“I was born a crime.”
With this shocking declaration, Trevor Noah opens his bestselling memoir, Born a Crime: Stories From a South African Childhood, immediately plunging us into the absurd and brutal realities of life under apartheid.
Noah’s very existence as the child of a Black Xhosa mother and a white Swiss-German father was illegal in a system built on rigid racial separation. His memoir navigates this perilous landscape with astonishing wit, searing honesty, and profound love, particularly for his fiercely independent and deeply religious mother, Patricia.
We collected 41 Born a Crime quotes with page numbers (from the One World paperback edition (February 12, 2019), ISBN-13: 978-0399588198.
Each quote is accompanied by thoughtful literary analysis, along with a deeper exploration of key lines that illuminate the memoir’s enduring themes of racism, identity, resilience, poverty, the power of language, and the unbreakable bond between mother and son.
The memoir opens by defining the insane logic of apartheid, a system designed to separate and subjugate, yet one that Trevor Noah and his mother navigated with courage and cunning. These initial quotes lay the groundwork for understanding the world that shaped him.
Chains of Apartheid
Trevor Noah masterfully unmasks the systemic cruelty and inherent absurdity of apartheid, a regime where race dictated every facet of existence. His early life was a testament to the daily negotiations required to survive a system designed to erase him.
These quotes illustrate the institutionalized racism, the twisted logic of separation, and its profound, often traumatic, impact on individuals and society. Noah’s sharp critique reveals how apartheid didn’t just enforce physical segregation but also attempted to colonize minds and fracture human connections.
“In any society built on institutionalized racism, race-mixing doesn’t merely challenge the system as unjust, it reveals the system as unsustainable and incoherent. Race mixing proves that races can mix, and in a lot of cases want to mix. Because a mixed person embodies that rebuke to the logic of the system, race mixing becomes a crime worse than treason.”
(Speaker: Trevor Noah (as narrator), Part I, Chapter 2: Born a Crime, Page 21)
Noah articulates the fundamental paradox that his existence represented to the apartheid regime. He explains that race-mixing wasn’t just a transgression of law but an existential threat to the ideology of racial purity and separation. A mixed-race person, simply by being, demonstrated the fallacy and artificiality of apartheid’s core tenets, making their “crime” one of profound ideological rebellion. This quote powerfully frames the precariousness of his childhood and the inherent irrationality of the system he was born into.
“In America you had the forced removal of the native onto reservations coupled with slavery followed by segregation. Imagine all three of those things happening to the same group of people at the same time. That was apartheid.”
(Speaker: Trevor Noah (as narrator), Part I, Chapter 2: Born a Crime, Page 22)
Noah provides a concise and brutal comparison to help an American audience grasp the comprehensive nature of apartheid’s oppression. By likening it to the combined historical injustices faced by marginalized groups in the U.S., he underscores its all-encompassing and deeply destructive impact on Black South Africans.
“My grandmother always told me that she loved my prayers. She believed my prayers were more powerful, because I prayed in English. Everyone knows that Jesus, who’s white, speaks English. The Bible is in English. Yes, the Bible was not written in English, but the Bible came to South Africa in English so to us it’s English. Which made my prayers the best prayers because English prayers get answered first. How do we know this? Look at white people.”
(Speaker: Trevor Noah (as narrator), Part I, Chapter 3: Trevor, Pray, Page 40)
This passage reveals the internalized colonial mindset through the innocent yet telling logic of Noah’s grandmother. The belief that English prayers to a “white Jesus” are more effective illustrates how deeply the perceived superiority of the colonizers’ language and religion had permeated some aspects of Black South African culture, a poignant example of ideological subjugation.
“So many black families spend all of their time trying to fix the problems of the past. That is the curse of being black and poor, and it is a curse that follows you from generation to generation. My mother calls it ‘the black tax.’”
(Speaker: Trevor Noah (as narrator), Part I, Chapter 4: Chameleon, Page 66)
Noah introduces his mother’s concept of “the black tax”—the disproportionate burden carried by Black families who, due to historical and ongoing systemic disadvantages, must expend their resources helping relatives catch up rather than being able to build their generational wealth or advance further. This highlights the enduring economic legacy of oppression.
