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Cry The Beloved Country

679 Words3 Pages

In Cry, the Beloved Country, Alan Paton tries to highlight the similarities that tie together two different individuals, namely Stephen Kumalo and James Jarvis on the issues of their journey through life, their connected destiny, and the differences in racial practices. James Jarvis is a grieving white man struggling to understand and appreciate his dead son's feelings for the majority non-white population, whereas Stephen Kumalo is a native black man wondering when all his sorrows will come eventually to an end. The reader comes to know in between the story, that his son is imprisoned for killing James Jarvis' son. James Jarvis and Stephen Kumalo, the two main characters can be said to have undergone a significant change as the story progresses. …show more content…

Their inter-twined destiny is a common point of similarity that the author clearly expresses. It starts from basic facts such as: both come from Ndotsheni and the fact that Absalom (Stephen's son) killed Arthur Jarvis (James' son). The reader can remember when Stephen Kumalo tries to embrace the fate he will suffer by letting James know about his "heart's heaviest thing of all years" (Paton 214). Guilt forces him to utter in despair, "It was my son that killed your son," (Paton 214). This simple statement is a heavy blow to James Jarvis. Here we witness the connection between these two emotional events, where one father is searching to be pleased of his son's good deeds whereas the other father is ashamed with pure guilt over son's …show more content…

Throughout the story, the author's words are echoed by all characters (whether black or white), about the desired peace and harmony that should be achieved by all South Africans. Readers can remember the sayings of Rev. Msimangu when he states that his greatest fear is when the whites have started loving, the blacks would have started hating. The author is keen in suggesting love between inter-racial groups. He does this pointing out racial differences and their effect on lives. These little journeys through life affect the thinking of man and make him undergo a change. Some examples are James Jarvis and Stephen

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From beginning to end, the son calls his father “Baba” to show his affection and admiration. Despite the father’s inability to come up with a new story, the son still looks up to him. This affectionate term also contrasts with the father’s vision of the “boy packing his shirts [and] looking for his keys,” which accentuates the undying love between the father and son (15 & 16) . The father’s emotional “screams” also emphasize his fear of disappointing the son he loves so much (17). Despite the father’s agonizing visions, the son remains patient and continues to ask for a story, and their relationship remains “emotional” and “earthly”--nothing has changed (20-21).

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The changes struck before Kumalo had even noticed. In the book” Cry, The Beloved Country” there is a major dynamic character, the protagonist to be exact, this male is titled “Stephen Kumalo”, this wonderful man has experienced various changes throughout the amazing novel. Kumalo has affected the run-on themes and taught the readers quite a few life lessons. However, along with these teachings the readers have caught on to, some main concepts the readers have noticed was his amazing change.

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Paton’s use of both biblical allusions and connotative diction serve to illustrate the change that has occurred and the change that will come about to the society and people of South Africa. More specifically the biblical allusions allow for the reader to better understand/relate and gain a humanistic view of the characters. While connotative diction enables the reader to infer what the future holds for Kumalo and South Africa after the book ends as the light and dawn will

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For it was not only a voice of gold, but it was the voice of a man whose heart is golden, reading from a book of golden words”(Paton123). Through this passage, Paton showcases the full power of Msimangu’s voice and the reader cannot help but wonder if Msimangu with his healing voice can be the one to bridge the rift that divides Africa. Unfortunately, the reader slowly learn that Msimangu is a spiritual man and is more concerned in helping others live a spiritual life then helping them to win their rights. One passage in Cry the Beloved Country reads, “yet he is despised by some, for his golden voice that could raise a nation speaks always thus”. They say he preaches of a world not made by hands, while in the streets about him mean suffer and struggle and die”(Paton 124).

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Kumalo and Jarvis did not start out with a perfect relationship. In fact, for the majority of their lives they did not have any sort of relationship at all. Kumalo, a Zulu native, had seen James Jarvis, a wealthy European man, ride past the church occasionally, but they had never spoken. Once Absalom murdered Jarvis’ son, Kumalo was terrified of confronting him and having to deal with the guilt and the weight of another person’s pain. Jarvis, on the other hand, did not even recognize Kumalo when they were in the same courtroom for Absalom’s trial.

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