Chapters 6-7 Born a Crime

 Continue reading chapters 6-7 in Born a Crime and pull two more quotes to dialogue with for your reading journal.

Discussion Questions:

"Anytime my extra energy wasn't burned off, it would find its way into general naughtiness and misbehavior. I prided myself on being the ultimate prankster." (78) 

- I found this quote resonating with me on a personal level. Like Trevor, I was a very cheeky kid. Whenever I wasn't down, I was causing all sorts of trouble. Getting to read about Trevor Noah's childhood antics this chapter reminded me a lot of of my early days. His writing really takes me back, and allows me to connect to my younger self in some ways.

"You didn't know your dog was deaf?"

"No, We thought it was stupid." (97)

- To me, this quote really shows how quick people are when it comes to judging things. Trevor Noah and his family immediately assumed the most "reasonable" answer when they should've been asking questions. I strongly feel like it's this same concept of being quick to judge that led us into a lot of global issues like racism.

1. In this classic bit from 2015, what essential points does Trevor Noah make about how smartphones have changed us as human beings? Do you agree? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2r3qk7ifgI4                                                                             -Smartphones are the reasons we're "devolving" because they make us develop unconscious potentially harmful habits. We used to stand proud, but now we spend the whole day buried in our phones. We can't socialize normally anymore. Every moment is spent documenting our lives through our phones. I 100% agree with his take. Every time something happens, my friends and I always have to take pictures and text about. We can't just live in the moment. I think if we could all disconnect for at least one day, we'd see what kind of good it'd do for us from a social aspect.
2. In chapter six Noah relates how he connected with his mother was like “the relationship between a cop and criminal in the movies—the relentless detective and the devious mastermind she’s determined to catch” (80). What were some notable events in this chapter that illustrate this?                                                -One event that highlights this is the Toffee Apple incident. Noah acts insubordinate, constantly bugging his mom, and like a prison warden, she puts him in his place by pretending she doesn't know him and giving him a bigger problem than the apple. Another incident that highlights this is Trevor's accident with gun powder. He denies anything happens, but like a detective his mom is quick analyze the scene and point out the singed hairs on his face. 
3. “You do not own the thing you love” (Noah 100), the author relates in chapter seven. What did he learn about Fufi and Panther? Is there a lesson you have also learned in life from the pets you have owned? What was it?                                               -Noah learns that love doesn't mean ownership and control. Even though he always though of Fufi as being dumber than Panther, even though she was deaf, he still loved Fufi regardless. When Fufi jumped into the other kid's yard, Noah was sad to see that the thing he loved could so easily leave behind. He thought he deserved Fufi to himself, and that's a mindset the other kid had as well. What Noah didn't realize though is that to love is to let go. The person or animal you loved can enjoy other things, but still enjoy you just as much. With the only pets I've ever had being fish, I can't say that I've learned a lot of deep lessons, but I did learn a bit about letting go. I was in kindergarten when my pet beta fish died. To me, it was the most tragic thing in the world. I tried everything I could to to bring it back, and I was so locked in on my unachievable goal that I'd missed the bus. Looking back, this kind of speaks volumes about how dwelling on what once was can block out a future of opportunity. It's ok to grieve, but if you don't move on, you'll be stuck in the past forever.

   

Born a Crime Chapters 4-5

 

• Reader’s Journal: continue reading Born a Crime (chapters 4-5) and pull two more quotes for discussion in your reader’s journal.

- "But we were all just chocolate. I didn't know it had anything do with 'race'." (54) 

     To me, this quote really highlights  everything that's wrong in our society. I had a very similar outlook as Trevor Noah, but as I grew I'd hear X thing about X race from X person and my outlook shifted. To me, Trevor Noah's account really highlights how racism and discrimination is something that's acquired.

- "Where South Africa's white countryside was lush and irrigated and green, the black lands were overpopulated and overgrazed, the soil depleting and eroding." (65) 

   This quote really stuck out, because this is still a contrast that exists today. If you look at places like Minneapolis, you have these huge, lavish buildings on the inside, but on the outskirts lie old, run-down and low income neighborhoods. It seems lie some things never change.