“Relationships are built in the silences. You spend time with people, you observe them and interact with them, and you come to know them—and that is what apartheid stole from us: time.”
(Speaker: Trevor Noah (as narrator), Part II, Chapter 8: Robert, Page 110)
Reflecting on the strained relationship with his father due to the enforced separation of apartheid, Noah poignantly identifies “time” as one of the system’s most cruel thefts. He suggests that genuine human connection requires shared presence and unspoken understanding, opportunities denied by racist laws that kept families and communities apart.
“The genius of apartheid was convincing people who were the overwhelming majority to turn on each other. Apart hate, is what it was.”
(Speaker: Trevor Noah (as narrator), Part I (Epigraph before Chapter 1), Page 0)
Noah distills the insidious strategy of apartheid: to maintain minority rule by systematically dividing the Black majority along tribal and linguistic lines, fostering animosity (“Apart hate”) so they could not unite against their common oppressor. This sets the stage for understanding many of the internal conflicts within Black communities that he later describes.
“In society, we do horrible things to one another because we don’t see the person it affects. We don’t see their face. We don’t see them as people.”
(Speaker: Trevor Noah (as narrator), Part III, Chapter 15: Go Hitler!, Page 221)
This reflection, born from his experience with stolen goods having identifiable owners, articulates a universal truth about the ease with which cruelty can be enacted when victims are depersonalized or kept at a distance. It directly indicts the mechanisms of systemic oppression like apartheid, which relied on such depersonalization.
Navigating this fractured world required Trevor to become a chameleon, using language and observation to shift his identity and find belonging-or at least safety—in myriad complex social situations.
Shades of Identity: Navigating a Divided World
Trevor Noah’s mixed-race heritage placed him in a unique and often precarious position within apartheid’s rigid racial classifications. He was neither Black nor white nor, culturally, truly “Coloured” in the way South Africa defined it. This ambiguity forced him to become a keen observer of social dynamics and a master of adaptation.
These quotes explore his journey of forging an identity, the profound impact of language in shaping perception, creating belonging, and his experiences of being an outsider even when surrounded by people.
“If you’re Native American and you pray to the wolves, you’re a savage. If you’re African and you pray to your ancestors, you’re a primitive. But when white people pray to a guy who turns water into wine, well, that’s just common sense.”
(Speaker: Trevor Noah (as narrator), Part I, Chapter 1: Run, Page 6)
Noah uses sharp irony to expose the hypocrisy and cultural bias inherent in how different belief systems are perceived. He highlights how dominant Western, Christian perspectives are often normalized as “common sense,” while indigenous spiritual practices are denigrated as “savage” or “primitive,” a critique of colonial religious imposition.
“I didn’t have any friends. I didn’t know any kids besides my cousins. I wasn’t a lonely kid—I was good at being alone. I’d read books, play with the toy that I had, make up imaginary worlds. I lived inside my head. I still live inside my head.”
(Speaker: Trevor Noah (as narrator), Part I, Chapter 2: Born a Crime, Page 30)
This passage reveals young Trevor’s early isolation due to the circumstances of his “crime” birth. His ability to be “good at being alone” and to live richly “inside my head” showcases a resilience and an imaginative capacity that would later fuel his comedic and storytelling talents.
“Language brings with it an identity and a culture, or at least the perception of it. A shared language says ‘We’re the same.’ A language barrier says ‘We’re different.’”
(Speaker: Trevor Noah (as narrator), Part I, Chapter 4: Chameleon, Page 49)
Noah articulates a crucial insight gained from his multilingual upbringing: language is a powerful marker and shaper of identity and social connection. He understood that shared language could often transcend visual racial differences, creating a sense of sameness and belonging where physical appearance alone might create barriers.
“Language, even more than color, defines who you are to people.”
(Speaker: Trevor Noah (as narrator), Part I, Chapter 4: Chameleon, Page 56)
This concise declaration is a cornerstone of Noah’s understanding of social navigation in South Africa’s complex, multi-ethnic landscape. He discovered that his ability to speak various indigenous languages often allowed him to bridge racial divides and be accepted by groups who might otherwise have seen him as an outsider based solely on his lighter skin. This insight reveals the power of communication to shape perception and forge connections beyond superficial physical differences, a key survival skill for him.
