The following is the introduction from our Born A Crime Study Companion, available on the resources page of our website.
“We tell people to follow their dreams, but you can only dream of what you can imagine, and, depending on where you come from,your imagination can be quite limited.”
In his references to apartheid, Noah is deliberate in his descriptions of it as a system that was designed by those in power. Through this, he can expose the callous nature of the laws and policies which came to rule over South Africa and dominate the social and political landscape. Although laws can be enforced, the shaming and abuse of people under apartheid is a less tangible factor that Noah shines a light on through his description of the people of his childhood.
Noah describes his family at one point as a “victim of apartheid”. Through this readers can gain a deeper appreciation for how individuals are at the mercy of the political system in which they live their lives. The calculated moving of groups of people into designated areas and the lack of education and other essential services afforded to these people stands as a symbol of the apartheid regime in its full power. It is when Noah focuses on the experiences of people that the full extent of this power is exposed to his reader.
Through his time in Alexandra, or “the hood”, Noah provides an insight into the daily lives of those who have been robbed of opportunity, justice and equality. It is made clear that, despite the end of the apartheid era, the impacts of it are still prevalent. Noah uses a well known metaphor to help illustrate his point about the ongoing impacts of apartheid as he points out that black South Africans may be “free”, in that they’ve “been taught how to fish, but no one will give them a fishing rod.” Essentially, whilst the system no longer allows prejudiced laws and policies to exist, the decades of social conditioning and mistreatment continue the inequalities of the past. Noah states that “there is a very fine line between civilian and criminal”, inviting his reader to question how societal structures can impact a person’s morality when they’re given so little opportunity.
Amongst this environment, Noah points out the pride that people take in defining themselves by their struggles, describing the hood as having “a gravitational pull”. The true impact of social systems is shown as Noah describes those looking to leave their roots as “ insulting the place that raised you and made you”. As such, readers can contemplate how governments and those in power can impact large societal groups, who in turn impact each member of the group in how they see themselves and their place in the community.
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Such is the power of the remnants of apartheid that Noah speaks of the near impossibility of those born in areas like Alexandra being able to leave and make something more of their lives. Those who have houses and an education are still limited in their options, as Noah describes the plight of the “cheese boys” - those who have slightly more than others in the hood, but are still severely limited in what they can then do with what they’ve had access to.
“He has been given more potential, but he has not been given more opportunity. He has been given an awareness of the world that is out there, but he has not been given the means to reach it.”
That distinctions like this can be made, yet the overall result for people from the one area remains the same, is as tragic as it is profound in Noah’s outlining of the tragedy of apartheid.
Did you notice?
The many languages of South Africa are referred to consistently through Born A Crime. Noah illustrates how language binds people together with an integral part of their culture that they share, however he also points out how differing languages create a sense of separation and distrust between people. Following his mother, who “used language to cross boundaries, handle situations, navigate the world”, Trevor is able to reach people on a human level purely through his ability to speak their language.
There are shop owners and street thugs who both change their attitude completely upon being spoken to in their own language. Noah further points out the importance of language when referencing Nelson Mandela through his own words.
“If you talk to a man in a language he understands, that goes to his head. If you talk to him in his language, that goes to his heart.”
Language is a marker of who a person is and how they’ve come to see themselves. It represents the attitudes of people so well because of how it unites and separates. When we consider Trevor’s knowledge and use of multiple languages, we can begin to understand his success in being able to move between cultural and racial groups and find a sense of belonging in each group.
Ben Taylor - The English Lab
We have lots more to say about this text! If you’d like for Ben to speak to your students or to your teaching team, please contact hello@englishlab.com.au
Please also look around our website for further resources and services that can help your Year Twelve teachers and students get the best out of themselves. Our study guide (of which this post is an excerpt from) is available by clicking on the ‘Resources’ tab at the top of this page.