Cry, the Beloved Country - 1064 Words

Essay Question #2 It has been said that the land is itself another character in Patons novel, Cry, the Beloved Country. What role does the landscape play in the novel? What does the valley surrounding Ndotsheni represent? Keep it, guard it, care for it, for it keeps men, guards men, cares for men. Destroy it and man is destroyed (Paton 33). In Cry, the Beloved Country, this bold statement reflects both the beauty of the land of South Africa and the peace and harmony of men. Both of their relations are solely dependent on the care that they receive and as of now, these relations are strained. Although Alan Paton never directly declares the importance of the land, the repetition of, There is a lovely road that runs from Ixopo into†¦show more content†¦Rather than boycotting the buses out of a slight degree of narrow-mindedness or by force, more benign actions should be taken to bring the blacks and the white closer together, not farther apart. Efforts to improve the natives social standing are still made; the white taxi driver took Msimangu and Kumalo to Alexandra, even though it was inconvenient for him, had a compassion for what was being done and perhaps even sympathy. These are small, but s teady steps to bring a mutual friendship and compassion to and for both peoples. To illustrate the differences of Ndotsheni and Johannesburg, elaborate details and distinctive tones of voice are used. In the country, Â…hills are grass-covered and rolling, and they are lovely beyond any singing of it (Paton 33). However, in the city, Â…noise is immense. Cars and buses one behind the other, more than he has ever imagined (Paton 47). The contrasting features of the country and of the city depict the very different lifestyles that the people experience. In the country, the people lead a more simple life, farming everyday and living with almost no crime. However, the people in the city are more corrupted and everywhere there is crime and illegal activity. The purpose of the portrayal of such opposite ways of life is to show how one person cannot always adapt to another kind of living. For instance, the young, unnamed girl who Absalom, KumalosShow MoreRelatedCry, the Beloved Country by Alan Paton838 Words   |  3 Pagesthis problem in Cry, the Beloved Country. Throughout the story, Paton adds specific personalities to his characters to contribute to change. Characters in Cry, the Beloved Country went through hardships that changed them to realize reality and its outcomes. Paton accordingly creates a picture throughout his story to explain the problems in South Africa. There are many contributing factors of Paton’s idea to identify as being important for change to occur in Cry, the Beloved Country. In Paton’s bookRead MoreEssay on Racism Exposed in Cry, the Beloved Country1121 Words   |  5 PagesRacism Exposed in Cry, the Beloved Country      Ã‚  Ã‚   The purpose of Cry, the Beloved Country, is to awaken the population of South Africa to the racism that is slowly disintegrating the society and its people.   Alan Paton designs his work to express his views on the injustices and racial hatred that plague South Africa, in an attempt to bring about change and understanding. The characters that he incorporates within his story, help to establish a sense of the conditionsRead More Cry the Beloved Country Movie versus Film Essay1055 Words   |  5 Pages Cry, the Beloved Country is a moving story of the Zulu pastor Stephen Kumalo and his son Absalom. They live in an Africa torn apart by racial tensions and hate. It is based on a work of love and hope, courage, and endurance, and deals with the dignity of man. The author lived and died (1992) in South Africa and was one of the greatest writers of that country. His other works include Too Late the Phalarope, Ah, but Your Land Is Beautiful, and Tales from a Troubled Land. The book was madeRead MoreFamilies Breaking Apart in Alan Patons Cry: The Beloved Country 754 Words   |  3 PagesIn Cry, the Beloved Country, Alan Paton shows us how two families are breaking apart. The natives are suffering but they are not the only one who are suffering. A white person’s family is also falling apart. Stephen Kumalo is a native from Ndotsheni and he has trouble with his family from the start. John Jarvis is a white person and he is also experiencing trouble with his family. Stephen Kumalo’s family is in a bad condition. His sister, Gertrude, and his son, Absalom, left Ndotsheni a long timeRead MoreTurmoil in South Africa in Cry the Beloved Country by Alan Paton626 Words   |  2 PagesAgitation and turmoil of whites and blacks filled South Africa. A major theme that Alan Paton develops throughout the novel, Cry, the Beloved Country is the importance of acting with kindness. The author promotes the idea that kindness is a part of the solution to the problems in South Africa. Being able to be kind helps people understand one another which can help bring reform and hope to the small community of Ndotcheni. Alan Paton through the novel teaches the idea of love thy brother as yourselfRead MoreCry, The Beloved Country994 Words   |  4 PagesJohn Harrison in Cry, The Beloved Country While a subsidiary character in Alan Paton s Cry, The Beloved Country , John Harrison offers a glimpse into the attitude of the younger generation toward the black population in South Africa, one that seeks change but isn t always willing to exert the necessary effort. Who is John Harrison? People enter our lives all the time. Some become close friends. Others are here one day and gone the next. There are some with whom we rarely speak, but when weRead MoreCry, The Beloved Country1710 Words   |  7 Pages Alan Paton’s Cry, the Beloved Country takes place during the late 1940’s in Southern Africa. Specifically, in High Place, Ndotsheni, and Johannesburg. It takes place during a time of social change. There is racial inequality taking place during the late 1940’s. The novel shows what it was like to be living during this time. Cry, the Beloved Country has an urban and crowded feeling for most of the novel. This novel is written in past-tense, third-person omniscient point of view. Occasionally, theRead MoreCry, The Beloved Country1145 Words   |  5 PagesCry, the Beloved Country as a Quest Novel Human nature compels everyone to quest after things they have lost. In Alan Paton’s Cry, the Beloved Country Stephen Kumalo goes out in search of his family when his tribe is being torn apart by family members leaving and never coming back. He leaves Ndotsheni in search for his sister and his son, prompted by a letter from Reverend Msimangu in Johannesburg. Upon arrival in the great city, Kumalo meets Msimangu who leads him to to Gertrude. Kumalo reconcilesRead MoreCry, The Beloved Country953 Words   |  4 Pageschanges when a horrific event happens. Take September 11, 2001, for example. America was forever changed on that sunny, fall day. It was only after the fact that America started to implement actions against its enemies. In Alan Paton’s story Cry, The Beloved Country, there are people who are changed after a terrible event happens. James Jarvis, a white farmer living in South Africa, goes through a transformation in his life after his son is killed by a black man. After his son is killed, instead of beingRead MoreCry, the Beloved Country640 Words   |  3 PagesChange is often thought of as horrible things occurring that ruins one’s life, but change can also bring one’s life to a new start. In the book, Cry the Beloved Country, the author, Alan Paton, examines changes that can be challenging, but he refers to these problems as a necessity for progress. Paton identifies the experiences that occur in the characters of Stephen Kumalo, Absalom (Stephen Kumalo’s son), and James Jarvis and how it hinders a change in these people. Paton distinguishes these changes