Born a Crime

1. General Impressions

Gather initial thoughts and broad opinions about the book.

• What did you previously know about Trevor Noah? How did your impressions of him in Born a Crime relate to your previous impressions? What surprised you, and what did you already know?
• The text balances humor with high-emotion scenarios. Overall, what did you enjoy most about the narrative style of the text, and what didn’t work for you?

2. Personal Reflection and Connection

Encourage readers to connect the book’s themes and characters with their personal experiences.

• Diverse racial heritage is a key aspect of the text. How did it make you feel to explore an “undefined” identity? Did you experience any moments of newfound clarity or crossover with your own life?
• How does humor impact your ability to cope with life’s hardships?
• Consider a maternal figure in your life. How does your maternal figure differ and relate to Trevor Noah’s mother?
• How did depictions of domestic violence in the text impact you? Did the overall humor of the narrator provide you with some relief during emotionally tense moments?

3. Societal and Cultural Context

Examine the book’s relevance to societal issues, historical events, or cultural themes.

• How does the text reflect on race within the US? What kinds of dialogue do you see occurring in the US surrounding race, and how much of this conversation relates to diverse racial heritage?
• What did you learn of apartheid South Africa that you did not previously know? What does Noah say about South Africa’s Truth and Reconciliation Committee? 

4. Literary Analysis

Dive into the book’s structure, characters, themes, and symbolism.

• How does the book’s essay structure serve the varied themes explored in the text? Does it enhance or limit the subject matter?
• Does Noah’s movement across the world enhance the text’s major themes? How does this migration contribute to the tone of the text?
• How does language appear in the text, and what is the symbolic power of being able to speak multiple languages?
• What does the brick that Patricia uses to defend herself symbolize? Consider the function and feel of a brick in addition to its literal use in her defense of herself. 
• In 2024, Trevor Noah released a children’s book, Into the Uncut Grass. Take a look at this book, which is also autobiographical, and discuss any overlap that you see. How do these texts speak to each other? What is different about their narrative style?
• Consider other works of literature that discuss themes of diverse racial heritage and blended families. How prevalent are these themes in other contemporary works?

5. Creative Engagement

Encourage imaginative and creative connections to the book.

• If this book were adapted into an animated film, what colors and effects would you use for key scenes? How would these stylistic elements shift from essay to essay?
• Build an 18-song playlist with one song for each of the 18 essays in the text. Then, sum up the energy of each song in a few words. How does the description match your view of the essay?

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