• Discussion Questions:
• What animal or insect on earth most frightens you? Do you think you could handle a close-up experience with the creature? What happens to Trevor Noah in this bit where he has an “authentic Balinese experience?” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fN9hm7k9fns

- I'm not really scared of any animal, but if I had to pick something that I at least find to be a bit chilling, I'd have to pick the blue ring octopus. One bite from that thing, and your entire body becomes paralyzed, including your vital bodily systems. In his "authentic Balinese experience" Trevor Noah, during a trip to Bali, has an experience where at a sort of show, the performers brought out snakes to them. Afraid, he moves away to watch the rest of the show. In the middle of it, a performer gets bitten on the lips by a king cobra and tries to play it off, but can't and ends up running off, leaving the snake behind. Some pretty silly shenanigans occurred in the resulting chaos, but Noah, having moved to the back, was unaffected.

 

• In chapter four, what does Trevor Noah mean when he writes “language even more than color defines who you are?” (56). In what sense does he believe he was a “chameleon” growing up?

- Language allows you to communicate in ways that can change the way people perceive you. Noah was still able to fit in by speaking different languages at the appropriate times.

• In chapter five Noah describes the “black tax” (66). What does he mean by this? What advice does his mother give him about dealing with the past? Lastly, what does he mean that they were poor “but rich in experience?”

- The Black Tax is the generational issue of having to fix problems of the past. You lose everything trying to bring up those who came before you. Noah's mother essentially teaches that while acknowledging the past is important, dwelling on it can be crippling. They're rich in experience, because the way he was brought up has taught him to see things in a more positive light.

 

 

"Born a Crime" chapters 2-3

 A good reader is one who reads actively, taking notes, staying engaged with the text. In active reading the process is dialectical: the story begins in the writer’s mind but is completed in the reader’s. With your journals, I would like you to do exactly that, have a dialogue with the text. For each reading, choose two passages that struck you in some way as powerful, reminded you of something in your life, raised emotions or questions in your mind, or that you admired because of the description or writing style.

Copy down the full passage, from a single sentence to a solid paragraph. It is vitally important that you copy the passage word for word. I want you to get inside the words themselves, consider their meaning. Get inside the writer’s mind, his/her style, and the flow of the sentences.

Next, free write your own response.  This is your place to spread out.  Your response to each of the two passages should aim for a solid paragraph. When you respond to your quotes, think about these things.

• Why did you choose this particular passage to write about? Describe your own thoughts and questions. Did it awaken a thought or response of your own? Describe it vividly. Did it raise questions you hope will be answered? How so?

For this week’s reading journal continue reading chapters two and three from Born a Crime.

1. Include your two short quotes and responses here. Please try to include page numbers. (It’s best if you choose one quote from each chapter.)

2. In chapter two we learn the story of how Trevor Noah’s mother Patricia met his father. How does Patricia move through a world governed by institutional racism? Describe Trevor Noah’s early upbringing.

3. Like many young males in South Africa, Trevor Noah grows up in a household surrounded by women. Describe what you learn about “Soweto,” his life there, and what struck you as notable about this chapter.

1- 

Passages:

"Where most people are proof of their parents' love, I was proof of their criminality." (p.27)

- This stuck out to me, because I can relate to it (on a less severe scale and with happier conditions of course). My mother and father's families didn't approve of them marrying. My parents had to go against everything they were taught so they could be together. This idea of a taboo relationship is similar to that of the one between Trevor Noah's mother and father in the story, with love being a bit more of a motivator on my parent's side. To me, this makes it a lot easier to sympathize with Noah's memoir.