“I became a chameleon. My color didn’t change, but I could change your perception of my color. If you spoke Zulu, I replied to you in Zulu. If you spoke to me in Tswana, I replied to you in Tswana. Maybe I didn’t look like you, but if I spoke like you, I was you.”
(Speaker: Trevor Noah (as narrator), Part I, Chapter 4: Chameleon, Page 56)
Noah vividly describes his adaptive strategy for survival and belonging. By mastering multiple languages, he could mirror the linguistic identity of those around him to temporarily become “one of them” and defuse potential hostility or suspicion based on his mixed-race appearance. This “chameleon” ability was crucial for navigating the fractured social landscape of apartheid.
“My mother wanted her child beholden to no fate. She wanted me to be free to go anywhere, do anything, be anyone.”
(Speaker: Trevor Noah (as narrator), Part I, Chapter 4: Chameleon, Page 67)
Noah explains his mother’s profound intention behind giving him the English name “Trevor,” which had no traditional meaning or ties in South Africa. It was an act of love and foresight, an attempt to grant him an identity untethered by predetermined cultural or societal expectations, allowing him the freedom to define his path.
“But the real world doesn’t go away. Racism exists. People are getting hurt. And just because it’s not happening to you, doesn’t mean it’s not happening. And at some point you have to choose; black or white, pick a side.”
(Speaker: Trevor Noah (as narrator), Part I, Chapter 4: Chameleon, Page 56)
Despite his ability to navigate as a chameleon, Noah acknowledges the inescapable reality of systemic racism. His sheltered upbringing at a mixed school initially blinded him, but entering a government school forced him to confront the harsh racial divisions and the necessity of choosing an identity within that polarized system. Ultimately, he chose to identify with his Black heritage.
“I wasn’t popular, but I wasn’t an outcast. I was everywhere with everybody, and at the same time I was all by myself.”
(Speaker: Trevor Noah (as narrator), Part II, Chapter 11: Outsider, Page 140)
This quote poignantly captures Trevor’s unique social position as an outsider who could bridge various groups through humor and his hustling, yet never fully belonged to any single one. It speaks to the loneliness that can accompany being a “chameleon,” adept at fitting in superficially everywhere but perhaps lacking deep, singular tribal connections.
“Nelson Mandela once said, ‘If you talk to a man in a language he understands, that goes to his head. If you talk to him in his language, that goes to his heart.’ He was so right. When you make the effort to speak someone else’s language, even if it’s just basic phrases here and there, you are saying to them, ‘I understand that you have a culture and identity that exists beyond me. I see you as a human being.’”
(Speaker: Trevor Noah (as narrator), Part III, Chapter 16: The Cheese Boys, Page 236)
Noah invokes Mandela to underscore language’s deep power for communication, forging genuine human connection, and acknowledging another’s inherent dignity. Speaking someone’s native tongue, he explains, transcends mere comprehension; it’s an act of respect and recognition that reaches “to his heart.”
At the core of Trevor’s story is his mother, Patricia Nombuyiselo Noah, a woman of extraordinary courage, faith, and unconventional wisdom, whose fierce love and determination profoundly shaped him.
Patricia’s Unbreakable Love: Motherhood, Faith, and Resilience
Trevor Noah’s mother, Patricia, is the indomitable heart of “Born a Crime.” Her unwavering faith, fierce independence, rebellious spirit, and unconditional love for Trevor shape his worldview and his ability to survive and thrive against overwhelming odds. She’s his first teacher, fiercest protector, and his most enduring inspiration.
These quotes reveal Patricia’s unique parenting philosophy, her resilience in the face of poverty and abuse, her deep spirituality, and the invaluable life lessons she imparted to her son, often through unconventional means.
“My mom did what school didn’t. She taught me how to think.”
(Speaker: Trevor Noah (as narrator), Part I, Chapter 4: Chameleon, Page 68)
This simple yet profound statement acknowledges his mother’s primary role in his intellectual development. Beyond formal education, Patricia instilled in him critical thinking skills, curiosity, and the ability to question and analyze the world around him—tools essential for his survival and eventual success.
“‘Because,’ she would say, ‘even if he never leaves the ghetto, he will know that the ghetto is not the world. If that is all I accomplish, I’ve done enough.’”
