Assignment: Perspectives on Apartheid
Name: ________________________
Date: ________________________
Part I: Character & Culture (While Watching)
Answer these questions as you view the film. Pay close attention to how characters react to their environments.
Initial Assumptions: In the beginning of the film, Piper and Mahree both have “ill-informed” ideas about each other. Describe one specific assumption Piper makes about “African” students and one assumption Mahree makes about American “Congressmen.”
The Weaverbird Metaphor: Flora (the Bok family’s maid) tells Mahree a story about the weaverbird. How does this metaphor symbolize the potential for racial harmony, and why is Mahree unable to understand it at the start of the movie?
The “Identity of Movement” Card: Mahree is confused when she sees Black people in America moving freely without “passbooks.” Based on the film, what was the purpose of these cards in South Africa, and how did they control the lives of Black citizens?
Reaction to Stephen Biko: When the news of activist Stephen Biko’s death reaches the Dellums’ household, there is a sharp conflict between Mahree and the Dellums family. How does Mahree’s initial reaction reflect the “brainwashing” or propaganda of the Apartheid government?
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Part II: Comparative Analysis (Drawing Parallels to Born a Crime)
Use your knowledge of Trevor Noah’s memoir to answer the following questions.
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The Illusion of Normality: In Born a Crime, Trevor mentions that as a child, he didn’t realize his life was “wrong” because it was all he knew. How does Mahree’s life in South Africa mirror this “illusion of normality”? Compare her relationship with Flora to Trevor’s description of how white families viewed their domestic workers.
Language as a Tool: Trevor Noah famously states, “Language, even more than color, defines who you are to people.” Identify a scene in the movie where Mahree and the Dellums family experience a “language barrier” despite both speaking English. How does this misunderstanding highlight their cultural divide?
The Concept of “The Other”: In Born a Crime, Trevor is “born a crime” because his existence defies the law. In the movie, Mahree’s father says he wants her to go to America so she can see it isn’t a “paradise.” How do both the book and the movie show that the government uses fear of “the other” to keep people from questioning the system?
Institutional vs. Personal Racism: Piper’s mother explains that her father doesn’t hate all South Africans, just the system. In Born a Crime, Trevor distinguishes between people who were “mean” and a system that was “evil.” How does Mahree’s journey from a “product of the system” to an individual friend illustrate this difference?
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Part III: Synthesis & Reflection
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The Secret Flag: At the end of the film, Mahree shows Flora an ANC (African National Congress) flag sewn into her coat. Why is this act considered a “crime” in her home country, and how does this relate to Trevor Noah’s mother, Patricia, and her own small acts of rebellion against the state?
Theme Statement: Based on both the film and Trevor Noah’s memoir, write a thematic statement (one sentence) that describes the role of empathy in dismantling institutionalized racism.
