In the novel “Cry, the Beloved Country” by Alan Paton, readers experience the story of a priest from a small village travelling to a big city to find his family. When he arrives in Johannesburg, he realizes that his family has faltered in regards to their faith and has experienced much difficulties in life. His sister is a prostitute who tells illegal items on the streets, his brother is a politician fighting for the rights of black people but ultimately only cares about his own power, and his son who is in jail for killing a famous anti-racism activist. “Cry, the Beloved Country” gives the reader an inside look on the complex relationships of fathers and sons and how their relationship is separated, reconciled, and ultimately how the father and son share common goals. First, the theme of the father and son being seperated is a major part of the novel. The two live very different lives in very different parts of the country. This came about when his son left the small tribal village and decided to move to Johannesburg for a better life. While he was there he fell on hard times due to the social inequality forced upon the blacks and eventually resulted to stealing in order to survive. Around the middle of the novel we learn that Kumalo's son Absalom killed someone and has been …show more content…
The idea of family being seperated is demonstrated in the fact that Kumalo’s entire family has gone to the big city and not stayed in contact. Additionally, the idea that families are able to reconcile after an extended time away from each other is vital. This can be seen in the scenes where Kumalo and his son are visiting before his death. Finally, the idea that families are more alike than they think and that they have a strong bond is shown in how they interact with each other. John Paton writes a beautiful story which allows the readers to see and understand the concept of family and all the faults that it