Compare And Contrast Born A Crime

Born a Crime and Two Kinds tell captivating stories of the hardships faced by two young children trying to find their places in the world. Though both Trevor Noah, author of Born a Crime and Amy Tan, author of Two Kinds, highlight the intricacies of identity and the impact of societal pressure, they differ in their narrative approach and literary style.

While Born a Crime is a firsthand account of Trevor Noah’s experiences growing up during apartheid in South Africa, Two Kinds is a fictional story about the hardships of a Chinese- American girl navigating her mother’s unrealistic expectations. As opposed to Tan’s third-person perspective, Noah recalls moments from his own life that demonstrate the difficulties of finding his place in society:

For example, Trevor Noah utilizes comedy and humor to develop his story: “Then recess came. We went out on the playground, and black kids were everywhere. It was an ocean of black, like someone had opened a tap and all the black had come pouring out. I was like, ‘Where were they all hiding?’” (Noah 7) Evidently, the author’s witty tone contrasts with that of the more emotional and symbolic style of Amy Tan: “‘Why don't you like me the way I am?’ I cried. ‘I'm not a genius! I can't play the piano. And even if I could, I wouldn't go on TV if you paid me a million dollars!’” (Tan 3) While both authors effectively develop their characters through vivid depictions, Trevor Noah does so with his conversational style, opposed to Amy Tan, who utilizes a more symbolic approach. The piano, for example, illustrates the hope that the narrator’s mother has for her daughter. While there are still symbols that appear throughout Born a Crime, the author’s purpose is not for the reader to find a deeper meaning of his story, but for them to engage and connect with his words. Because Two Kinds is a fictional story, the literary style differs from that of a memoir. For instance, the emotional depth found in Two Kinds is not as evident in Born a Crime. Trevor Noah’s storytelling combines humor and earnest reflection while Amy Tan’s realist literary style conveys deeper