Kaffir Boy Sparknotes

For this assignment, we were required to read Kaffir Boy by Mark Mathabane. This book goes in depth about an African boy’s coming of age. It goes over a lot of what Mark has gone through and how he overcomes the cruel behavior of the apartheid system. He also describes the racism and stereotypes the black children dealt with. From this book out of the three parts, I decided to go over part two of the book, “Passport to Knowledge.” I picked this section because a few of the aspects in this book grabbed my attention more, such as the allure and harsh realities of gangs, classroom regulations, and parents disagreeing over the worth of formal education.
Summation
In the beginning of chapter twenty one, the reader learns Mark hated school because
Once the students broke into a cheer, the teachers then came up on stage to announce the test results. Marks teacher went up first and announced how he was top in his class and the school. As he went up to the podium, he received a white envelope and was told to give it to his parents. Once his mom heard the news about Mark’s achievements, she was beyond ecstatic. Even his father was impressed; however once he heard the cost of school is about a tenth of his annual wage he goes off on his mom. He told her it was complete nonsense and asked how she even paid for Mark’s education. She tells him she used none of his money and Mark’s grandmother had given her some money she had. She then asked him if he can change his mind and help out pay for Mark’s education instead of spending it on alcohol and gambling. Even though Mark’s father still thought school was a waste of time he still gave him money for school. When Mark thanked him, his dad told him not to get any ideas and that he should stop attending school when he learns how to
I find it ridiculous how he wanted to spend his life with a gang when he has a family and a place to live in. I do not understand why he wanted to escape that life to try to live on his own, especially since he is only seven years old, it's ridiculous. Maybe by doing this action, it is his way of showing that he is big enough to do whatever he wants. But just because the place he lived at did not value education, does not mean he should follow their lifestyle and not attend school. Like his mother, I also agree that education can keep a boy out of the streets. For an example, when they come across a lady on their way to Mark’s school, she cries how if she would have forced her son to attend school, he would not have been part of a gang and then