"My mother was as stubborn as she was religious." (9) Contrasts a typically positive trait and typically negative trait. Associates pride in these traits, and how fundamental they are to his moms character.

"OK, shes in turbo mode now," (11) Highlights his relationship with his mother. A love, mutual respect, and maybe some fear.

"Our arms and legs covered in blood and dirt, laughing together through the pain in the light of a petrol station on the side of the road in the middle of the night" (17) The randomness and pain on this day ends to be a good memory of his mother, highlighting her best strengths and traits.

"But not my mom. Shed head straight out and as we inch our way past the blockades." Strong, stoic character.

Connections

In some form, I see my mom in Trevor Noah's mother. Both strong, independent women, who are convicted in their faith. Unwilling and unable to stop for anyone, especially not if that means risking her relationship with God or family.

The Megachurch reminds me of how in the world today the aesthetic of a church is prioritized over its meaning and worship. Noah exemplifies this theme by highlighting how the pastor was third place in Mr.Universe. Aesthetic over quality of worship.

The minibus drivers ideal about how women should or shouldn't be related to the conflicts women face in the middle east. How expectations are set for women, and judgements are made without deep understanding, on the basis of image.

"While most children are proof of their parents love, I am proof of their criminality." (27) Exemplifies his odd relationship to his family, and what the ignorance of the Apartheid led to.

Connection

Being banished to his home, unable to leave, kind of reminds me of how a young (and old) Frida Kahlo was. And how later, this isolation led them to not only make art but develop practical skills.

"As a nation, we recognized the power of women, but at home they where expected to submit and obey." (39) Recognizes the power of women in a ignorant world. And despite a nation of ignorance, they where strong.

Connection

My church started in someones living room. In such a small and personal space, worship is intimate. I am reminded of this in Noah's experience- the community built in small, intimate spaces.

Rule Of Three- The consistent reference to the three types of churches

Parenthesis- "It was illegal to be mixed (to have a black parent and a white parent)" (28)

Parallelism-"She lived in number 203. Down the corridor was [...] He lived in 206." (24)

Rhetorical Question-" 'This is my country. Why should I leave?' " (31)

Polysyndeton- ¨Please protect us from whoever did this but, like, we dont know what happened exactly and maybe it was a big misunderstanding and...¨ (47)

Anadiplosis- "There was nowhere for them to go, so they would move in with you. You would add another iron corrugated iron structure onto your brick room [...]" (41)

Asyndeton- "Catch it, put it down, now run" (10)

Anaphora- "Not being trusted and not being able to trust" (25)

¨My color didn't change, but I could change your perception of my color.¨ (56)

Connections

This remind me of the bible story Tower of Babel. How language can be the biggest catalyst for connection, and the catalyst for isolation. Trevor is a clear example of this.

¨ ´Life is full of pain. Let the pain sharpen you, but don't hold onto it,´ ¨ (66)

Connections

Noah's mother reminds me of the story of job. Her faith is constantly tested, and she perseveres. Its a unique beauty that display her character and devotion.

¨ ´[...] and then I gave birth to the most selfish piece of shit on earth and all it ever did was cry and shit and say ´Me, me, me, me, me, me,´´¨ (77)

Connections

The letters they wrote reminds me of something similar my mom and I used to do when we got in arguments- leaving post its saying sorry, however, not the argument.

¨Fufi was the first love of my life.¨ (97)

Connections

This reminds of a story in the book Hey Kiddo by Joey Kroszcka, where he gets a pet hamster he loves very much, but at the first opportunity, the hamster runs away. Shows the true motives in animal instinct.

¨My dad lived two blocks over from Rocket, on Yeo Street, right next to this incredible park where I loved to go because kids of all races and different countries were running round an playing there. ¨ (107)

Connections

Yet another connection to Hey Kiddo. Both men feel no desire to seek out their fathers, despite this they are encouraged to by the authority figures in their lives. This yields a good and bad result.

¨At the end of oir street in Eden Park, right in a bend at the top of the road, stood a giant mulberry tree growing out of someones front yard.¨ (117)

Connections

This chapter provides the universal image of the neighborhood tree, or cul de sac, or anything, that is a fundamental part of growing up in suburbia. Described simply, but well.

¨A young mans long, awkward, occasionally tragic, and frequently humiliating education in affairs of the heart.¨ (130)

Connection

This reminds me of the PO talk in middle school. The awkwardness of love and education contrasting the desire for maturity.