"People built homes the way they bought eggs: a little at a time. Every family in the township was allocated a piece of land by the government. You'd first build a shanty on your plot, a makeshift structure of plywood and corrugated iron. Over time, you'd save up money and build a brick wall. One wall. Then you'd save up and build another wall. Then, years later, a third wall and eventually a fourth. Now you had a room, one room for everyone in your family to sleep, eat, do everything. Then you'd save up for a roof. Then windows. Then you'd plaster the thing. Then your daughter would start a family. There was nowhere for them to go, so they'd move in with you. You'd add another corrugated-iron structure onto your brick room and slowly, over years, turn that into a proper room for them as well. Now your house had two rooms. Then three. Maybe four. Slowly, over generations, you'd keep trying to get to the point where you had a home." (p. 41)

- This was another segment that really resonated with me, because I had a very experience growing up in a backwater Bulgarian village. Everything was left to the individual to be built from the ground up. When hard times fell, you had no choice to adapt. This idea ties in well with Noah's above description, which gives me another connection to him.

2-  Patricia moves through the institutional racism-governed world with a rebellious mindset. She ran away from home to downtown Johannesburg, where it was illegal for people of color to live. She threw herself around quite a bit, but found solace with a man in the same flat corridor as her. The two had a kid, who, from birth, was clearly different. No matter which parent he was with, his lightskinned appearance would draw unwanted attention. Noah's mother had to go to great lengths to hide him and who he was. Every once in a while, he'd spend time with his grandma in Soweto, a fairly dangerous area with heavy police presence. Just by leaving the house, he could put his family in great danger

3- Living in Soweto, the only "semi-regular" male in Trevor Noah's life was his eccentric (bipolar) grandpa. He was a loud, and somewhat careless individual.. His grandma was the complete opposite. she ran the house well and did everything there was to do. Compared to other kids, Trevor Noah's reason for growing up in a women-run world was completely different. While strict laws separated  Noah from his father, the kids he grew up with had lost their fathers in a multitude of ways. This absence of men was filled in by religion. Despite being similar to a jailhouse, Soweto certainly had a charm to it. It still had its issues, however. For example, Noah's grandmother lived in a two-room house with no running water. The only bathroom was an outhouse, which wasn't the most convenient thing to use. When Trevor opted to do his business on a newspaper inside the house, the smell and the feces found in the garbage bin made his mother think that a demon was present, which ties back to the role that religion plays for them.                                                                                   

Discussion

Deep Dive- Trevor Noah's Born a Crime

 

1. As we approach the end of the semester, we will explore the origin story of the one world’s most famous comedians, South African-born Trevor Noah. This week we’ll be reading pages 1-17 in his award-winning memoir. Who are some of your favorite comedians and why do you think comedy matters in the times we live in.                                                                                                         - Some of my favorite comedians are Kevin Hart, Chris Rock, Robin Williams, and Eddie Murphy. Especially in today's world, comedy is important, because it provides a way to deal with stress and difficult situations. It gives us new, more lighthearted perspectives on some of the more serious things in life. It brings people together and creates new grounds for discussion.
2. THE BORING STUFF: Okay, if you’re going to dig into this memoir, it means understanding another country’s history. What was the “genius of apartheid” according to Trevor Noah? What are main differences between the Xhosa and the Zulu tribes? Why do you think Noah’s very birth was a “crime?”                   -The genius of Apartheid was that it caused people to turn against each other. Separating people and making them hate one another is what made it easy to run the population. The main difference between the Zulu and Xhosa was that the Zulu were prideful warriors. You could knock them down all you want, but they'd just get back up and keep fighting. Xhosa, on the other hand, were thinkers. They were negotiators who fought with words. Trevor Noah's birth was a "crime" because of his mixed heritage, because a white person wasn't allowed to to have a child with a person of color.
3. On page five he writes, “I was nine years old when my mother threw me out of a moving car. It happened on a Sunday.” What do you eventually learn about the importance of religion for his family and the actual reason why he was thrown from a moving vehicle? How does he describe his relationship with his mother so far?                                                                                                     -Religion is important to Noah's family. His mother took him to three churches every Sunday and seemingly believed that the more she went to church, the more blessings she'd receive, meaning the more prayers she'd have answered. The reason she pushed Noah out of the car was to protect him, herself, and Andrew from the men in the car threatening them. Trevor Noah's relationship with his mom is one that's deeply loving. His mom is willing to take extreme risks if it means her family will be safe in the end.
4. How would you explain the magic of tacos to someone who’s never tried one before? What do you find striking about his experience: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xoAU85wS1x0  (Warning *mild profanity used as part of this slice of life*) What do you look forward to finding out about another person’s experience as you continue to read? While his experience might be quite different from your own, how do you relate so far?                                                                                                                             -Tacos are one of the most versatile foods out there. They can be customized in almost any way you can imagine. Between the hard or soft shell, chicken, beef, or pork, the fresh vegetables and salsa and the many other toppings, you can't really go wrong with tacos. They're a true staple of Mexican cuisine. One thing that I found interesting about Trevor Noah's first experience with tacos is how foreign it seemed to him. Everything from the food, to the "napkins" was totally new to him, and I feel this really highlights how he's still dealing with social barriers today. He grew up very isolated from the rest of the world, and parts of that isolation are shown through his experience with tacos, being hesitant to try new things and being cynical with things he's not familiar with. So far, I don't really find myself relating to Trevor Noah's story. The closest connection we have is the important role of religion in our families. With Trevor Noah's experience, all I can do is look forward to reading a fresh perspective. So far, I realize how lucky I had it growing up in Europe and the U.S.

