Reading Guide: Born a Crime, Part 1, pp.

3-111

Unless otherwise specified, use the book to find the answers.

1. Before the table of contents, there is an excerpt entitled “Immorality Act, 1927.” What is
this?
2. Why does Trevor Noah use the term “Apart hate” to explain apartheid?
3. What context is given before the first chapter?

“Run,” (pp. 3-17)

1. What role does religion play in Trevor’s family? What kinds of church does Trevor go
to?
2. What is “faith-based obstinacy” and “sun’quela”?
3. What do we learn about: Nelson Mandela, the Bloodless Revolution, Inkatha Freedom
Party, African National Congress, Xhosa-Zulu tensions?
4. Why is nine-year-old Trevor thrown out of a moving car?

“Born a Crime,” (pp. 18-31)

1. Why are Afrikaners referred to as “the white tribe of Africa”?

2. How does Noah explain apartheid using North American references?
3. Why is Trevor’s “mixed” heritage a problem? How does Trevor’s mother get around
this? What effect does being “mixed” have on Trevor before the official end of apartheid?
4. How did the government classify people by race, and what implications did these labels
have on people?
5. What do we learn about: townships, Bantustans, flying squads & hippos, impipis,
blackjacks?
6. Who is Robert? What arrangement does Patricia make with him?

“Trevor, Pray,” (pp. 33-47)

1. “Religion filled the void left by absent men” (39).

2. “Trevor, pray” (40).
3. Trevor describes Soweto, the township in which he grew up. What details does Trevor
give about the living conditions there?

“Chameleon,” (pp.47-59)

1. In the introduction to this chapter, Trevor refers to language. What was a Bantu school?
Why does Trevor think language was used as a weapon?
2. How and why is Trevor treated differently from the rest of the kids in his family? What
does Trevor do with this privilege?
3. What role does language play in Soweto in general and in particular for Trevor?
 4. Explain the significance of the title of this chapter. Support your answer with concrete
examples. Don’t forget to note the page numbers!
5. “Every clique was racially mixed” (56).
6. “… at some point life will force you to pick a side” (57).
7. Trevor describes his experience in two schools, Maryvale College and H.A. Jack
Primary. What does Trevor realize?
“The Second Girl,” (pp. 61-74)
1. What are the main differences between Bantu and Mission schools? What parallel
does Trevor make between the schools and the racist attitudes of the British and
Afrikaners?
2. Who is the “second girl”?
3. What are the conditions like in Transkei, the Xhosa homeland? Who ends up there
and why?
4. What is the “black tax”? Give an example from this chapter.
5. What is the story behind the name “Trevor”? Why is this relevant?
6. In what way is the relationship between Patricia and Trevor unusual?
7. What changes for Trevor in Eden Park?
8. Trevor says, “So many black people had internalized the logic of apartheid and made
it their own” (74). What is he referring to?

“Loopholes,” (pp. 75-91)

1. In this chapter, Trevor discusses various forms of crime and punishment. What do you
think the real loophole is?
2. Do you think Patricia is abusive? Why or why not?

“Fufi,” (pp. 93-100)

1. How does Trevor get his heart broken?

“Robert,” (pp. 101-111)

1. Who is Robert?
2. Why does Trevor lose touch with him?
3. Explain the quote, “Relationships are built in the silences” (110).