up food for everyone.

    1. Explain Noah’s paradox: “I was everywhere with everybody, and at the same time I was all by myself.”

  12. Noah’s paradox means that he interacted with many groups but never fully belonged to any one of them.

    1. According to Noah, what should we fear most, and why?

  13. According to Noah, we should fear regret the most because it leaves us questioning what could have been.

    1. Why did Noah tell the story of Zaheera?

  14. . Noah told the story of Zaheera to express his regret over not asking her out.

    1. According to Noah, what was the key to making black friends in the suburbs? Why?

  15. . The key to making Black friends in the suburbs was befriending the children of domestic workers.

    1. What point is Noah making in Chapter 13 “Colorblind”?

  16. In Chapter 13, “Colorblind,” Noah points out that people didn’t truly see or acknowledge his racial identity.

    1. Why did South Africa need eleven official languages?

  17. South Africa needed eleven official languages to ensure all ethnic groups felt represented.

    1. What is the Tower of Babel? Explain Noah’s comparison of South Africa to the Tower of Babel.

  18. The Tower of Babel was a place where everyone originally spoke the same language. Noah compares it to South Africa, where many languages create division instead of unity.

    1. What was the “window into what women experience to look good on a regular basis”?

  19. .Noah’s experience gave him insight into the effort and discomfort women go through to look good.

    1. Why did Noah’s date refuse to get out of the car when they arrived at the matric dance?

  20. . His date refused to get out of the car at the matric dance because she didn’t speak English, making communication difficult.

    1. What did Noah mean when he stated, “I have no idea how girls work”?

  21. When Noah said, “I have no idea how girls work,” he meant he was confused when a girl unexpectedly kissed him.