James Jarvis Essay Sample
Writers frequently use symbolism to depict their characters more in deepness. An illustration of symbolism in the novel. Cry. the Beloved Country. is the relation of the character James Jarvis to a broken mirror and a half-filled glass. A broken mirror resembles Jarvis’s journey and how it reflects to that of Kumalo’s. and besides how his life and thoughts were shattered by the decease of his boy. A glass half-filled could stand for many features about Jarvis. including his original ignorance and his new expression on life after the decease of his household.
The mirror is James Jarvis and the contemplation is Kumalo’s physical and emotional journey. In the novel. both of the work forces lose their kids. with the exclusion that Absolom Kumalo had a opportunity to populate and merely died because he killed Jarvis’s boy. Their decease brings their male parents on an emotional journey that drives the novel. The mirror is broken because his whole thought about life and South Africa was shattered from his son’s decease. When his boy is changeable and killed. James gets to eventually cognize him and his values. The fresh reads. “Jarvis filled his pipe easy. and listened to the narrative of his boy. to this narrative of a stranger” ( Paton 172 ) . He reads his boies addresss and understands his country’s segregation. alleviating him of his ignorance.
A glass half-full represents all facets of James Jarvis’s life and personality. The full portion of the glass represents his newfound generousness towards the South African native population. When Jarvis and Kumalo were speaking at the church. the novel says “…Kumalo told him about the milk. and the new dike that was to be built. and the immature demonstrator” ( Paton 296 ) . The empty half represents his original ignorance to his boy and the state before the deceases of his married woman and boy.
James Jarvis was a dynamic character who changed throughout the novel. Alan Paton could hold besides used countless other symbols. though the chosen two involved more facets of Jarvis. including his personality and physical journey. In drumhead. a broken mirror reflects the journeys of the two chief characters and besides how his thoughts were shattered. while a glass half-filled symbolizes his original ignorance and newfound generousness.
