Cry, the Beloved Country by Alan Paton - 778 Words

â€Å"Africa† is not even an African word. There is no certainty as to where it originated from but it could be connected with the Latin word aprica, meaning â€Å"sunny,† or the Greek word aphrike, meaning â€Å"not cold.† It seems more likely that it came from the Greek word; â€Å"aphrike† is the combination of â€Å"phrike† (cold and horror) with an â€Å"a† placed in front to give it the opposite meaning. Therefore, it means a land free of cold and horror. It’s such an ironic name for a country where people are living their lives with hunger and fear. The conditions in South Africa during mid-1900 were even worse than they are today. Alan Paton addresses these issues in his novel, Cry, the Beloved Country, published in 1948. Paton uses two contrasting†¦show more content†¦They value the ownership of land and things more than the beauty of the land and the need to care for one another. These places are symbolized by Stephen and John Kumalo. The urban society is like John Kumalo, the corrupt brother. He left Ndotsheni years ago and never contacted his relatives. John is a successful businessman in Johannesburg where he is better off financially than his fellow natives. He is working for native rights, but he wasn’t actually working to benefit his people. Instead, he lets power consume him, while turning his back on his religious views and claiming that the Church is powerless in this land. Although both of them grew up in the same circumstances, Stephen Kumalo is the opposite of John. Stephen is the reverend at Ndotsheni, a man of God. He represents the good aspects of rural society. He is not self-servile like John and he leads a righteous life by dedicating himself in reuniting the families and the nation as a whole. Paton shows that these two concepts could be brought together to solve the problems of South Africa. The interaction between the citi es and villages are almost nonexistent and the problems of each are foreign to the other. They need to unite and care about each other, just like the whites and natives. The problem is that â€Å"it is fear that rules the land† (Msimangu). The whites and natives are afraid of each other, which alsoShow MoreRelatedCry, the Beloved Country by Alan Paton1076 Words   |  5 PagesAlan Paton who was a South African author and anti-apartheid activist wrote the novel Cry, the Beloved Country, The novel publication in 1948 was just before South Africa institutionalized racial segregation under Apartheid. Paton addresses the destruction of the tribal system in South Africa due to white colonization by using the novel as a medium to illustrate is damage. Throughout the novel we are exposed to the numerous problems resulting from the colonization. Communities are in collapse, theRead MoreCry, the Beloved Country by Alan Paton838 Words   |  3 Pagesindividuals. Alan Paton examines this 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 BelovedRead MoreCry, the Beloved Country by Alan Paton696 Words   |  3 PagesCry, the Beloved Country is a novel with remarkable lyricism written by Alan Paton. Born as a white South African, Alan Paton grew up during a time period marked by racial inequality and later became an activist against apartheid. He was a devout Christian so many of his writings reflect Christian faith. As an activist, he wrote many books about South Africa and racial injustice. While traveling around Europe, he began writing Cry, the Beloved Country, which was published in 1948. That same yearRead MoreCry, The Beloved Country By Alan Paton1155 Words   |  5 Pages Cry, The Beloved Country by Alan Paton is a stunning and all too accurate depiction of apartheid in South Africa. Even though the novel centers on John Kumalo and his struggling family, it subtly shows the social going ons of South Africa supposedly in 1948, when the book was written. Strong examples of this come across in the choral chapters of the novel. These chapters give voice to the people of South Africa. Chapter nine shows the struggles of being black during apartheid, chapter 12 shows theRead MoreCry, The Beloved Country, By Alan Paton1373 Words   |  6 Pagesescape with various routes, but an escape that interestingly calls back to the nature of innocence and child-like questions. It is in this way that Alan Paton’s enduring novel, Cry, The Beloved Country, takes on a unique and refreshing approach to a basic question: that of the equality and dignity of all people. Throughout Cry, The Beloved Country, Paton exudes frequent references to childhood, a devout religiosity, and of course, a return to simple questions; all of which contribute the idea of innocenceRead MoreImagery In Cry, The Beloved Country By Alan Paton768 Words   |  4 Pagesnoises, etc, as did the roles in the novel. Alan Paton uses a strong voice packed with imagery in his passage, â€Å"For they grow red and bare; they cannot hold the rain and mist, and the streams are dry in the kloofs. Too many cattle feed upon the grass, and too many fires have burned it. Stand shod upon it, for it is coarse and sharp, and the stones cut under the feet. It is not kept or guarded, or cared for, it no longer keeps men, guards men, cares for men† (Paton, 34). The overwhelming senses of touchRead MoreCry The Beloved Country By Alan Paton Analysis928 Words   |  4 PagesIt is no new information that God tends to directs the ordinary people out of their normal lives and make something great out of them. This reprsents what occured in Stephen Kumalos life from the book Cry, the Beloved Country by Alan Paton. Those who live broken and imperfect are the people God sees something special in. Grabbing these people out of their brokenness and make the world better through them. Like all the other ordina ry people that contributed in Gods plan, Stephen Kumalos journeyRead MoreCry, The Beloved Country By Alan Paton Reconciliation981 Words   |  4 PagesDespite the violence depicted amongst the whites and blacks of South Africa, in Cry, The Beloved Country by Alan Paton reconciliation and the spirit of unity present themselves through two men: Reverend Kumalo and James Jarvis. To be able to reconcile and unite with others, people must first be able to look inward and come to peace with themselves. One of the main struggles throughout Cry, The Beloved Country emanates from within the characters, as they try to come to terms with events. StephenRead MoreAlan Paton s Cry, The Beloved The Country1358 Words   |  6 Pagesthe Blacks, leading up to the Civil War, and during the Apartheid, the Natives were segregated from the Whites. In Alan Paton’s Cry, the Beloved the Country, the main character Stephen Kumalo goes through a journey to restore his tribe. During his journey, he discovers and learns of the injustices in South Africa. Through the parallels and contradictions of biblical allusions, Alan Paton is able to explain the impact of racial inequality in South Africa, but signifies how unconditional love and hopeRead MoreCry, The Beloved Country By Alan Paton Analysis929 Words   |  4 Pages It is no new information that God tends to take the ordinary people out of their normal lives and make something great out of them. This is exactly what happened to Stephen Kumalo in the book Cry, the Beloved Country by Alan Paton. It is those are are broken and imperfect that God sees something special through. Taking these people out of their brokenness and make the world better through them. Like all the other ordinary people that got brought up by God, Stephen Kumalo’s journey was no different