Chapters 6-8 Summary

Noah describes himself as “the ultimate prankster.” He loves to get in trouble, especially if it involves fire or knives. He compares his relationship with his mother to the relationship between “the relentless detective and the devious mastermind she’s determined to catch.” She writes letters to Noah to make her points more clearly, including Bible quotes, and he writes back.

Noah recounts stories of his pets, two cats and two dogs. Noah’s nonconformist mother brings home the cats even though most Black people believe cats are witches. Soon the cats are killed by neighbors. Then Patricia brings home two mongrel puppies named Fufi and Panther. They don’t realize until after Fufi’s death that she is deaf and that Panther taught her what to do.

Noah sees Robert regularly until Patricia marries Abel, an abusive alcoholic who doesn’t let Noah see his father. Robert moves to Cape Town when Noah is 13, and they lose touch. Noah is busy building his career as a comedian, his career quickly taking off as he headlines at clubs. He reconnects with Robert in his 20s and is moved to learn that his father has kept a scrapbook of all Noah’s successes.

Chapters 6-8 Analysis

Noah is a high-energy, creative child who is difficult to discipline. He loves pulling pranks, a type of creative outlet for his energy and enthusiasm that gets him into trouble. The wide variety of pranks he pulls is evidence of his extremely creative personality. Noah writes about his child self with adult understanding and empathy, clearly remembering his childish thought process as he misbehaves.

Noah compares Catholic school to apartheid because he sees both as institutions with sets of strict rules that don’t make sense. Patricia grew up Catholic and always questioned the rules. Clearly, Noah inherits this questioning, anti-authoritarian nature partly from his mom. His white father, Robert, holds a deep hatred for racism and eventually moves to a thriving multicultural neighborhood full of mixed-race people and immigrants. Although Noah doesn’t spend much time with his father, Robert’s anti-authoritarian mixed-race restaurant and his questioning of racism likely reinforce these traits in Noah. Robert’s embrace of a multicultural neighborhood and lifestyle also helps Noah see that the world is a bigger place than just his own neighborhood.