Chapter 4 Quotes...
1. "Trevor, when you hit him he turns blue and green and yellow and red. I've never seen those colors before. I'm scared I'm going to break him" (Noah 52).
This stood out to me because I did not realize how different he was treated as a kid growing up. Even when he got in trouble, he would not be punished by his other family members because they were afraid to hurt him because he would bruise unlike the other kids. This gave him an advantage that other kids did not have, and I am curious to know if they resented him because of this.
2. "I became a chameleon. My color didn't change, but I could change your perception of my color" (Noah 56).
Trevor being able to speak multiple languages was such a gift for him to have. If it was not for this, he would have had a hard time finding friends and making people like him. This also kept him safe and left him alone from people picking on him. This ability of his made him even more special and unique.
Chapter 5 Quotes...
1. "I was a product of her search for belonging. She never felt like she belonged anywhere" (Noah 63).
This makes me angry again because of how selfish she was during this decision. All of these things about Patricia ends up making it seem like Trevor being born was just so she felt better for herself. If I was Trevor, this would really bother me.
2. "As modestly as we lived at home, I never felt poor because our lives were so rich with experience" (Noah 72).
As much as I hate Patricia, her being able to still give Trevor good childhood experiences makes me happy. She did make an effort to make things fun for him and have him do things other kids could not do. Even though they did not have a lot of money, she did do the best she could.
- 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 am scared of so many animals: snakes, sharks, spiders, big fish, big birds, etc. I could absolutely not handle any close -up experience with any of these animals because it is not worth testing the waters. No part of me feels like I need to see anything that up close, because there is a small chance something could go wrong. As for Trevor's experience, he went to a show where there snake performances. Once he realized what was happening, and that the snakes were coming out on stage, he moved to the back so he was not so close up. While this is happening, he is being made fun of a French father and his son. The first snake would squeeze the man until he made a noise, and then he would release the man, the second one would dance with the trainer to music, and the third one is where things got messy. The trainer was trying to prove to the audience that he was quicker than the snake's mind, so he would close his eyes, pucker his lips, and then dodge the snake before it could bite him. He did it a few times before the snake out though him and bit him before he puckered his lips, and the snake bit him which resulted in blood flying everywhere. The trainer then tried to act like he was fine, but ended up running off the stage and calling off the rest of the show. It took the audience awhile to realize that the trainer ran off without the snake, and it was still sitting there. Sheer panicked arrested as the audience realized that was going on, and thankfully another trainer ran out and put the snake into a bag.
- 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?
Trevor referred to himself as a chameleon because he was able to change the perspective of how people saw him due to the language he spoke. He was able to speak many African American languages that made him seem more like the "African Americans" and he was able to be friends with more people this way. Same goes with English, this made him feel more welcomed when he was with white people. He was able to change his language like a chameleon would change colors to blend in. If Trevor spoke an African American language, it would make him "black" in a sense and vise versa.
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?”
"Black tax" was something described by Trevors mother. It means that if you live in a poor family, any money you make goes straight to the family and not to your personally. Patricia, Trevors mother, ended up getting a job that paid more than anyone else's in the family. This made her responsible for buying accessories for the house like a refrigerator, toaster, etc. She goes onto say that the past should stay in the past, you can learn from it, but it should not follow you. Even though he grew up poor and did not have a great lifestyle, his mother still took him to do many things that other kids did not experience like the drive in movie theater,.
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