Born a Crime Chapters 6-7

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?

Smartphones have changed the way we physically call people and the “sense of power” that certain aspects of a landline provided, according to Noah. Cellphones are helping us “devolve” because they are changing the way we carry ourselves, our posture, the way we connect with others and ourselves, and our ability to articulate ourselves. I agree that there are dangers to cellphones, but I hope we begin to rely on them less soon. 

2. In chapter six, Noah relates how his connection 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?  

The notes that Trevor and his mother wrote to one another are a great example of their dynamic. These notes primarily served as a form of discussion about Trevor's decisions and actions, providing his mother a way to express her disapproval and punish him while he was away. Trevor also often broke rules when they did not make sense to him, like when he drank grape juice that was meant for communion. This could be compared to how a criminal might steal because they do not understand why an item is so expensive.

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 from the pets you have owned? What was it?

Trevor realized that he could not control another being fully, that even animals have some form of free will and that connections can be broken. Trevor acknowledged that Fufi “happened to live in” his house, but he did not own her. I have learned to appreciate small moments from my dogs.

Quotes:

After Noah recalls burning down the house that a white family had owned, in which Abel lived in their garage he says "There's naughty, and then there's burning down a white person's house. My mother didn't know what to do"(90). I think this highlights an interesting part of Trevor's dynamic with his mother, where his mother sometimes had dealt with enough and shut down instead of lashing out.

When Trevor

Noah tells the story of his dog Fufi he says that "Fufi was my first heartbreak" (100). This was interesting to me because heartbreaks are usually due to a romantic connection, but it is very true that hearts can be broken by platonic connections and even those we form with animals. I'm sure I would feel similarly startled and hurt if my pets were taken away from me.