Narrating the Self in Apartheid Through Humour in Trevor Noah’s Born a Crime

Abstract

This study examines the narration of self and apartheid through humour in Trevor Noah‟s Born a Crime. The autobiography captures Trevor Noah‟s childhood in South Africa and unravels the events through memories. Humour becomes a vehicle for pointing out at vices to individuals and the society at large. The study investigates how humour as a tool mocks the folly of apartheid in his autobiography. Apartheid leads to the oppression and breakdown of the black society, family and individuals. For instance, Nombuyiselo, Trevor Noah‟s mother faces double tragedy: first as a woman, second as a black person. In this case she has to surpass all this to survive. He uses humour as a medium to unveil the existing human follies by presenting himself as an object of oppression and discrimination when his own birth elicits fear to those around him. South Africa being a multiracial nation stirred identity crisis to individuals where one would desire to be of another race. For instance, a black person would aspire to be white so as to have a better life. The study is guided by the theories of incongruity, post-colonial and autobiography. I argue that Trevor Noah‟s use of humour aids in clearly portraying the dehumanizing conditions of individuals. Not only does he present his experiences but he also illuminates the harsh realities of multiracialism that disrupts the daily routines of black Africans in South Africa. Trevor Noah seems to reveal that despite the differences in culture, there are better ways of appreciating togetherness. Humour is therefore a tool for subversive change in opposition to racism