Cry,+the+Beloved+Country

=**Title of the Work**= //Cry, the Beloved Country//

=Author= Alan Paton (deceased)

=Nationality/Ethnic Background= South African Parents: James Paton, Scottish civil servant (deceased) and Eunice Warder Paton, a white South African (deceased) =Pertinent Biographical Information= Born a white South African, Alan Paton was exposed to discrimination growing up. He became the founder and president of the Liberal Party and an avid activist against apartheid. Paton was a practicing Christian, which is reflected in his work. Throughout his life, Paton was continuously involved with the education and reformation of young people. Soon after graduating from Maritzburg College and Natal University College, Paton became a high school teacher and was later the president of a reformatory for young offenders. He worked rehabilitating young black people for some time, and struggled to loosen the restrictions placed on the students at the reform school. He studied reform schools worldwide, and it was on a tour of prisons and reformatories in Sweden, Norway and North America that Paton began to write //Cry, the Beloved Country// during the mid-twentieth century.

=Literary Historical Period/Movement and Pertinent Background= Alan Paton began writing //Cry, the Beloved Country// in 1946 and finished the work later that year. He began writing it while on a tour of prisons and reform schools in Sweden, Norway and North America during the time of World War II. Paton started writing //Cry, the Beloved Country// before the Apartheid, South Africa’s well-known forced racial segregation, but the country was already suffering from racism and inequality, as evident in the heartbreaking portrayal of differences in judgement regarding white South Africans compared to black South Africans.

=Genre and Sub-genres= Fiction, Drama, Social Realism

=Major Characters, Their Relationships, Their Conflicts= __**Stephen Kumalo**__ is middle aged Anglican priest living in South Africa. He journeys to Johannesburg to search for his son, Absalom, who supposedly moved to the city to pursue an education. Coming from a small, rural village, Kumalo is stunned and saddened by the sin rampant in Johannesburg. He finally locates his son in to learn that he has been convicted of the murder of Arthur Jarvis. He is devastated by the corruption of his son and by his impending death sentence. He returns to his home town where he unites with the father of the murdered Arthur Jarvis. The two men struggle to make life better for the people of the village. At the end of the novel, Kumalo comes to peace with his son's death.

__**James Jarvis**__ is a white farmer who lives near to Ndotsheni. Jarvis accepts the racist social structure present in South Africa until he learns that his son, Arthur, has been murdered by a black man (Stephen Kumalo's son). At this time, he travels to his son's house where he learns that Arthur had been an activist for racial equality. He gets to know who his son was through his writings, and when he returns to Ndotsheni, he reaches out to his black neighbors (including Stephen Kumalo, the father of his son's murderer) and strives to make life better for them.

__**Theophilus Msimangu**__ is a white minister who befriends Stephen Kumalo and helps guide him on his journey through Johannesburg. He helps to explain to Kumalo the political/social structures and racism present in Johannesburg. He believes that love and forgiveness are the tools with which to resolve discrimination, and during the novel, he leaves Kumalo all of his possessions and joins a monastery.

__**Absalom Kumalo**__ is the son of Stephen Kumalo. He leaves Ndotsheni to look for work in Johannesburg. Once in Johannesburg, Absalom falls in with the wrong crowd, and turns to a life of crime. He is convicted of the murder of Arthur Jarvis after firing a gun out of fear on the scene of an armed robbery. He is sentenced to death for his crime, and eventually comes to terms with his death and reconciles with his father.

__**Mrs. Kumalo**__ is Stephen Kumalo's wife. She is very supportive and encourages him to solve his problems.

__**Gertrude Kumalo**__ is Stephen Kumalo's younger sister. She too turns to a life of crime (specifically prostitution) after moving to Johannesburg. Stephen travels to Johannesburg provide support and encouragement in the hope of rehabilitating his sister. She runs off to become a nun, and her son returns to Ndotsheni with Stephen.

__**John Kumalo**__ is Stephen Kumalo's brother. He is a political leader in Johannesburg, but he leads a corrupt life. His son may also be partially guilty for the death of Arthur Jarvis.

__**Mr. Charmichael**__ is well respected lawyer who defends Absalom in court. He loses the case, however, and Absalom is sentenced to death.

__**Absalom's girlfriend**__ is a young woman whom he gets pregnant and then leaves. Stephen Kumalo meets her in his search for Absalom and takes her under his wing. She returns to live with Stephen and his family and cares for Gertrude's young son.

