I first learned of Trevor Noah after seeing one of his comedy sketches online, specifically this one.  

However, a few months ago I read Noah’s memoir; besides knowing that Noah grew up during apartheid in South Africa, and that his parents had to walk on opposite sides of the street (his mother was black and his father was white) I didn’t know much about him. And I didn’t know what to expect from his memoir either (alright, I guess part of me was expecting some comedy). While some parts were pretty comedic, there were also some deep, pertinent messages lying beneath it all. I think these messages stuck with me more because of the comedy.  

For example, a recurring theme throughout the theme was race, specifically during the time of apartheid. Noah described apartheid with this quote: 

“The genius of apartheid was convincing people who were the overwhelming majority to turn on each other. Apart hate, is what it was. You separate people into groups and make them hate one another so you can run them all.” 

The language throughout the novel, as depicted in this quote, was simple; yet the ideas were sophisticated (and in my view, that’s what good writing is supposed to be!). With this style, Noah captured apartheid in a way that allowed others to understand the realities of it. Of course, I could never truly understand what Noah endured as a child, as I did not live that reality. However, his impactful storytelling has made me more aware of the horrors that occurred, and that knowledge is important. 

Not only was the language throughout the novel impactful, but the conceptual discussion of language also got me thinking. In a heavily divided and hate-filled apartheid society, language was the difference between getting robbed and getting home safely. I found this to be quite terrible, but then realized that to a lesser extent, our society practices this every day. Centuries of institutional racism has not only enforced that whites are innately superior to other people, but has also forced the rest of the world to assimilate into the Western world in order to avoid discrimination. When one assimilates, it shows that they are loyal; in Trevor’s case, assimilating to the other cultures and tribes in South Africa showed that he could be trusted, saving him from many troubles. Often, people with non-American accents are looked down upon, or are treated differently; this demonstrates how people use language as a “loyalty test,” and how many have difficulty forming relationships with those they perceive as “different” – a negative bias that has to be corrected. 

Language is supposed to bring people together, as it gives everyone a platform to express ideas (though we may not realize it, many of us, regardless of our spoken language or ethnicity, share many of the same beliefs). However, language has been weaponized in order to make us forget what brings us together; we use it as a way to profile and discriminate, creating a tense society. We should be using language to show that we care for another; for example, speaking another person’s native language to that person is a sign of kindness. Once we’re able to empathize with each other, we can slowly overcome the division and hate that has been ingrained into society. 

Another quote from the book that stood out to me was: “People love to say: ‘Give a man a fish, and he’ll eat for a day. Teach a man to fish, and he’ll eat for a lifetime.’ What they don’t say is, ‘And it would be nice if you gave him a fishing rod.’ That’s the part of the analogy that’s missing.” This profound quote is applicable to the systemic inequalities that are still present today; these inequalities are what also fueled apartheid. 

The foundation for Noah’s novel were stories – all of which evoked a plethora of emotions. Each chapter was structured as its own story, which were all strung together to form a larger picture. My favorite story/chapter was Go Hitler! (I was also in disbelief after reading the title, and I promise it’s not what you think it is – you have to read the novel to find out). Throughout the progression of these stories, we saw both Noah and the characters around him develop, namely his mother. The reader was able to gain different perspectives, creating for a more interesting novel. 

I also wanted to highlight some other significant themes present in the book:

Religion 

Born a Crime reveals that religion has the ability to motivate and empower someone. This is especially true in Trevor Noah’s mother, Patricia’s, case; her belief in God and dedication toward Church gave her a sense of purpose and willpower to move on, despite the obstacle. This same willpower played a major role in Trevor’s life, as well. Believing that there is some force in charge of everything or that some higher entity is watching everyone can motivate people to try their very best (again, as demonstrated by Trevor’s mother). Hence, the text reveals that religion could help cultivate hope, which was interesting to see.

Individualism 

Another major theme in Born a Crime is individualism. Because of the fact that he was biracial, Trevor didn’t know how to fit in with the various cliques at school (leading him to start his lunch purchasing business, where he would float around different groups). The text reveals that it is not always necessary to fit into a certain category. In fact, it is often better to remain true to oneself; although it is difficult, it is also incredibly empowering. When one acts individually, they have full control over their decisions and are able to lead their own life.

Now, I won’t spoil any part of Born a Crime: Stories from a South African Childhood – I encourage you to go give it a read!