(Speaker: Patricia Noah (quoted by Trevor), Part I, Chapter 4: Chameleon, Page 74)
Patricia’s powerful rationale for exposing Trevor to experiences beyond their immediate, often harsh, surroundings reveals her deep understanding of the importance of perspective. She knew that limiting his worldview to the “ghetto” would also limit his aspirations and his understanding of what was possible. By showing him “the world,” she armed him against despair and instilled a belief that his circumstances did not have to define his destiny. This foresight was a critical gift in an oppressive society.
“Learn from your past and be better because of your past,” she would say, “but don’t cry about your past. Life is full of pain. Let the pain sharpen you, but don’t hold on to it. Don’t be bitter.”
(Speaker: Patricia Noah (quoted by Trevor), Part I, Chapter 4: Chameleon, Page 66)
Patricia’s recurring advice encapsulates her philosophy of resilience and forward momentum. She acknowledges the inevitability of pain but insists on using it as a catalyst for growth (“let the pain sharpen you”) rather than allowing it to fester into bitterness or regret. This pragmatic and empowering perspective taught Trevor to confront adversity without being consumed by it, a crucial lesson for navigating the hardships of his upbringing and later life.
“The world doesn’t love you. If the police get you, the police don’t love you. When I beat you, I’m trying to save you. When they beat you, they’re trying to kill you.”
(Speaker: Patricia Noah (quoted by Trevor), Part III, Chapter 18: My Mother’s Life, Page 243)
This almost brutal piece of “tough love” from Patricia explains her often harsh disciplinary methods as acts of protection in a hostile world. She differentiates her corrective punishment, born of a desire to “save” Trevor from the far more dangerous consequences of societal retribution (especially from the police), from the world’s indifference or malice, which she believed could “kill” him.
This quote reveals the extreme pressures and fears shaping her parenting under apartheid, where teaching obedience, even through physical discipline, was seen as a survival tactic.
“‘He’s like an exotic bird collector,’ she said. ‘He only wants a woman who is free because his dream is to put her in a cage.’”
(Speaker: Patricia Noah (quoted by Trevor, about Abel), Part III, Chapter 16: The Cheese Boys, Page 253)
Patricia’s incisive metaphor for Abel’s desire to control independent women reveals her astute understanding of his possessive nature. She recognized that some men are drawn to strong, free-spirited women not to cherish their independence, but to conquer and confine it. This insight highlights her awareness of the dynamics of abusive relationships and the trap that her strength posed for a man like Abel, who ultimately sought to dominate her.
“Love is a creative act. When you love someone you create a new world for them.”
(Speaker: Trevor Noah (as narrator), Part III, Chapter 17: The World Doesn’t Love You, Page 262)
Trevor reflects on his mother’s enduring impact, defining love as a transformative, world-building force. He acknowledges that Patricia, through her sacrifices and unconventional parenting, actively “created a new world” of possibilities for him, and in turn, his understanding and success allowed him to offer her a new perspective and a different kind of world.
“Growing up in a home of abuse, you struggle with the notion that you can love a person you hate, or hate a person you love. It’s a strange feeling. You want to live in a world where someone is good or bad, where you either love or hate them, but that’s not how people are.”
(Speaker: Trevor Noah (as narrator), Part III, Chapter 18: My Mother’s Life, Page 267)
Noah articulates the profound emotional complexity of living with an abusive family member like Abel. He describes the disorienting internal conflict of experiencing love and hate simultaneously for the same person, a reality that defies simplistic moral categories.
This insight underscores the nuanced and often painful nature of human relationships, particularly those marred by violence, where clear-cut emotions of pure love or pure hatred are rarely possible. It’s a mature reflection on the messy, contradictory feelings that abuse engenders.
“My mom’s attitude was “I chose you, kid. I brought you into this world, and I’m going to give you everything I never had.” She poured herself into me.”
(Speaker: Trevor Noah (as narrator, quoting/describing Patricia), Part I, Chapter 5: The Second Girl, Page 71)
This quote encapsulates Patricia’s profound dedication to Trevor. Her words, “I chose you,” affirm his wantedness, a powerful antidote to being “born a crime.” Her commitment to give him “everything I never had” and the act of “poured herself into me” reveal the depth of her sacrifice and her determination to equip him for a better life, highlighting the immense maternal love that is central to Noah’s story.
