Name: _____________________________________ Period/Block: ___________ Date: _____________________

Chapters 7&8 Study Guide

Directions: During or after reading pages 93-111 of Born A Crime, please complete the following
questions in complete sentences. Be sure to use examples from the text to support your answers.

Chapter 7
1. Why was it not socially acceptable for black people to own a cat? What happened to the
cats that Trevor and his family got?
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2. How does Trevor describe his dog Fufi with sarcasm and humor? Give at least one example
from the text. What does this use of sarcasm and humor tell us about Trevor and his relationship
with Fufi?
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3. Based on what you know about Trevor as an author, why do you think he told us the story
about Fufi running away and getting her back? What was his purpose?
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4. When Trevor tells the story about Fufi running away and getting her back, the words and
phrases he uses (his tone) created a mood of sadness, humor, and endearment all at the same
time. Give an example of how he accomplishes each of these moods ( 3 examples total – 1
quote for sadness, 1 for humor, etc.) and explain why you think he wrote the story this way.
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5. Analyze the life lesson that Fufi taught Trevor, “You do not own the thing you love” (100). What
does this mean in the context of healthy vs. unhealthy relationships? Explain.
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Chapter 8

6. What do Robert and Patricia have in common regarding their views on apartheid? How are
they different?
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7. What message is there within the quote, (regarding Robert’s integrated restaurant) “The white
people would sit and watch the black people eat, and the black people would sit and eat and
watch the white people watching them eat” (105)?
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8. Why did Trevor and his Dad lose touch? What inference can you make about Abel’s impact
on Trevor and his mom’s life?
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9. Analyze the scene where Robert and Trevor finally reconnect. Has Trevor become a less
important role in their time apart? Explain using a quote from the text to support your answer.
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