Cry, The Beloved Country

In, Cry, the Beloved Country Alan Paton sought to show the disorder and the deep racial segregation of South African nations after World War II. To do this he centers his story around the happenings in a large industrial city. As a result of the break-up of South American tribes by greedy white men and the desolate land left for the natives, one man’s son is shot by another. Unforeseen, but inevitable, it affected the lives of many. By focusing on the two main characters in Cry, the Beloved Country, Paton shows that suffering brings understanding that, in turn, brings compassion

Kumalo, the main character in Cry, the Beloved Country, is confronted by a number of problems throughout the book. At first he suffers as he tries to adapt to the new place. When Kumalo receives a letter telling him that his sister is sick, he decides to venture to Johannesburg. When he gets there he is robbed, then treated with kindness (Callan 38). This makes him uneasy and wary of the new place. He visits places of despair and then places of hope (38). This contrast between the two makes him understand the gap between the two. He ventures into this new society and is presented with the worst and

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The private experiences of Kumalo leads him to understand life and the troubles associated with it. Although it was Kumalo’s son who murdered his son, Jarvis still is kind. He didn’t do it alone but he is the one that is tried. Throughout his trip, he suffers as he is confronted by a family that has deserted God and a son that has gone against all of Kumalo’s teachings. He is as respectful to him as a person can be and tries to offer the best of what he has to Jarvis. She agrees and this makes him feel a little better, but he still struggles. The land’s desolation has driven them away: “The soil cannot keep them anymore” (Paton 4). After finding his sister and brother, he turns to the task of finding his son who had left years before in search of work. Also while in Johannesburg he runs into his brother who has become a politician. Wearily he goes from place to place searching. First of all, Jarvis shows compassion to Kumalo. He thoiught he was being summoned because she was sick and when he finds out the real problem he is initially shocked and finds it hard to bear the embarassment of his sister, but he then tries to persuade her to come home with him. Although Kumalo does not have much to offer Jarvis, he shows his compassion by friendship. When his brother turns him down, he is upset.

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Approximate Word count = 1584
Approximate Pages = 6 (250 words per page double spaced)

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