Through heartbreaks, hustles, and the constant threat of systemic injustice, Trevor learns invaluable lessons about life, often through trial and error, and always guided by his mother’s unconventional wisdom and his sharp observations of his world.
Lessons on Love, Loss, and Letting Go
Trevor’s journey is marked by emotional lessons about the nature of love, the pain of loss, and the difficult art of letting go. From his first childhood heartbreak over his dog Fufi to navigating complex familial bonds, these experiences shape his understanding of relationships and emotional resilience.
These quotes reveal Noah’s reflections on connection, betrayal, and the realization that love does not mean ownership.
“A dog is a great thing for a kid to have. It’s like a bicycle but with emotions.”
(Speaker: Trevor Noah (as narrator), Part II, Chapter 7: Fufi, Page 97)
Noah’s charming and humorous analogy captures the unique companionship a pet offers a child, providing mobility and adventure like a bicycle, but with the added dimension of emotional connection and unconditional affection.
“Fufi was my first heartbreak. No one has ever betrayed me more than Fufi… You do not own the thing that you love.”
(Speaker: Trevor Noah (as narrator), Part II, Chapter 7: Fufi, Page 100)
The Fufi episode, while humorous, imparts a heartbreaking early lesson about love and possessiveness. Realizing Fufi had another family and wasn’t “cheating” but simply “living her life to the fullest” taught Noah the crucial distinction between loving someone and owning them, a wisdom that shaped his future relationships.
“People love to say, ‘Give a man a fish, and he’ll eat for a day. Teach a man to fish, and he’ll eat for a lifetime.’ What they don’t say is, ‘And it would be nice if you gave him a fishing rod.’ That’s the part of the analogy that’s missing.”
(Speaker: Trevor Noah (as narrator), Part II, Chapter 13: Colorblind, Page 190)
Noah critiques the often-oversimplified adage about charity versus empowerment. He points out that teaching a skill (“how to fish”) is insufficient without also providing the necessary tools and opportunities (“a fishing rod”), highlighting the systemic barriers faced by the poor that go beyond a lack of knowledge or effort.
“People always lecture the poor: ‘Take responsibility for yourself! Make something of yourself!’ But with what raw materials are the poor to make something of themselves?”
(Speaker: Trevor Noah (as narrator), Part II, Chapter 13: Colorblind, Page 190)
Challenging common societal admonishments directed at the poor, Noah underscores the critical lack of resources and opportunities (“raw materials”) that often prevent people from escaping poverty, regardless of their effort or desire for self-improvement. This points to systemic failures rather than individual failings.
Growing up in the townships required resourcefulness and a keen understanding of informal economies. Trevor’s experiences DJing, selling pirated CDs, and navigating the complex social codes of “the hood” provided a different kind of education.
The Hustle: Survival, Systems, and Street Smarts
For young Trevor, “the hustle” was a means of survival, a way to earn money, gain status, and navigate the often-dangerous streets of Alexandra and other townships. His entrepreneurial spirit, from selling pirated CDs to DJing parties, provided an invaluable education in street smarts, human psychology, and the informal economies that thrived where formal opportunities were scarce.
These quotes offer glimpses into this world, revealing Noah’s observations on crime, community, and the complex moral landscape of those living on the margins.
“The hood made me realize that crime succeeds because crime does the one thing the government doesn’t do: crime cares.”
(Speaker: Trevor Noah (as narrator), Part III, Chapter 15: Go Hitler!, Page 209)
Noah offers a provocative insight into why informal, often illegal, economies and social structures thrive in marginalized communities. He suggests that “crime cares” by providing opportunities, support networks, and a sense of belonging that the neglectful or oppressive formal government systems fail to offer.
“In the hood, crime is normalized because it’s often the only way to survive.”
(Speaker: Trevor Noah (as narrator), Part III, Chapter 15: Go Hitler!, Page 213)
Noah explains that in environments of extreme poverty and systemic deprivation, the lines between legal and illegal blur out of necessity. Criminal activity becomes a normalized aspect of survival when legitimate pathways to earning a living are inaccessible, challenging simplistic moral judgments from those outside that reality.
