Name:_______________________
Kaffir Boy
By Mark Mathabane (ma ta ba’ ne)
Answer all questions in complete sentences.
PREREADING
1) What is apartheid?
2) What was Mark Mathabane’s experience living under apartheid? List at least two
concrete details from his biography that describe his experience.
1—
2—
3) When was his memoir Kaffir Boy published? How did the South African government
respond?
SUBJECT
4) What is the general subject of this text?
5) What is your opinion on this subject?
6) Different characters in this story have different opinions on this subject. For each of
the following characters, describe his or her opinion on the subject and provide a
quote or a scene from the story that reveals his or her opinion.
CHARACTER & OPINION
Mark’s gang
Mark’s mother
Mark’s peers (309)
Unnamed woman (310)
Mark’s father
QUOTE or SCENE
TONE
7) What is the author’s tone? Choose the word(s) below which best describe his tone:
Cynical
Sympathetic
Vindictive
Intense
8) Explain your choice:
Outraged
Positive
Cheerful
Hostile
Solemn
Personal
Humorous
Critical
Name:_______________________
PURPOSE
9) We can probably all agree that the writer’s purpose is to inform us about his
experience in choosing whether or not to attend school. Which of the following
secondary purposes does the author seem to have? (Circle as many as apply.)
Amuse
Motivate
Sadden
Ridicule
Anger
ORGANIZATION
10) Which of the following techniques does the author use to develop his ideas? Circle
all that apply.
Narration
Cause and Effect
Description
Definition
Personal anecdote
Comparison
Analogy
Dialogue
11) How does the writer arrange his ideas? Choose the answer below which best fits his
organizational pattern.
From particular example to generalization
From broad topic to specific example
Spatially
Chronologically
From basic concepts to sophisticated ideas
12) Use the following chart to outline the transition sentences that Mathabane uses to show a change in
scene, a passage of time, or a moment of contemplation. You should find at least 6 transition
sentences.
SENTENCE
TYPE OF
TRANSITION
THESIS
13) What is the author’s thesis? (HINT: It is implied but perhaps not outright stated, and
it is DEDUCTIVE, not inductive!)