=Brief Plot Summary=
 * Stephen Kumalo, who lives in the small village of Ndotsheni in South Africa, receives a letter from a Minister named Msimangu asking him to come to Johannesburg to help his sister who has taken up prostitution.
 * He goes to Johannesburg to remind his sister of her responsibilities and to find his son, Absalom, with whom he has lost contact.
 * First he goes to visit Stephen's brother, John, who is a politician in Johannesburg, directs him to the factory that Absalom once worked for and from there he is directed to a reform school Absalom attended and a girl he got pregnant.
 * The newspapers announce that Arthur Jarvis, a widely respected white activist, has been killed and and Kumalo and Msimangu soon discover that Absalom has been convicted of the murder, though he claims that he was not the only one involved and that the shooting was accidental.
 * Kumalo tries to reach out to his son and understand him once again, while simultaneously arranging for a lawyer to defend him.
 * Back in Ndotsheni, Arthur Jarvis's father, James Jarvis, is notified of his son's death and leaves immediately for Johannesburg where he finally comes to understand his estranged son through his writings.
 * James Jarvis meets Stephen Kumalo and the two men attend Absalom's trial together.
 * Absalom, who is sentenced to the death penalty, marries his pregnant girlfriend before his is executed.
 * Soon afterward, Kumalo finds out that Gertrude has run off, leaving her young child behind, in order to (supposedly) become a nun.
 * Kumalo returns to Ndotsheni, he is saddened by the collapse of tribal values as demonstrated in Johannesburg and wants to restore stability to his village.
 * James Jarvis, inspired by the teachings of his late son, also returns to Ndotsheni with the intention of improving the situation.
 * The two work to improve agriculture, the church, and several other aspects of the village.
 * On the day of Absalom's scheduled death, Kumalo climbs the mountain in order to think and pray as his son dies.
 * On the way, he meets Jarvis and the two talk about their sons and of Jarvis's young grandson who has become friends with Kumalo.
 * They part their ways, and Kumalo mourns the death of his son in solitude, heavy-hearted yet at peace.
 * Now rather than avenge his sons death, Jarvis goes on to help the village avert their drought by providing knowledge and materials for the village people.

=Motifs (Recurring Images, Ideas, Figures of Speech, Symbols, Colors) & Their Thematic Significance= Nature and descriptions of places are used to symbolize concepts that Alan Paton is trying to convey. The land described above symbolizes the people of South Africa. The Umzimkulu Valley is representative of the white people living in South Africa, while the lower hills are representative of the blacks. The description of the land is intended to demonstrate the way that blacks are forced into submission by the thriving whites. The black people are compared to the "lower" hills because they are lower in society. The Valley and the white people thrive, grow wealthy and dominate over the lower hills and the black people, which become barren and isolated.
 * Nature/Places:**
 * Umzimkulu Valley: the author uses words such as "rich," "lush," "lovely," "matted," "thriving," "rolling," "fertile," and "grassy" when referring to the Umzimkulu Valley
 * Lower Hills: the author uses words such as "dying," "barren," "burn't," "destroyed," and "isolated when referring to the lower hills.
 * Despite it's beauty, the untamed African meadows and pastures are shown to be ignored by the hustle and bustle of city life.

Alan Paton creates an atmosphere in his novel in which whites fear blacks and blacks fear whites. This fear is intended to illuminate the harmful nature of apartheid and racism; inequality and oppression stirs hatred and brings about distrust and fear between races.
 * Fear:**
 * Whites fear black crime. They are too afraid to admit that it is their own injustice that turns blacks to crime. They're afraid to give up their racial beliefs and the social structure they have grown accustomed to.
 * Whites fear the mining strike because the economy depends on black labor,
 * Blacks fear further oppression. They fear that whites will continue to break up their tribes and thus tear apart their families.
 * Absalom shoots and inadvertently kills Arthur Jarvis out of fear for what would happen if he was caught
 * South Africa is described as being caught in "the fear of bondage and the bondage of fear"

Though the novel focuses on the negative aspects of South Africa in order to point out social injustice, there are several events that occur throughout the novel that suggest hope for South African blacks.
 * Hope:**
 * Gertrude, whose character represents the typical young black person who ventures beyond his/her tribe and ends up getting swept down the wrong path, eventually leaves to become a nun. Her actions present the hope that there is always the possibility of redemption for oppressed blacks and their tribes.
 * In the bus boycotts that happen in Johannesburg due to price changes for black passengers, many white drivers go miles out of their way to give rides to the boycotters. The unplanned cooperation between blacks and whites shows a very real possibility for a united future.
 * Despite the tragedies that both Kumalo and Jarvis have to face, each man learns a great lesson and grows to be a better human being. Kumalo learns to be steadfast in the face of tragedy. He continues to pray and he takes an active role in the community so that he can prevent Absalom's story from happening again. Jarvis also learns from the tragedy that it is important for him to help his black neighbors. The efforts that both of these men make suggest that there is hope to revive the black community.
 * Jarvis's young grandson, a very intelligent white boy, makes friends with Kumalo and shows an interest in learning Zulu. This demonstrates that there is hope for equality and understanding between the races in future generations.


