Born a Crime

Content warning: This section of the guide discusses racism, apartheid, domestic abuse, and addiction to alcohol.

While Noah gained notoriety as the host of The Daily Show, his memoir reveals the complexities of growing up in South Africa during apartheid. Although he is legally classified as colored by the government, Noah identifies as Black; this makes him feel ostracized from other colored people. For most of the memoir, Noah feels lonely because he doesn’t fit in with the government’s notion of what he should be. He therefore represents The Importance of Defining One’s Own Identity.

Noah says he was perceived as a naughty child, but actually, he was just curious and creative. This is best demonstrated when Noah accidently burns down Abel’s landlord’s home. While his family views him as destructive, Noah says that his love of fire coincided with his desire to create; he liked to see what is left after the fire burns. In his teenage years, his creativity and curiosity translate to humor and a savvy for business. Not only does he think of creative ways to make money, such as burning CDs or DJ’ing, but he uses his humorous personality to sell his products.