Kaffir Boy, Chapter 21-24 Notes

21-24 Quiz; Question 1 •  Johannes finds his mother with “…her face swollen

and bruised and her eyes puffed up to the point where she could scarcely see” (131)

•  His father does not want him to attend school and is upset that his wife would enroll Johannes

•  Why is he so upset that his son would attend school? “He refused to go to school

because his father led him to believe that an education was a tool through which white people were going to take things away from him” (133)

Chapter 21 Notes (in notebook) •  Johannes is reluctant to go to school •  He wanted his freedom as a young man, his time in

the gang and he was fearful from rumors he heard about school

•  When he sees his mother ruthlessly beaten, Johannes sees this as something that forces him to go to school (130)

•  His mother tells him “I want you to have a future, child” (133)

Who holds the power in this chapter? How do you know?

21-24 Quiz; Question 2 •  Miss Mphephu struggled with teaching so many

students and “…begged for attention, but no one gave it to her” (138)

•  Miss Mphephu was only 16 and screamed a lot to get control – she would also become hostile when she was upset with the students (138)

•  “An older woman with children of her own replaced her – she too whipped us, she didn’t do so with the unchecked brutality of the young girl” (140)

Chapter 22 Notes (in notebook) •  Johannes begins school and has to listen to all of

the rules of Bovet Community School •  Students are tightly packed into the courtyard, and

people are fainting due to the heat (136) •  Miss Mphephu attempts to teach, but does more

yelling than anything else •  Johannes is frustrated with the yelling and

screaming, and he no longer wants to return to school

Who holds the power in this chapter? How do you know?

21-24 Quiz; Question 3 •  Johannes is getting punished regularly •  He has not paid his fees, he is not

prepared for class, he is not groomed (140)

•  He was on the “noisemaker list” (140) •  He was often times too tired to function

and would not participate in choir/drill practice (140)

Chapter 23 Notes (in notebook) •  Despite being beaten, Johannes stays in school •  He has a new teacher who is fair and disciplined •  He begins to make friends who came from rich

homes and would loan him money •  A nutrition program starts, for 4 pennies he

could eat a peanut butter sandwich and milk every day

•  As Johannes learns more, he is more interested to know more

•  Johannes makes it to the top of his class Who holds the power in this chapter?

How do you know?

21-24 Quiz; Question 4 •  Johannes enters the boxing ring with

another boy and gets beaten up •  The coach offers him a chance to come

back to train, but Johannes is realizing boxing isn’t for him (155)

•  Symbolic of Johannes choosing school and education over brawn and fight (his gang)