Born a Crime is an autobiography of stand-up comedian Trevor Noah. In his work, Noah talks about his experience growing up in South Africa during the apartheid era. During this time, racial discrimination was extreme. Apartheid was a 1900s policy in South Africa that segregated blacks and whites. It was illegal for the two races to be seen together, let alone in a relationship. This is where the title of Noah's autobiography becomes relevant. Trevor is a mixed child, born illegally due to his rebellious parents. His father is white and his mother is black. Not being fully black, Noah talks about how racial discrimination affected him growing up and how language is a powerful tool that can be used to overcome racial discrimination. In the chapter “Chameleon,” Trevor Noah makes this point effectively by appealing to pathos through the use of humor. As a child, Noah did not understand the concept of racism. In the chapter “Chameleon,” Noah made an analogy between his family and chocolate. His father was white chocolate, his mother was dark chocolate, and he was milk chocolate (Noah 54). Noah further states, “But we were all just chocolate. I didn't know any of this had anything to do with 'race'” (Noah 54). Noah humorously describes his family by comparing skin color to food. This analogy also shows that Noah's perception of race as a child was something simple and harmless. As a mixed child, Noah had benefited in many ways from growing up in a black family. Being in a predominantly "dark chocolate" environment, Noah was considered "white" due to his lighter skin tone. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay In South Africa, lighter skin is preferred. Being lighter meant being wealthy, educated, and superior to other people in every way. And so, being born with lighter skin, Noah was treated as if he had a higher status than anyone else, even in his own family. For example, Noah talks about how his grandfather insisted on being his driver. He states: He called me “Mastah. In the car he insisted on driving me as if he were my driver. “Mastah always has to sit in the back seat. “I never challenged him on this. What would I have said? “I think your perception of race is wrong, Grandpa. No. I was five years old. I sat in the back. (Noah 52) See how a grandfather serves a child of five years old and referring to the child as a “mastah” makes it clear that light skin equated to superiority in South Africa At the same time, it is also funny because it is a strange and unusual situation Noah plays the role of a white oppressor and enjoys the benefits of whites. Noah also talks about how he was never punished despite being the meanest among his cousins. He states: Misbehavior for which my cousins ​​would have been punished, I was given a warning and I was released I was much meaner than my cousins. It wasn't even close. Something broke or someone stole Grandma's cookies. I was in trouble was the most disobedient. He also makes an analogy between his family and the American justice system. He states, “My family basically did what the American justice system does: I was given more lenient treatment than black kids” (Noah 52). Noah uses a childhood event, stealing cookies, as an example to explain how he was mean but still received lenient treatment. He further states: “Being beaten didn't make me feelBetter. I had a choice. I could advocate for racial justice in our home, or I could enjoy Grandma's cookies. I went with cookies” (Noah 53). Noah explains in a humorous but logical way how it was so easy to accept all the advantages rather than go against what you thought was wrong. Noah recalls all these memories and tells them in a funny way, to describe how he benefited from this society that favored light-skinned people. The special treatment Noah receives at home extends beyond his family, too. No matter where he was, Noah becomes the center of attention. For example, when he shows up at funerals, he becomes the center of attention. In the text he states: I would go to funerals, I would walk in and the mourners would look up and see me and stop crying. They would start whispering. Then they would wave and say, “Oh!” as if they were more shocked by my arrival than by the death of their loved ones. (Noah 53)Noah humorously describes how people react to seeing him. He was so unusual and out of place for the people of his town, that he unintentionally stole the limelight from a dead person. Furthermore, during funeral dinners, he was always invited to eat in the house, whether he knew about the diminution or not, because “You can't let the white child stay out” (Noah 54). Once again, Noah is given royal treatment because of his “white” identity. Despite these advantages Noah experienced, being mixed had its disadvantages. Because he was different from the rest of the people in his town, it was difficult for Noah to fit in. Noah says: “Almost a million people lived in Soweto. Ninety-nine point nine percent of them were black, and then there was me” (Noah 53). Noah was practically famous simply for existing in this society. Noah recalls how his skin tone was so unique that people gave directions using it as a reference point (Noah 53). People would whisper when they saw him and other children would try to touch him to see if he was real (Noah 53). Being “white” in this community, Noah was always treated as different, until he learned how to overcome this racial barrier, through language. Language is an important part of everyday life. It is a way of communication. It's how people express their thoughts and connect with each other. When people don't speak the same language, it's difficult to bond with each other. “A shared language says: 'We are equal.' ' A language barrier says 'We are different'” (Noah 49). Racism is discrimination against groups of people who have a different skin color. A language barrier adds to this racial divide. “If you are racist and you meet someone who doesn't look like you, the fact that they can't speak like you reinforces your racist preconceptions” (Noah 49). In South Africa children learned only their native language. This language barrier between the many groups of people present supported apartheid. Whites have separated themselves from blacks, because they have been taught that blacks are inferior to them. Since blacks did not speak their own language, this made them appear ignorant and therefore reinforced the idea that blacks were inferior to them. Noah, however, explains that in the same way that language can be used to separate people, it can also be used to bring people together. Noah grew up learning many different languages ​​thanks to his mother. As a child, he watched his mother skillfully use languages ​​to handle situations. One example was when he and his mother became victims of racial stereotyping in a store. The shopkeeper had told his security guard to follow them in Afrikaans. He states, “Follow those blacks in case they steal something… You know how much they love to steal” (Noah 55). The shopkeeper had one.