Cry the Beloved Country

The controversial novel, Cry the Beloved country, originally published in 1948 by Alan Paton has received just as much praise as condemnation. The novel, thought long since antiquated by some, remains a classic still, after 50 years. Paton’s novel has been continually critiqued, compared, and contrasted against not only his own later work, but also with other South African novelists

Paton, who grew up in Pietermartizburg, Natal, South Africa; always enjoyed the beauty around him. At the age of 22, he began a teaching career, first at a native school in the village of Ixopo, then at Pietermartizburg College. Years later he abandoned teaching to begin a career as a reformatory worker. He was appointed principal to the diepkloof reformatory, where he attempted to loosen the restrictions placed on the boys and emphasizes preparation for life outside the reformatory walls. He traveled extensively to study reformatories throughout the world. It was on one of these trips that he was inspired to write cry the beloved country, the novel that made him famous.

In the 1930’s and 40’s South Africa was a nation torn apart by racial segregation, enforced inequality, and prejudice. A wave of crime, mostly by

. . .

View the whole essay, without interruption

This can be seen in Paton’s description of the “Shanty-towns” predominant in South African provinces.

The interesting part is that the overall message of this novel is one of hope; of hope in a better economy, a better life, more opportunities, and especially a hope in an equal South Africa. The story follows the Reverend Kumalo on his journey to find his son. Paton’s novel finds its setting in this fragile society, where fear and hatred diminish the beauty and good of the nation. This “wave” of crime that was sweeping through the land was a cry out for help by black natives who only wanted to be given justice, to be treated as equals. The idea that good can be found in all men is a predominant theme running through the novel. Politics in South Africa, dominated by whites led to the extreme poverty of the natives. Paton shows excerpts from the late Arthur Jarvis’ essays on the problem with native crime. He chooses to romanticize and put into perspective the conflict between the Europeans, and the native south Africans. These sub-chapters take us away from the personal conflict of Steven Kumalo and James Jarvis, and take us to problems on a much more global scale. The trial brings to light, and focuses on the injustice in the land. Upon their return to Natal, where they both ironically lived in close proximity to each other, they began to interact with each other. He hired a new teacher for the schools, and the teacher informed the tribe of new ways to farm, which helped them through the drought season. In this novel, Paton follows the protagonist, Steven Kumalo on a sort of mission to bring back his family from the corrupt influences of the major South African city of Johannesburg.

Approximate Word count = 1161
Approximate Pages = 5 (250 words per page double spaced)

Simply subscribe to view this paper, and 100,000 others.