Mom Said So
What language did Patricia insist Trevor master?
English
What was Trevor’s birth considered under apartheid law?
A crime/illegal act
What childhood game did Trevor play that often caused trouble?
Slingshot/catapult games
What animal does Trevor compare himself to as a mixed-race child?
Zebra
Which relative spoiled Trevor but feared disciplining him?
His grandmother
Why did Patricia choose a white man to father her child?
To give her child lighter skin/opportunity under apartheid
Why couldn’t Patricia openly walk in public with Trevor’s father?
Interracial relationships were banned
Why was Trevor often locked inside the house when others played?
His mom feared he’d be taken if seen outside
What does the phrase “born a crime” literally mean?
His existence broke the law (illegal interracial birth)
What theme is shown when Patricia sneaks Trevor into white neighborhoods?
Resistance/defiance of unjust laws
What risky places did Patricia take Trevor despite apartheid restrictions?
White neighborhoods, better schools, white churches
How did apartheid classify Trevor’s race, and why was it complicated?
He was labeled “Colored,” but didn’t fully fit in any group
What did Trevor do with the kitchen stove that nearly caused disaster?
Tried to cook and accidentally set the house on fire
Why was English called the “language of money”?
It opened doors to jobs and power
How did Trevor’s mixed identity make him both privileged and isolated?
He could access certain spaces, but belonged to none fully
How did Patricia use church to resist apartheid?
She went to multiple churches (black, white, mixed), defying racial rules
What could happen if Trevor was seen in public with his mother?
Officials could take him away from her
How did Trevor’s cousins both accept and treat him differently?
They sometimes protected him, but saw him as “different”
What did Patricia believe about the relationship between faith and fear?
She believed faith in God was stronger than living in fear
What contradiction does Patricia’s deep faith create in her defiance of apartheid?
She was devoutly religious, yet broke laws she saw as unjust
What was Patricia’s philosophy about living fearlessly versus living cautiously?
Better to live boldly and trust God than live in fear
How did apartheid shape where Trevor could go, live, or play as a child?
He had to stay hidden or pretend Patricia wasn’t his mother
What lesson did Trevor learn about survival from constantly being “different”?
Survival requires adaptability and reading people
What symbol does Trevor’s ability to “code-switch” represent about identity?
Identity as fluid, shifting between groups
How do Trevor’s early experiences foreshadow his success as a comedian?
Comedy = survival skill, finding humor in hardship