Deep Dive- Why Should Anyone Care?

PART ONE

1. Pollan’s essay is as much about the problem of problem-solving as it is a proposal for dealing with climate change. What do we do with the feeling that as individuals there is little we can do to influence really big issues such as homelessness, hunger, war, or climate change? Who wants to be just a drop in the bucket? Explore this dilemma by having a conversation in writing with an imaginary companion on a big issue you care about. First explain in writing what problem you think needs to be solved and why. (You might want to write about your potential research topic, if you want.) And then respond to your companion’s first question: You don’t think you could ever really do anything about it, do you? Carry on the conversation with your skeptical companion as long as you can.

Problem: The effect of the mental health crisis on Minnesota students' academic performance.

    In the recent years, I've noticed that overall academic performance from my peers has gone down greatly. What I've also noticed is a spike in severe mental health cases. There has to be a correlation, because mental health issues can seriously affect our ability to focus, retain information, and perform well academically. If we don't do anything about this, we'll continue to see this downward loop.

- You don't think you could ever really do anything about it, could you?

    I can see why some may think that. We're dealing with a very pressing issue, but even the smallest actions can make a difference. For example, simply raising awareness about the issue can lead to more support for mental health resources and facilities in schools.

- How can awareness really change anything?

Awareness is the first step towards change. If more people can understand the detrimental effects that mental health could have on student performance, then they can advocate for better policies and more funding towards mental health programs.

-How can you ensure that raising awareness will actually lead to change?

I mean, it's less about raising awareness and more about pushing for action. Being able to discuss these issues can lead us to take steps in the right direction.

- What if nobody cares enough to do anything?

That's pretty much almost a guarantee. Even if people don't care, it's still worth it to at least teach them how to help. If we give them the means, it can at least motivate them to take some sort of action.

2. Test your understanding of Pollan’s argument. After reading “Why Bother?” Compose a fast paragraph that summarizes how Pollan answers his own question: Why bother? What is the core reason and what are other compelling reasons?

     Pollen answers his own question by emphasizing that individua action is what leads to change and not waiting for someone else to do it for you. Personal responsibility is what leads to larger shifts in society. Another argument made is in regard to the practice of living more sustainable.

3. Use both the “believing game” and “doubting game” to evaluate this claim from Wendell Berry and from Pollan: “the deep problem standing behind all of the other problems of industrial civilization is ‘specialization,’…the disease of the modern character." What will help us become healthier as a society?

    Our focus is too narrow. We only focus on our areas of expertise and fail to really look at the bigger picture. On the other hand, we have to question whether specialization the sole reason we're failing as a society, as it can bring about some pretty great advancements and achievements. If we want to become a better society, then we have to find balance. We can foster collaboration and use what we know to advance ours and others' knowledge.