¨Making it a near perfect Microcosm of post-apartheid South Africa as a whole.¨ (136)

Connections

Similar to your classic entrepreneur story, starting from the bottom and working your way up. Being able to learn the skills you need at the lowest in order to have them at the highest.

¨Part of my success as the tick shop guy was that I was welcome everywhere and I was welcome everywhere because I was nobody.¨ (146)

Connections

At my old school, they limited the ability to give valentines unless you where giving valentines to EVERYONE. Trevors account shows that sometimes the affects of not getting a valentine encourage growth, despite being bad. True to his character in the sense he takes what is bad, analyzes it, and adjusts to it with grace.

Alliteration- ¨Teddy and Trevor, thick as thieves.¨ (154)

Parallelism- ¨I was the terror in my family. He was the terror in his family.¨ (154)

Asyndeton- ¨We´d walk from my house down to the city center, which was like a three hour walk, just to hangout, and then wed walk all the way back.¨(155)

Polysyndeton- ¨They chased and chased and we ran and ran, and it was awesome.¨ (155)

Anaphora- ¨ Reach in, grab a chocolate and drink the whiskey. Reach in, grab a chocolate drink the rum. Reach in, grab a chocolate, drink the brandy. ¨(154)

Epistrophe- ¨I was teddy´s best friend. I was teddy´s only friend.¨ (159)

¨These people have been so fucked by their own construct of race that they could not see the white person they where looking for was sitting right in front of them.¨ (159)

Connections

This reminds of of a previous chapter where Trevor is known for going to detention every day. Trevor, despite feeling as though he doesnt fit in anywhere, is universally known. It shows how he carries with him this undeniable persona, exemplifying his unique and boisterous personality.

¨He delivers you just enough to believe him.¨ (167)

Connections

Tom reminds me of the classic side kick archetype. The man who lies, is shiesty, and sometimes gets his way. But despite all of this, he has a good heart. He is kind. Like the second guy in home alone. He is good, he just does bad. Develops a strong character.

¨Everything is dynamic. Everything's in motion.¨ (204)

Connections

The burning trash cans in this chapter remind me of the incense sticks people leave in their house to make it smell familiar, like home. The trash cans are obviously not that luxury, but its odd how we correlate different smells with what's familiar. Different smells with what's safe. It makes me wonder what smells trevor more closely associates with home.

¨People don´t want to be rich. They want to be able to choose.¨ (188)

Connections

My used to only let christian music in my room, after she gifted my sister and I an Alexa. Obviously, there is a clear cut privilege between my Alexa and Trevor Noah growing in Apartheid poverty. But I have an understanding of how isolation from music in your safe space can be hard. And how freeing it is, to be able to listen to the music you love, in your own space, for the first time.

¨My whole life was flashing before me- the playground at school, the spaza shops in Soweto, the streets of Eden Park- everytime and every place I ever had to be a chameleon, navigate between groups, explain who I was.¨ (240)

Connections

This chapter reminds me of the neighborhood watch in the beginning of ¨Once Upon a Time¨ story by Nadine Gordimer. While richer, higher class, typically white neighborhoods are offered neighborhood watch and more, Trevors neighborhood watch is the community that is in the post apartheid black culture. His neighborhood watch isn't so much out of fear, but caring. The caring of a cousin, who sought money from his father. The caring of a father who sought money from Patricia. Patricia, who gave it all, for her son. A neighborhood watch while flawed, but built on love, rather than distraught paranoia.

¨ ´ Hey, I'm here, I'll give you another chance. ´ And he always got the second chance.¨ (267)

¨ Where does a woman go?¨ (272)

¨It is so easy, from the outside, to put the blame on the woman and say, ´You just need to leave.´¨ (272)

¨She broke out a huge smile and started laughing.¨ (281)

Connections

This chapter reminds me of how around the world people in power don't respect the truths that come from women's mouths. Doctors, especially, how women could be in the most intense pain and its written off. The presence of strength in combination with the assumption of weakness is the greatest curse, constantly supported and reaffirmed by men in power. Trevor Noah makes this apparent, and his mothers story is a harrowing symbol of the implications that come with the assumption of weakness.

Finishing (by reference) and beginning the book the same way it started- jumping out of a mini bus. Creates this circle of infinite, never ending love between Noah and his mother.