ESLA3180

Jose Kerkebe

Born A Crime Chapter 3

I. Summary. Write a 2 to 3 sentence summary of Chapter 3 and 4. Think about the most
important events in Chapter 3 and 4. You can use your notes and reading packet for help.
In Chapter 3, Trevor doesn’t want to go outside for toilet, so he puts some
newspaper on the floor and does it. His family believe that the demon does it, and
Trevor has to prey to God for what actually he does. In Chapter 4, Trevor learns to
use language in a way that sounds the same accent that people speak to him,
because he thinks that language defines who you are to people. He feels more
comfortable when he is with black kids since he doesn’t have to try to be someone
in front of them.

II. Predictions. Make some predictions about what you think Trevor might write
about after reading the preface to Chapter 3 Born A Crime. Remember that it’s not
important if your predictions are right or wrong. However, it’s important to think
about your predictions while you are reading.

1. Do you think Trevor believes in prayer?

s No

2. Do you think someone is going to ask Trevor to pray for something? s

No

3. In Chapter 3, Trevor is going to pray to avoid trouble.

ue False

4. In Chapter 3, Trevor is going to pray, and something miraculous will happen.

True lse
III. Characters. We learn more about Trevor’s mom and Koko in this chapter. What
adjectives would you use to describe her?
Koko Patricia
Super old cautious

stooped and frail self-independent

completely blind religious

talking to her is like talking to a superstitious

computer

V. Significant Events. As you annotate, pay careful attention to significant events in

the story. Use your annotations from Chapter 3 to complete the chart below. Include 5
significant events.

Chapter/ Significant Why is this event important?

Page Event
3, p.36 Trevor and his mother visit The first family is the heirs, so there
his grandfather sparingly. was always the chance they might get
poisoned by the second family.

3,p.38 The fact that Trevor grows Apartheid keeps him away from his
up in a world run by women father because he is white, and for most
was no accident. of the kids he knows, apartheid has
taken away their father as well, since
their father are off working in a mine
somewhere and able to come home only
during the holidays.

3, p.42 There is one thing you can There is no indoor running water, just
never aspire to improve: one communal outdoor tap and one
your toilet. outdoor toilet shared by six or seven
houses.
 4, p.53 Trevor learns to use Because he thinks that language defines
language in a way that who you are to people.
sounds the same accent
that people speak to him.

4, p.57 Black kids are confused at With the black kids, he isn’t constantly
first, because Trevor’s color trying to be. With the black kids, he just
doesn’t look like their color, is.
but speaking the same
language means that he
belongs to their tribe.

With a partner or small group, take turns searching for the answers to these questions
in the book. Be sure, to write the page number where you find the question.

1. Why does Trevor decide to poop inside the house, on the newspaper?

He doesn’t want to go outside for his toilet, and want to do that inside his house.

2. If you were in Trevor, would you have done the same thing? Explain why or
why not.

If I were him, I would not have done that. Because I know I would be in trouble later.

3. How does Koko react, and what does Trevor do in reaction to Koko?
She starts calling out the whole family. He ignores her and he folds the newspaper
over and puts it in the rubbish bin.

4. Why does Patricia connect the poop with a demon?

Koko says there is nobody there and Patricia thinks they must have been bewitched
by demon because that’s how witchcraft works.

5. Why are prayers in English considered more valuable in the prayer meeting?
Because the Bible was originally written in English.

Group Work: Go through the text to find quotes where the author discusses or describes
religion. Collect the quotes together on the board, then analyze what themes emerge
from the author's rhetoric.

1. How does Trevor Noah seem to feel about religion?

2. What role does he think it plays in people's lives?

3. Why would he choose to tell these particular stories about religious faith?

I couldn’t figure the question out from Chapter 3 and 4.

VI. Vocabulary. As you re-read chapter 3, write down 5–10 important words that you
highlighted. You should choose words that make it hard for you to understand a
sentence, paragraph or story. Do not write down EVERY word you don’t know. Write
down words that you think will help you understand the important events in the story.

1. fist

2. boisterous

3. frail

4. exile
5. oppressor

6. short-circuit

7. naughty

8. aptitude

9. endear

10. dilapidated

Now compare your list of vocabulary words to the lists of other students in your group.
Do you have the same words or different? Highlight any words in your list that you
have in common with others. We will use these words to create a class vocabulary list
for these two chapters.

Homework. After we make the class list of vocabulary, use the 10 words to write
sentences about the novel. Don’t write the definition of the word.

VII. Questions. Write down any questions you have about chapter 2 These questions
could be right here, here and there, inside/outside or outside questions. Ask your
group members the questions you wrote to see if they can answer them. If they can’t,
we can discuss your questions as a class.

1. What is Trevor’s grandfather like?

2. How does Trevor think about the conversation with Koko?

3. How does Trevor feel after he pray for God?

4. If you were Trevor, would you prefer to stay in A class or move to B class? Why?