Born a Crime

by

Trevor Noah

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Highlands North Term Analysis

A white Johannesburg suburb where well-off families live behind walls and barbed wire. Trevor moves into a house there with Patricia and Abel and lives there throughout high school (after which he moves down the street and his mother stays in the area for many years). He is “the only black kid” besides the children of white families’ maids and feels socially isolated.
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Highlands North Term Timeline in Born a Crime

The timeline below shows where the term Highlands North appears in Born a Crime. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
Chapter 13
Racism, Apartheid, and the Cycle of Poverty Theme Icon
Identity, Belonging, and Community Theme Icon
Love and Personal Growth Theme Icon
...“that Does Not Give a Fuck.” (Every white neighborhood has one.) They end up in Highlands North , a middle-class area where Trevor is literally “the only black kid.” (Most of the... (full context)
Chapter 16
Racism, Apartheid, and the Cycle of Poverty Theme Icon
Identity, Belonging, and Community Theme Icon
In jail, when Trevor tells the cop he is from Highlands North , the cop is baffled, calls him “rich boy,” and tries to get him to... (full context)
Chapter 18
Racism, Apartheid, and the Cycle of Poverty Theme Icon
...Eventually, Patricia gives up and gets another secretary job, which gets them the house in Highlands North , just as Abel’s creditors take away his workshop. (full context)
Love and Personal Growth Theme Icon
...of touch with the family. She marries someone else and moves into another house in Highlands North ; a few years later, Trevor gets a phone call from his mom’s number on... (full context)