4. Take a look at the Persuasive Research Proposal Assignment. What can we learn from Pollan's essay about our own upcoming assignment? (Note that there is no first person allowed in our essay, which must be fully objective.) Will you make sure to clearly define the problem and provide essential details about how your solution will address the problem you are writing about?

The biggest thing I can take away from Pollan's writing is engaging, yet informative style. He provides a strong call to action and is able to back up a lot of points. I fully understand now that it's important for me to be clear with my info and only provide essential details.

PART TWO

Write a proposal—just around a page--to help resolve a problem that you care about. State how the problem impacts the reader and why the reader should care. Then, describe the solution and how it will make the world a better place. Make sure your proposal does the following: 

• Addresses a problem that is of consequence and of a manageable scale, including the problem’s causes and effects.
• Provides evidence for the seriousness of the problem and for ways to solve it, justifying these solutions over alternatives. You can draw on your own experience but try to find one source that helps a reader understand the issue.
• Is appropriate in both form and content to your purpose and audience.
• Includes one graphic .

THE PROBLEM

Mental health issues like depression, anxiety, and stress are becoming increasingly present in Minnesota students. According to the Minnesota Department of health, in 2022 alone, 29% of students reported long term mental health issues compared to just 23% in 2019. It may seem like a small number, but with the over 425,000 students enrolled in public school each year, about 123,250 of them are experiencing some sort of mental health problem.

 Seeing as these problems have the ability to impair one's ability to learn, there's good reason to believe that mental health is strongly correlated with the drop in Minnesota's education ranking. This can be solved with one simple solution and that's introducing comprehensive mental health programs into our schools. Reasearch by the National Association of School Psychologists has found that students who receive mental health support are way more likely to achieve higher grades and show better attendance records. A focus on mental health can also create a more connected school environment.

A New Mount Rushmore

 When prompted to create a new Mount Rushmore, I immediately knew what five faces I'd use:

1. Dwayne Johnson: He really is the voice of a generation. His rise from humble beginnings to a successful athletic and acting career is inspiring. He embodies the growth and resilience that our nation needs.

2. Steve Irwin: His legacy still serves to inspire the people of today. We can learn a thing or two from his passion for wildlife conservation and dedication to educating the world. Him and his approach to environmentalism is something that needs to be memorialized.

3. Ryan Reynolds: His charming humor and philanthropic efforts stand the test of time and will continue to if he's immortalized. His actions serve to connect people, and I think that's worthy of a spot on my ideal Mount Rushmore.

4. Harrison Ford: If there's one thing that really represents the US, it's Hollywood. When I think movies, I think of Harrison Ford. His career has spanned decades, and he's left a ginormous mark on the film industry. From a pop culture perspective, he represents the evolution of film and that's something that should be recognized.

5. Chadwick Boseman: He's a cultural icon. His portrayal of characters- both fictional and non-fictional- inspired a lot of young black Americans, and that's something we need to recognize in times like this.

OLD v. NEW: What's the difference?

The original Mount Rushmore's main focus is on political leaders whereas my new one includes a wide array of entertainers, athletes, and activists. I think this really emphasizes how much our values have changed as a society, especially in regard to our values. I haven't gotten the chance to look at my peers' concepts yet, but I' sure that if I did, a decent majority of them would feature a much greater representation of race and global influence like mine. I feel like this really highlights the shift to modern values like inclusivity and multiculturalism, as opposed to the politically centered ideas of 100+ years ago. At the end of the day, however, both mountains feature a strong set of figures who have had a profound impact on our country and whose lives and ideas deserve to live on in some way, shape, or form. That's what should be learned from the idea of "Mount Rushmore".

Deep dive on The Coming of John

PART ONE

 •     What is the danger of a single story according to Chimamande Adichie?

According to Chimamande Adiche, the danger of is single story is that it talks about one very general narrative/perspective which often leads to conclusions that aren't entierly accurate (stereotypes)

•    Discuss how what she calls “nkali” is part of the danger. What is the truth and problem of stereotypes in her words?

