Theme of Domestic Abuse in Born a Crime Essay Sample

Many authors believe it is clever and insightful to utilize personal experiences to highlight real-life societal problems in order to elicit a sense of change in their readers. Trevor Noah, the author of the novel Born a Crime, recounts the story of his experience in prison when a new inmate arrived and analyzes his mother's and her husband's relationship to demonstrate that violence may be noticed at home and in partnerships that are meant to be the most gratifying. Noah incorporates rhetorical strategies in his novel by referencing personal experiences to emphasize the importance of taking action or assisting in the eradication of domestic abuse, as well as refraining from judging others simply based on what is observable on the surface.

To begin with, domestic violence is often portrayed as a pattern of abusive behavior toward an intimate partner in a dating or family relationship, which is frequently encouraged owing to a lack of assistance when victims speak out and the psychological impacts abuse produces. Patricia Noah, for example, stood there "horrified that [the] cops wouldn't assist her" after being sent away for reporting her husband's violence (Noah 257). Noah's mother hurried to the police station as soon as Abel struck her to make a case against him, but while it is true that women have the strength and aptitude to speak up when mistreated, society rarely enables them to do so successfully. Noah appeals to his readers' feelings of powerlessness because victims are repeatedly offered the same advice with no sign of help, but to try to restore their relationships with their significant others because divorce or separation from a partner is considered shameful in many societies. Patricia Noah's experience is significant because it demonstrates that barriers frequently undermine the justice many individuals deserve, which in effect jeopardizes their security and safety. Aside from the victims speaking out, Noah adopts a persuasive tone with readers to assist those in abusive relationships so they do not have to suffer from injuries, mental health difficulties, or even death in the most extreme instances alone. Furthermore, Noah expressed his indignation and dissatisfaction toward his mother since he saw Abel as a "choice [that] she continued to make" (Noah 271). Despite the fact that Abel continued to mistreat Noah, his mother, and his siblings, Noah's mother remained in the relationship because she was frightened that Abel's cruelty would eventually kill her if she did not comply. In this poisonous relationship, Noah employs logos by comparing Abel to choices that Patricia, Noah's mother, continued to make, which in today's society can mimic how victims would prefer to endure the abuse than speak out due to fear of prolonged oppression by their abuser. Born a Crime makes use of the psychological repercussions of abuse to indicate that most victims are afraid to speak up and ask for help for fear of their abuser bothering them further. By revealing his mother's subjection to her husband's assault, the readers are able to grasp Noah's dread at the reality of violence gradually becoming normalized in society.  Because many barriers, such as a lack of assistance and the psychological effects of abuse, prevent women from successfully escaping abusive relationships, more and more victims in societies refrain from speaking out, eventually allowing them to become accustomed to violence.

Additionally, Trevor Noah discusses in his novel that there are constant establishments of opinions about someone based solely on what is visible on the surface without understanding their background but those assumptions are usually proven inaccurate. In Born a Crime, Noah recalls that he and "the other inmates were scared" when one of the "biggest men" they had ever seen joined them in prison (Noah 236). Because he was big and resembled the Incredible Hulk, the new stranger terrified Noah and the others in the cell. With the use of imagery, Noah allows his readers to visualize the new inmate's appearance and how the criminals refused to interact with the new inmate and formed the idea that he was someone to be feared owing to his gigantic muscles, huge size, and hardened face without ever getting to know him. Readers can agree that a person's physical appearance has a big impact on how people view and treat one another, whether positively or negatively. Sometimes, individuals are treated cruelly because people frequently criticize the appearances of others, whether consciously or unknowingly, without getting to know them because they appear different. Furthermore, after speaking with the new convict, Noah realized that, while he first seemed "scary," he was actually the world's largest "teddy bear" (Noah 237). As it turns out, the newcomer was jailed for shoplifting for his daughter rather than the horrific crimes Noah suspected him of doing, such as murder. Following his interaction with the new convict, Noah discovered that he was nothing like his outward image had led many to believe. Noah invites his readers to get to know the people they are so eager to criticize, to learn about them and their personalities, and then to make their decisions since their genuine selves may be very unexpected. Noah shares his own mistake to educate others not to make judgments about people or things based purely on what is visible on the surface, because the person or object may be entirely different from what was expected after a closer look.

In essence, Trevor Noah effectively articulates to his readers the gravity of speaking out against domestic abuse and assisting victims on their path to freedom through the use of rhetorical strategies. Aside from addressing his concerns about domestic abuse, he aims to encourage others to avoid forming stereotypes or beliefs about people based on how they appear on the outside because they can easily be proven wrong. Making an attempt to address the mentioned societal challenges benefits not just individuals, but also societies as a whole because we have observed abuse stifling proper mental, physical, and emotional health, as well as stereotypes based on appearances hindering new relationships.