Podcast
Questions and Answers
Match the following places with their descriptions:
Match the following places with their descriptions:
Bantustans = Undeveloped tribal homelands during apartheid to gather black South Africans Soweto = A township engineered during apartheid to contain & control black South Africans Johannesburg = A big city where many fathers traveled to work Alexandra = A township in which TN spent several years hustling with friends
Match the important people with their roles in TN's life:
Match the important people with their roles in TN's life:
Teddy = TN’s best friend during grade school Robert = Opened a restaurant post-apartheid where all races could dine Maylene = The first human who breaks TN’s heart in junior high Abel = A brilliant mechanic but an angry and violent drunk
Match the terms with their definitions:
Match the terms with their definitions:
The term 'colored' in South Africa = A term under apartheid describing someone with a black parent and a white parent Afrikaans = The language spoken by South Africans descended from Dutch colonizers Black Tax = Term describing how economic burdens keep poor people in a poverty loop Tuck shop = The place in high school where people bought their lunches
Match the plot points with their significance:
Match the plot points with their significance:
Match the following terms with their cultural contexts:
Match the following terms with their cultural contexts:
Match the significant events with TN's characteristics:
Match the significant events with TN's characteristics:
Match the following educational institutions with their characteristics:
Match the following educational institutions with their characteristics:
Match the following characters with their relationships to TN:
Match the following characters with their relationships to TN:
Match the key experiences with their impact on TN:
Match the key experiences with their impact on TN:
Match the following individuals with their notable actions:
Match the following individuals with their notable actions:
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Study Notes
Places
- Bantustans: Undeveloped tribal homelands in apartheid-era South Africa aimed at segregating black South Africans.
- Townships: Minimally developed urban areas surrounding cities designed to contain black South Africans during apartheid.
- Soweto: A significant township created to manage and control the black population.
- Alexandra: Township where TN spent time creating music and engaging in money-lending schemes with friends.
- Johannesburg: Major city where many fathers sought employment, often leaving their families in townships.
- Maryvale College: Private Catholic elementary school attended by TN, notable for its racial diversity.
- H.A. Jack Primary: Junior high school where TN had to assert his black identity.
- Sandringham: TN's high school experience marked by feelings of belonging nowhere but acceptance everywhere.
- Mighty Mechanics: Family garage business where TN worked and often resided.
- Jail (not prison): Place where TN presents himself as a colored gangster and befriends a character named Hulk.
Important People
- Andrew: White friend who gifted TN a CD writer during high school.
- Teddy: TN’s close friend from grade school, known for mischief.
- Bongani: High school friend who aided TN in music and various money schemes.
- Isaac: Child born to TN’s mother, Patricia Nombuyiselo, at the age of 44, despite previous sterilization.
- Abel: Talented mechanic with a reputation for being an aggressive and drunken individual.
- Robert: Entrepreneur who opened a post-apartheid restaurant welcoming all races.
- Maylene: TN’s first romantic heartbreak in junior high.
- Zaheera: Close friend whom TN never confesses feelings to before she relocates.
- Babiki: Date for TN's matric dance, arranged by a friend.
- Mlungisi: TN’s cousin known for following rules, with whom TN shared living space post-high school.
Terms & Facts
- "Colored" in South Africa: Refers to individuals with mixed race ancestry, specifically one black and one white parent, an identity severely restricted under apartheid.
- "Colored" in the U.S.: An outdated term broadly used for anyone of African descent.
- Afrikaans: Language of South Africans with Dutch heritage.
- Tuck shop: Convenience store in schools where snacks and lunches are purchased, a site for TN's first business success.
- Xhosa: Ethnic identity of TN's mother.
- Swiss-German: Ethnic background of TN's father.
- Patricia Nombuyiselo: TN’s mother; her name translates to “She Who Gives Back.”
- Trevor: TN's name, lacking tribal significance or familial ties.
- "Black Tax": Economic term describing the financial burdens that perpetuate poverty among black communities in South Africa.
- "Cheese": Refers to middle-class black individuals who adopt a façade of urban toughness or street credibility.
Important Plot Points
- Fufi: The catalyst of TN's first significant emotional pain.
- Grandmother: Struggles with disciplining TN due to his perceived racial privilege.
- Patricia Noah: Copes with trauma and makes light of her shooting incident.
- Childhood Incident: TN accidentally sets fire to a white family's house during play.
- Racism's Benefits for TN: Enjoys advantages that keep him out of trouble, such as escaping theft charges.
- Mopane worms: Symbolize extreme poverty and desperation for sustenance.
- South African Police: Fails to report domestic abuse despite multiple incidents.
- Language Skills: TN's multilingualism serves as a protective factor against street muggings.
- Mulberry Tree: Represents TN's first encounter with Abel's violent nature.
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