5PAGE PROPOSAL DUE @MIDNIGHT

Daily Writing Assignment #6

Chapter Discussion and Group Work Exercise

Directions:

1) Complete reading the book, Born A Crime.

2) Brainstorm at least 3 problematic themes that pop up throughout the text.

3) For each problematic theme (a) find quotes throughout the book that represents each problematic theme and write about its context by stating a claim about the theme, (b) cite the quote and page number(s) where the quotes were found in the book that prove each theme and (c) explain the quotes’ meaning in the larger context of the author’s overall message.

NOTE: A theme must have more than one quote associated with it.

a. E.g., (a) When Trevor was attending H.A. Jack, he refers to himself as an “outsider” because he did not fit neatly into any of the social and cultural groups at school even though the school had a diverse student population. Specifically, he states, (b)“I was on my own. Weekends I was on my own. Ever the outsider, I created my own strange little world. I did it out of necessity” (139). (c)This quote represents a common theme of isolation that was created and reinforced by Apartheid because the laws separated and alienated individuals in ways that allowed some to establish community and others not to establish community and Trevor has no one community in which he was accepted because he was mixed.

1) GROWING UP:

Trevor's growth from a young boy with little understanding of the world around him to a young man capable of critical thinking and making decisions about the life he wants to live is chronicled in this novel. Trevor prefers to tell stories about instances in which he learns a valuable lesson and grows in maturity and self-awareness. For example, the situation at prom directs him to be more respectful and attentive to ladies rather than focusing simply on their appearance. Trevor states, “Someone put a beautiful woman on my arm, and said "She's your girlfriend." I'd been mesmerized by her beauty and just the idea of her—I didn't know I was supposed to talk to her” (177). This quote symbolizes his maturation as an adult. He never spoke to her directly and didn't discover she didn't speak English until the night of the event. While some of Trevor's perplexity stems from his friend Tim's deception, he also recognizes that he made no effort to learn anything about his date. The encounter with his father after a lengthy separation teaches him that connections cannot be forced but must instead evolve naturally between people. Trevor says, “Being chosen is the greatest gift you can give to another human being” (110). When Trevor meets up with his father Robert after many years apart, he shares this quote. Trevor felt Robert had lost interest in him, but he is startled and moved to learn that Robert has been closely watching his son's career and is clearly proud of him. Trevor's memoir provides a framework for him to turn memories into a series of events that have helped him evolve and improve through time.

2) VIOLENCE:

Violence and the possibility of violence have been a part of Trevor's life. Trevor often must deal with the reality that living in South Africa as a colored man means facing risky conditions, whether it is harassed by a minibus driver while riding with his mother as a child or being frightened of being assaulted while his time behind bars. When his stepfather beats both him and his mother, he is also affected by domestic violence. Trevor says, “The whole time, in my head, I kept thinking the same thing Abel was saying shut up, mom shut up. You’re going to make it worse. Because I knew as the receiver of many beatings, the one thing that doesn’t help is talking back “(chapter 18). This quote reveals how scared Trevor was in this scary situation and how intense it is. Trevor's experience of violence, which ends in his mother's shooting, leads him to confront beliefs he carries but also makes him recognize how significant his mother is to him. Trevor says “Trevor’s memoir provides a framework for him to turn memories into a series of events that have helped him evolve and improve through time.

3) CUTURAL IDENTITY:

Trevor has had several encounters in which he had to question his own cultural identity. He'd occasionally be faced with the decision of whether to choose white or black individuals. Trevor mentions, “I wasn't popular, but I wasn't an outcast. I was everywhere with everybody, and at the same time I was all by myself” (141). Trevor uses this quotation to describe his social standing in junior high. While it most obviously defines his standing in the school's social order, it also symbolizes his inability to belong in anywhere in South African society. Trevor needs to keep his true identity and origins hidden, and he isn't a member of any of the major racial groups. Trevor says, “A fellow tribe member attempting to disavow the tribe… is something they will never forgive.” (chapter 9). Noah, being a mixed-racial kid, appears to fall into the Colored race category. Colored people, on the other hand, have a long history in South Africa, and they have their own culture and language. Noah is regarded as both too black and too white because he speaks African languages and attends an English school. He makes no friendships throughout his time living in a Colored community, where he appears like his neighbors and should feel at ease. Because his entire family was black, he feels more at ease choosing the blacks group.