“Hustling is to work what surfing the Internet is to reading. If you add up how much you read in a year on the Internet—tweets, Facebook posts, lists—you’ve read the equivalent of a shit ton of books, but in fact you’ve read no books in a year.”
(Speaker: Trevor Noah (as narrator), Part III, Chapter 14: The Cheese, Page 217)
Noah uses a clever analogy to describe the nature of hustling: it involves constant activity and effort (“surfing the Internet”) that can feel productive and yield small gains, but it often lacks the substantial, long-term advancement or deep engagement of more focused, traditional “work” (likened to “reading books”).
“The more time I spent in jail, the more I realized that the law isn’t rational at all. It’s a lottery. What color is your skin? How much money do you have?”
(Speaker: Trevor Noah (as narrator), Part III, Chapter 17: The World Doesn’t Love You, Page 238)
Reflecting on his brief but eye-opening time in jail, Noah concludes that the application of law is often arbitrary and heavily influenced by factors like race and socioeconomic status rather than pure rationality or justice. This experience solidifies his understanding of systemic inequality within the legal system.
“Don’t fight the system, mock the system.”
(Speaker: Trevor Noah (as narrator), Part III, Chapter 16: The Cheese Boys, Page 252)
This principle, learned from his mother and applied in various situations, suggests that confrontation with an overwhelmingly powerful and irrational system is often futile. Instead, Noah found that using wit, humor, and exploiting the system’s absurdities could be a more effective form of resistance and navigation.
Through his unique upbringing—marked by illegality, poverty, violence, but also profound love and resilience—Trevor Noah distills hard-won wisdom about life, human nature, and the enduring quest for freedom and belonging.
Wisdom Gained: Reflections on Life, Failure, and Freedom
Born a Crime is rich with Trevor Noah’s insightful reflections on the lessons learned from his unconventional upbringing. He distills wisdom on resilience, the nature of regret, the deceptive allure of comfort, the power of knowledge, and the true meaning of freedom.
These quotes showcase his ability to transform personal hardship into universal understanding, offering us deep takeaways on navigating life’s complexities with humor, intelligence, and an unyielding spirit.
“I was blessed with another trait I inherited from my mother: her ability to forget the pain in life. I remember the thing that caused the trauma, but I don’t hold onto the trauma… It’s better to take it, spend some time crying, then wake up the next day and move on.”
(Speaker: Trevor Noah (as narrator), Part II, Chapter 6: Loopholes, Page 90)
Noah credits his mother with his ability to process pain without letting it define him. This resilience involves acknowledging trauma but refusing to “hold onto” it, allowing for healing and the capacity to “move on” and embrace new experiences without being perpetually crippled by the past.
“We spend so much time being afraid of failure, afraid of rejection. But regret is the thing we should fear most. Failure is an answer. Rejection is an answer. Regret is an eternal question you will never have the answer to.”
(Speaker: Trevor Noah (as narrator), Part II, Chapter 10: A Young Man’s Long, Awkward…, Page 143)
Noah offers a powerful reframing of fear, failure, and regret. He argues that failure and rejection, while painful, provide definitive “answers” that allow for closure and learning. Regret over un-taken chances, however, remains an “eternal question” – the haunting “what if” – which he posits is a far more corrosive and significant fear to carry.
This perspective champions action and embracing risk over the paralysis of fearing negative outcomes. It underscores the importance of making choices, even if they lead to failure, rather than living with the torment of inaction.
“Comfort can be dangerous. Comfort provides a floor but also a ceiling.”
(Speaker: Trevor Noah (as narrator), Part III, Chapter 14: The Cheese, Page 219)
Noah reflects on the double-edged nature of comfort found in the familiar routines and limited expectations of the hood. While it provides a sense of security and belonging (“a floor”), it can also stifle ambition and limit one’s potential for growth beyond that environment (“a ceiling”).
“—a knowledgeable man is a free man, or at least a man who longs for freedom.”
(Speaker: Trevor Noah (as narrator), Part I, Chapter 4: Chameleon, Page 61)
Reflecting on the impact of missionary education in South Africa, Noah makes a connection between knowledge and liberation. He suggests that education and access to information empower individuals to critically understand their circumstances and aspire beyond them, making knowledge a fundamental tool in the pursuit of freedom.