In Adichie's words, nkali is a noun that loosely translates to "to be greater than another." The basic principle of it is that stories are defined how they're told, who tells them, when they're told, or how many stories are told. Stories are dependent on power, and one slightly altered story told by the right person can lead towards the creation of certain stereotypes. The truth and problem of stereotypes and a single story is that "it robs people of dignity. It makes our recognition of equal humanity difficult."

•    What’s the most important idea you’ll take with you from this talk?

When learning about someone, it's important to collect a balance of stories. A story that covers only one perspective isn't terribly reliable and can lead you to make rather harsh assumptions.

PART TWO:

Read “Of the Coming of John” by W.E.B. DuBois in your class textbook, The Creative Composer. “Of the Coming of John” comes from W.E.B. DuBois’s seminal work, The Souls of Black Folks, originally published in 1903. The story is set during the era of Jim Crow in the South and features two main characters, one white (John Henderson) and one black (John Jones).
•    Compare and contrast the two lives featured in the short story.

Despite sharing a first name, the two main characters' lives are very different, especially in regards to education. John Henderson is given the opportunity to enjoy all the doors that are opened for him because of his race and social status. John Jones, on the other hand, is a black man that experiences quite a bit of trouble and outside doubt in his pursuit of education and teaching others. Even though they used to be playmates, race has become a dividing factor when it comes to both Johns' lives. In the end, John Jones was able to kill John Henderson just as easily as John Henderson was able to have John Jones thrown out of the concert hall.

•    Why do you think W.E.B. DuBois chose to write this as a fictional story rather than drawing upon a real life example?

Fiction gives you more creative liberties. It allowed DuBois to create a sharper contrast and really highlight the broader issue that he wanted his story to cover. Fiction also allows you to take a collection of real stories and mix them together to create something more meaningful.

•    Discuss the role of education in the life John Jones particularly. How does his education change how he sees his society and how he sees himself? Do you think that education, beyond preparing a student for a future career, can also change a person?

After becoming more aware of racial oppression, John Jones becomes rather bitter and more isolated from his community back home. He told his community of his social projects, but started a bit of a frenzy. Eventually, when asked by Jennie if everyone who studies ends up unhappy, John replies that they do. I think that education can really change an individual. It has the potential to really make or break your ability to make smarter choices, depending on what you take with you. The lessons you learn can really influence your broader outlook on the world and play a key role in the making of important decisions.

•    On a personal level, what connection do you draw between Chimamanda Achidie’s Ted Talk and the story told here?

The one big connection I can draw between the TED Talk and "Of the Coming of John" is the power of a single story. The clearest example of this is in the killing of white John. John Jones killed John Henderson because Henderson was a threat to Jennie. Jones killed as a means of defense, but the townsfolk most certainly didn't know that (not like they would've cared anyways). John Jones was lynched because people assumed the worst of him, just as they did throughout the story.

•  Consider what has changed in America since over a hundred years have passed since this story’s publication. Find the story of one person of color who was killed unjustly, either by police or by other forces in the community. Using research discover their story and tell us what you find out.

    A lot has changed in the U.S. we've been granted new freedoms, new technologies, and achieved great things. One of our greatest achievements (which is still a work in progress) is the granting of rights to minorities. Today, I'm able to say that I go to a very diverse school. Back then, that would've seemed like crazy talk. The thought of being able to mingle with other races seemed unthinkable back then because of how divided we were. Unfortunately, that division would result in some fairly heinous acts. 

    Medgar Evers was civil rights activist based in Mississippi. He worked as the state's field secretary for the National Association for the Advancement of Colored people (NAACP). When it came to pushing for civil rights, he was a very hard-working individual. On the night of June 12th 1963, he was returning home from a meeting with NAACP lawyers. As he got out of his car, he was sniped in the back by the white supremacist Byron De La Beckwith. Evers, mortally wounded, staggered a few feet before collapsing in front of his home, where he'd eventually be found by his wife and kids. He'd go on to die in the hospital from his injuries. Evers' assassination shocked the nation and was a turning point for the civil rights movement. His assassin was arrested and put on trial twice in 1964, but wouldn't be properly convicted until 1994.