Characters & People
Who is Patricia?
Trevor's mother
What was apartheid?
A system of racial segregation and discrimination in South Africa.
In which country does Born a Crime take place?
South Africa
In Chapter 4, why did Trevor ask to be moved to a lower level class?
Because he identified more with his black peers
What language did Trevor speak first?
Xhosa
What is the name of Trevor's father?
Robert
Why was Trevor’s birth considered “a crime”?
Because he was mixed race—his parents broke apartheid’s Immorality Act, which banned interracial relationships.
In which city was Trevor born?
Johannesburg
Why did Trevor’s mom throw him out of a moving car?
To save him from dangerous men trying to hurt them.
How did Trevor use language to avoid fights or trouble?
He could quickly switch to the group’s language to show he wasn’t a threat.
Trevor's mom is known for being ______.
religious/independent/strong/fearless, etc.
Which racial category did Trevor officially belong to on his birth certificate?
“Coloured”
Which suburb does Trevor mention as a mostly Coloured area where he sometimes went?
Eden Park
How did Trevor’s family hide him from the police and neighbors when he was little?
He stayed indoors and wasn’t allowed to play outside often.
Why was English seen as a “power language” in South Africa?
It was associated with education, jobs, and authority.
What does Trevor call is great grandmother?
Koko
What was the name of the law that made interracial relationships illegal?
The Immorality Act
What is the name of the township where Trevor’s grandmother lived?
Soweto
How did Trevor’s mom treat him in public when they were together, to avoid suspicion?
She sometimes pretended to be his maid or walked behind him.
Why does Trevor call himself a chameleon?
He becomes a "chameleon," able to shift his identity and language to connect with various communities.
Why was Trevor’s father often absent from public events when Trevor was little?
They couldn’t be seen together because Trevor was mixed race and it was illegal during apartheid.
Under apartheid, where were Black, White, and Coloured people forced to live?
Separate areas/townships according to race
They were built piece by piece and had no bathrooms / shanty homes
Why did Trevor have to pray over a pile of his own burning poo?
When he pooped in the kitchen, his mom thought it was the work of a demon/witchcraft
How did Trevor’s multilingual ability challenge apartheid’s divisions?
He crossed racial and cultural lines, making connections that apartheid tried to keep separate.