“We tell people to follow their dreams, but you can only dream of what you can imagine, and, depending on where you come from, your imagination can be quite limited.”
(Speaker: Trevor Noah (as narrator), Part I, Chapter 4: Chameleon, Page 73)
Noah offers a crucial caveat to the common exhortation to “follow your dreams.” He astutely observes that one’s capacity to dream is profoundly shaped by one’s environment, experiences, and the horizons of possibility one has been exposed to. For those growing up in severely limited or oppressive circumstances, like the townships under apartheid, the very scope of what can be imagined as a “dream” is inherently constrained.
This highlights the societal responsibility to expand opportunities and expose young people to broader possibilities, as his mother did for him, so their dreams are not pre-emptively curtailed by their immediate reality.
“The first thing I learned about having money was that it gives you choices. People don’t want to be rich. They want to be able to choose. The richer you are, the more choices you have. That is the freedom of money.”
(Speaker: Trevor Noah (as narrator), Part II, Chapter 13: Colorblind, Page 188)
Noah distills a key insight about wealth: its true value lies not in accumulation itself, but in the “choices” and independence it affords. He argues that the desire for money is often a desire for the freedom to make decisions and control one’s own life, a freedom often denied to those in poverty.
“My mother’s greatest fear was that I would end up paying the black tax, that I would get trapped by the cycle of poverty and violence that came before me. She had always promised me that I would be the one to break that cycle.”
(Speaker: Trevor Noah (as narrator), Part III, Chapter 18: My Mother’s Life, Page 279)
Trevor reveals the depth of his mother’s ambition for him, not just for personal success, but for him to transcend the intergenerational burdens of “the black tax”—systemic poverty and violence. Her promise and belief in him to “break that cycle” were a powerful motivating force and a testament to her love and foresight.
“I could champion racial justice in our home, or I could enjoy granny’s cookies. I went with the cookies.”
(Speaker: Trevor Noah (as narrator), Part I, Chapter 3: Trevor, Pray, Page 52)
With characteristic humor and honesty, young Trevor admits his childhood priorities. Faced with the complicated dynamics of how his mixed-race status led to lenient treatment from his grandmother (who wouldn’t hit a “white” child), he pragmatically chose the immediate comfort of “granny’s cookies” over confronting the household’s racial illogic. This highlights a child’s perspective on navigating absurd adult rules.
Conclusion: A Tapestry of Resilience, Humor, and Unbreakable Bonds
These 41 quotes from Trevor Noah’s Born a Crime weave a vivid tapestry of a childhood shaped by the absurdities of apartheid, the unwavering love of a remarkable mother, and the relentless pursuit of identity in a world determined to define him.
Noah’s narrative, infused with sharp wit and deep insight, reveals how language became his bridge, humor his shield, and resilience his steadfast companion. From navigating the perilous streets of Soweto to understanding the complex dynamics of family and poverty, his experiences underscore the enduring strength of the human spirit.
Born a Crime is more than a memoir; it’s a testament to the power of perspective, the importance of questioning societal constructs, and the unbreakable bonds forged in love and adversity.
Ultimately, Trevor Noah’s story is one of triumph—a “chameleon” who not only survived being “born a crime” but learned to find his unique voice and share it with the world, reminding us that even in the darkest of times, laughter and love can be acts of powerful defiance.
For more compelling narratives and memorable lines from impactful memoirs and literature, browse our full Book Quotes Collection.
A Note on Page Numbers & Edition:
Like Trevor Noah navigating the shifting landscapes of post-apartheid South Africa, the exact placement of these powerful words can vary between printings of Born a Crime. Page numbers cited (e.g., Page 21) reference the One World paperback edition (February 12, 2019), ISBN-13: 978-0399588198. Always consult your specific copy to ensure precise location for academic essays or personal reference.
Jeremy Mortis, founder of Ageless Investing, applies a rigorous analytical approach (the AAM framework) to distill timeless wisdom and contextualized quotes from classic literature, saving you time while deepening understanding. Learn more about Jeremy’s unique background and methodology on his author bio page.