What aspects of Mathabane's life explain his aversion to school in Kaffir Boy?

Mathabane does not want to go to school in part because he has been exposed to the wild boys running in the streets. They teach him that it is far better to scrounge for money, food, and other desirable things than to attend school. He has been influenced by these boys and thinks that the life of the streets is superior to the life of education.

In addition, Mathabane has been exposed to cruel white authority figures, such as the police who raid his house and of whom his parents are frightened. He has seen that these figures can harm him and his family and have the right to arrest his parents for not having the right passes. Therefore, Mathabane associates anything official with fear, humiliation, harm, and prejudice, and he is not likely to trust his teachers or the administrators of the school. In addition, Mathabane is unfamiliar with the ways of the school and what education means. He has not been around many people who have benefited from having a formal education, so he is not aware of its benefits. He also has not been exposed to much formal learning, so he is not yet confident in himself as a student and does not realize how much he will eventually like to learn and how much his education will help him.

What is the boy's initial attitude towards school in Kaffir Boy?

Kaffir Boy: The True Story of a Black Youth's Coming of Age in Apartheid South Africa is a 1986 autobiography written by South African author and lecturer Mark Mathabane. Mathabane talks about his experiences and covers a variety of themes, focusing on the unjust apartheid system, racism and discrimination, and the power of determination and luck. He also explains how he managed to become a successful tennis player.

At first, the boy doesn’t wish to go to school at all; he thinks that many kids are bullied at school and often face unfair treatment. The boy’s father, who comes from an old South African tribe, believes that school is pointless, that the educational system is flawed, and that the best way to learn is from experience and by practicing the old South African traditions. Thus, he agrees with his son and doesn’t want him to go to school. The boy’s mother, however, manages to convince her son to go to school by telling him that this is the only way to gain freedom and live a better life; she tells him that he will become wiser and smarter and will be able to get a good job and make money. She also tells him that he will learn to be just, tolerant, and open-minded. The boy then ponders his mother’s words and decides to go to school.