 * Appearance vs Reality:**
 * Johannesburg is traveled to by many Africans in hopes for a chance at equality, when instead it is a breeding ground for crime, corruptness, and inequality
 * The streets of lower Johannesburg have names of flowers, " Lily st." and "Hyacinth st.," yet in these streets the crime is at its worst. Prostitutes and liquor salespeople line the streets and kids roam openly in gangs.
 * Though John Kumalo appeared to want to help his brother, in the end he used Stephen's son to take the blame for a joint crime, allowing John's own son to escape any punishment.
 * Johannesburg is supposed to represent the hope for the future that may black people in South Africa cling to. In the novel, many young blacks look to Johannesburg with the hope of a better future. They travel there, expecting to make their lives better, but they are often shut out of jobs and housing, they run out of money, and frequently turn to negative behavior. For these reasons, Johannesburg is representative of the false hope that many South African blacks held on to. It is a symbol of how their aspirations are crushed by a white dominated society, with very little space for black people to succeed.


 * Custom:**
 * Several times in the novel, character's reasoning for their action or inaction is explained by what is and isn't proper. As Kumalo mourns the loss of his son, Jarvis remains on his horse rather than comfort him because "such a thing is not easily done."
 * The novel uses the same phrases to show that the old customs are being brought down, if slowly. When Kumalo and Msimangu drive past a white driver being arrested for helping the black bus boycotters, Msimangu is impressed by the deed because "such a thing is not easily done."
 * Johannesburg shows the naivete of the tribal, small town customs. The villagers' shock and destruction upon arriving in Johannesburg reveals how little they know about the modern world. They are stuck in the past, for better or for worse, and are easily smothered by the big, modern city when they arrive there.
 * While talking to his brother in their native Zulu, John Kumalo, one of the most powerful blacks in Johannesburg, asks "Do you mind if i speak English? I can explain it better in English." This shows that tribal ways and languages are ending, and in order to be a successful black man living in their white-dominated culture, one must abandon the old ways for the white people's ways.

=Other Significant Thematic Elements (Significant Character's Names, Significant Quotations, Significant Actions/Events)=
 * The name of Stephen Kumalo's son, Absalom Kumalo, is a biblical allusion. Absalom is a biblical figure who rebels against his father. A parallel could be drawn between the Absalom from the Bible's rebellion and the way in which Absalom Kumalo rejects the tribal values instilled in him by his father and turns to a life of corruption and crime.


 * "White men have destroyed the tribe and left nothing to take it's place" -Msimangu

=Major Themes=
 * A prominent figure in supporting equality, Arthur Jarvis was murdered by blacks while writing a book about the real reason they have succumbed to crime: oppression. However, instead of proving Arthur's belief of inequality impossible, the murder is used to bring James Jarvis to realization of the oppression he'd ignored all his life.
 * **Racism brings about hatred, violence and fear, and forces people into ruin:** In the novel, white people take farmland from the blacks, who are then forced to leave their tribal villages to look for work and head to the big cities they know nothing of. They often become overwhelmed trying to survive in the big cities. They are caught in limbo, with no system in place to support them, and often spiral into a life of crime and violence. Their violent actions terrorize the white people and keep them in constant fear. This sequence of events, which is described in the novel, is intended to establish the idea that racism causes hatred, and oppression brings about violent rebellion. The hatred and violence that springs from racism puts everyone in a state of distrust and fear. It is unhealthy for the entire society--the oppressor and and the oppressed.
 * **Unity, equality, and mutual respect are the only route to a better, more peaceful future:** This novel explores the drawbacks of racism and discrimination. The only moments where there seems to be hope for society's future are at times when people from both races join together. James Jarvis goes through a transformation after his son dies. He begins to study his son's teachings, and comes to agree with him that racism and apartheid are the causes behind all the violence and chaos in South Africa. At the end of the novel, he begins to reach out to his black neighbors to improve their lives and decrease the likelihood that they resort to crime. This transformation suggests hope for the future of blacks and their relations with whites. When James Jarvis and Stephen Kumalo unite and become friends, despite their colors and the fact that Kumalo's son killed Jarvis's son, there is hope that blacks and whites may one day coexist peacefully. Jarvis's grandson also symbolizes hope. He befriends the black people and shows an interest in learning their culture. All of these hopeful events support the theme that eliminating discrimination is the first step to eliminating violence, chaos and hatred.
 * **People are equivalent no matter their race:** Though the novel focuses on the separation and barriers between blacks and whites, it also draws parallels between the two peoples. Kumalo finds that, though he expects to be rejected because of his tribal background, many whites want to help him in any way they can. When Kumalo and Jarvis meet at the scene of their sons' fatal meeting, they both mourned together and exchanged comforting words. Kumalo finds a striking unity between the men he lodges with, priests of both black and white.
 * **Any grief can be dealt with through religious beliefs:** At nearly every substantial point in the novel, Kumalo makes a private retreat to pray for forgiveness, guidance, or strength. Kumalo finds out his sister is a prostitute, his brother is a selfish, corrupt politician, and his son will be put to death for his carefree life of crime. Though he is racked by grief and, at the point when he learns about his son's sentence, hardly able to hold on to his sanity, he manages to come to terms with it all by seeking shelter in God.