Cry The Beloved Country By Alan Paton

Essay, Research Paper

Cry, the Beloved Country, by Alan Paton, is the timeless novel about South Africa in the 1940? s. As powerful white work forces use the land for their ain benefit, the tribal system of the African indigens is broken down and replaced by poorness, homelessness, fright, and force. A black priest, Stephen Kumalo, ventures to the great metropolis of Johannesburg in hunt of his lost sister and boy. His journey demonstrates the unhealthy life style and mutinous ambiance of the black people ; yet he is the perceiver of forgiveness, love, hope, and the Restoration of a state overwhelmed with jobs.

The inkinesss in large metropoliss, such as Johannesburg, are fearful of white work forces because they have all the power. They own the mines and mills, and do and transport out the Torahs. When fright is so profoundly ingrained in a society, it can do people to strike out in force, or to subject and be unvoiced to unfair authorization. ? Have no uncertainty it is fear in her eyes? . ? I have nil to state, ? she said. ? You have nil to state because you are afraid. ? ? ( Pg. 46-47 ) The adult female, Mrs. Mkize, is one of the many inkinesss who are terrified by the Whites. She doesn? T want the constabulary to come to her house, and does non cognize if she can swear Msimangu and Kumalo. This changeless apprehensiveness causes people to move in ways that they usually would non.

It is this same terror that caused Absolom Kumalo to hit Arthur Jarvis. Absolom, being a felon, had ground to fear authorization figures ; and because Arthur was white, Absolom automatically associated him with domination and bid. ? ? I told them I was frightened when the white adult male came. So I shot him. I did non intend to kill him. ? ? ( Pg. 98 ) When so many white people are being killed by inkinesss, it can merely increase the fright felt by both races: inkinesss because they do non wish to secure any problem, and Whites because they do non desire to be the following victim.

By non giving power, the Whites are conveying this fright upon themselves. ? And our lives will shrivel, but they shall be the lives of superior existences ; and we shall populate with fright, but at least it will non be a fright of the unknown. ? ( Pg. 79 ) The inquiry is: how long can this unstable and superficial lifestyle endure before the morning of a new equity? Future coevalss will hold to cover with these issues which are left unresolved by a power hungry state. And if jobs are left unsettled for excessively long, hatred may set up a lasting abode in South Africa.

Msimangu, who has anticipated future events, confesses to Kumalo what he fears most deeply: ? ? ? that one twenty-four hours when they [ white people ] are turned to loving, they will happen we [ black people ] are turned to detesting? ? ( Pg. 40 ) Msimangu understands that certain people are corrupted by power, or merely want power to take T

he power off from other people. With no echt aspirations, the power is corrupt and no 1 will profit.

The state of affairs is somewhat dry because the two work forces are on their manner to hear John Kumalo speak. John has no earnestness in his political work, but enjoys the bid and importance he additions as an influential talker. His selfishness is revealed when he deserts his hard-pressed nephew: ? ? There is no cogent evidence that my boy or this other immature adult male was at that place at all? John Kumalo smiles at that? . Who will believe your boy? ? ? ( Pg. 101 ) Power in the custodies of a adult male with such distorted ethical motives and missing trueness can non be good.

In contrast, James Jarvis is a powerful adult male willing to give his clip and money to reconstruct Ndosheni. His actions were non brought about by self-serving inducements. ? ? But there is merely one thing that has power wholly, and that is love. Because when a adult male loves, he seeks no power, and hence he has power. ? ? ( Pg. 39 ) This illustrates the agencies by which South Africa can regenerate itself. When people work together for a common and echt end, anything is possible.

In the thick of Kumalo? s hurt, he encounters hope and forgiveness through Jarvis. ? ? Pain and agony, they are a secret. Kindness and love, they are a secret. But I have learned that kindness and love can pay for hurting and suffering. ? ? ( Pg. 226 ) At times in the novel, Kumalo inquiries the intent of populating in such a premonition environment, but when he returns to Ndosheni, he has intent and love all around him. Returning to Ndosheni, Kumalo can concentrate on the hereafter, and non brood on his unpleasant yesteryear.

This is precisely the frame of head in which Jarvis so gallantly aids the Restoration of Ndosheni. There are many emotions Jarvis could hold choosen to prosecute when he discovered the connexion Kumalo had with Arthur: retaliation, hatred, desperation. But Jarvis chose to forgive and travel on.

Because there was such unneeded hatred in South Africa, a immature adult female, Amy Beihl, was murdered. Ironically, she was working for the rights of the black people by whom she was randomly killed. This relates straight to Cry, the Beloved Country, because Arthur Jarvis was killed much in the same manner. The character of Msimangu was right when he predicted that in the hereafter his people would be excessively full of hatred to let alterations to happen in South Africa.

Like Jarvis, the people of South Africa need to forgive each other for actions taken in the yesteryear. No 1 benefits from blind hatred ; it merely brings about fright. If no 1 stops the rhythm of retribution, South Africa may ne’er be the great state for which it has such possible. Many jobs need to be fixed, but, with adequate love and kindness, there may be hope for the people of South Africa.

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