Trevor's World
In Chapter 1, why did Trevor's mother, Patricia, suddenly throw him out of a moving car?
To save his life, she suspected the driver was going to kill them because they were a mixed-race family in a Zulu minibus.
Define Apartheid as it existed in South Africa. What was the primary goal of this legal system?
A legal system of institutionalized racism that promoted segregation and discrimination in South Africa (1948–1994).
What is the difference between a 'personal identity' and a 'social identity'? Give an example of each one.
Personal identity refers to the unique traits, beliefs, and interests that make an individual who they are (ex. being funny or a musician).
Social identity refers to the groups a person belongs to based on shared characteristics like race, religion, or nationality.
Define the word 'exonerated' as it relates to the Central Park Five.
To be 'exonerated' means to be officially cleared of all charges and declared innocent after being previously convicted of a crime.
'The car was like a stubborn mule' is an example of what literary device?
Simile (uses 'like' to compare the car to a mule).
What was the "tangerine" car that the family owned? Why was this specific car a constant source of trouble for Trevor and his mother?
A bright orange Volkswagen (VW) Beetle that was very unreliable. It didn't always work; they always had car problems.
Who were the 'Central Park Five' (name all 5)? Briefly describe what happened to them in 1989.
Five Black and Latino teens (Antron McCray, Kevin Richardson, Yusef Salaam, Raymond Santana, Korey Wise) were wrongfully convicted of a 1989 assault.
How did Trevor use language to change his identity group (the 'Chameleon' effect)?
Trevor learned multiple languages (like Zulu, Xhosa, and Afrikaans) to bridge the gap between different racial and ethnic groups.
By speaking someone's language, he could convince them that he was 'one of them,' allowing him to move safely and socially between segregated groups.
Use the word 'preconceived' in a sentence.
Definition: Preconceived means forming an opinion or idea about something before having full information or experience about something/someone.
Sentence example: She came into the discussion with a preconceived idea about the topic, which made it hard for her to consider other people's ideas.
What is personification? Give an example.
Personification is a figure of speech in which human qualities or actions are given to non-human things like objects, animals, or ideas.
Trevor describes attending three different types of churches every Sunday. Name or describe the three different styles of worship he experienced.
Mixed church (passionate/jubilant/exciting)
White church (analytical/boring)
Black church (intense/long/)
Based on the title of the book, what was the primary 'crime' Trevor was born into? Why was his very existence illegal?
His existence, as a child of a White father and Black mother, was illegal under the Immorality Act.
Name two ethnic groups in South Africa that were in conflict during the transition from Apartheid. (Hint: Think about the interaction in the scene where Trevor's mom threw him out of the car)
The Zulu and the Xhosa. Trevor describes the violent clashes between these groups as the government used 'divide and conquer' tactics to keep Black South Africans from uniting against the white minority rule.
What does it mean if a confession is 'coerced'?
A 'coerced' confession is one obtained through force, threats, or extreme pressure rather than being given freely and voluntarily.
Trevor describes his relationship with his mom as 'Tom and Jerry.' What type of literary reference is this, and what does it tell us about their dynamic?
Allusion (a reference to a well-known cartoon to describe their constant chasing and pranking).
What does the Xhosa term 'Sun’qhela' mean? How does this phrase define the relationship between Trevor and his mother?
Don't try it with me, or 'Don't undermine me, that's the end of the conversation.' It was Patricia's way of saying she saw through Trevor's nonsense and a way to end a conversation.
How did the legal systems in both South Africa (Apartheid) and 1980s New York (Central Park Five case) treat young men of color similarly?
Both systems utilized racial profiling, presumed guilt based on skin color, and used harsh policing to control minority populations.
What's the difference between colorism and racism?
Racism is prejudice directed against someone of a different race based on the belief that one's own race is superior.
Colorism is prejudice or discrimination against individuals with a dark skin tone, typically among people of the same ethnic or racial group (ex, Trevor being treated differently by his own family because he was lighter-skinned).
Define 'obstinacy' (a word Trevor uses to describe his mother, Patricia).
Obstinacy is the quality of being stubborn or refusing to change one's opinion or chosen course of action, despite attempts to persuade one to do so.
What is a metaphor? Give an example that relates to Haven Charter High School.
A metaphor is a figure of speech that compares two unlike things without using like or as.
How did Trevor's identity as a "mixed" child affect his ability to move between different racial and social groups in the township? Why did he call himself a "chameleon"?
He was a 'chameleon'; he didn't fit one box, so he used language and humor to bridge the gap between different racial groups or to "fit in".
Who was Nelson Mandela? Explain the significance of Nelson Mandela's release from prison.
He was a South African anti-apartheid activist who spent 27 years in prison and later became the first black president of South Africa.
It signaled the beginning of the end for Apartheid.
Discuss how the media's description of the Central Park Five created a 'preconceived' identity for them.
The media used dehumanizing language (like 'wolf pack') and focused on their race and neighborhood to paint them as dangerous criminals before they ever went to trial. This created a preconceived identity in the public's mind that they were guilty, making it nearly impossible for them to receive a fair trial or be seen as innocent children.
In Born a Crime by Trevor Noah, how does the system of apartheid show oppression? Give an example that you remember from the text.
Oppression means treating a group of people unfairly or keeping them down through rules or power. In the book, apartheid is an example of oppression because it created strict laws that separated people by race. For example, Trevor’s parents’ relationship was illegal, and he could not freely live as both Black and white. This shows how the government controlled people’s lives and limited their freedom.
Explain the irony of Trevor being 'Born a Crime' in a country that claimed to be deeply religious and moral. How do these two facts contradict each other?
The country claimed to be a moral, Christian nation while enforcing laws that made a child's birth a criminal act.