Summary Of Kaffir Boy And Miriam's Song

Mark Mathabane’s, author of the autobiography Kaffir Boy and Miriam’s Song, motto was “Learn as much as you can, while the opportunity is still there.” Hard-workers and people who want to improve their lives like Mathabane should be allowed in America because they can help our communities improve, they can inspire others, and they can become doctors or lawyers. Mathabane has traits that Americans should have like being unique, determined, hard-working, and educated.
Mathabane had hardships throughout his life. He has witnessed murders, beatings, been a victim of police brutality, starvation, and much more that a child should not have experienced. For example, when he did not open the door for the police because his parents needed to hide, the
He was unique. When his principal asked him if he was happy with the way his life was going in Alexandria, he replied with:
I could never be happy without my freedom. The books I’ve read have taught me about different ways of life, about places where I can be free to think and feel the way I want, instead of the way apartheid wants. That’s something no amount of money can buy…. The books I’m reading are changing the way I see the world, life, reality. I’m beginning to feel like a stranger in my own country.”
Even if he were to become the wealthiest man in Alexandria, he would not be happy because he would not know how it would feel to be free. He was so sure he would travel around the world and would do anything to have his dream come true. He was determined to do anything, whether it was school work going to America with a tennis scholarship for a college. One example of his determination for school work was when they were assigned The Merchant of Venice. His friend had given up, but he was determined to understand the play. “I read the play over several times, each time trying to imitate the voices on the radio. I did that for several days.” He was determined to get it right and understand what the play was