The novel Cry the Beloved Country was a prophecy for the future of South Africa. It alludes to and sometimes even blatantly states the conditions necessary for the end of apartheid and the beginning of peace. South Africa in the 1940's was in trouble. Kumalo, a priest, was able to see through the prejudices of the world and assess the situation. When inconvenient to involve Kumalo in the investigation, the depth of South Africa's disparity was illustrated directly through the stories of horrifying happenings in character's conversations. Finally, we see that Msimangu was Paton's voice in the novel. When certain conditions were met Msimangu [and Paton] theorized that peace would finally be plausible in South Africa. As the reader begins to observe the problems, so to will they begin to realize the solutions, and such is the goal of this prophetic novel.
Kumalo's constant questing helped to reveal the conditions that plagued South Africa. His particular naivete and trust in mankind was shattered as he was robbed upon first arriving in Johannesburg. We also see that, because of his strong commitment to being a priest, he was not afraid to "dig deep" and talk people into going in directions they didn't want to go. When he was talking to his brother when he first met him in Johannesburg, he continued to reproach him about the customs of Johannesburg, which consequently were revealed neatly. For instance, after asking a few questions, Kumalo requested to know how Johannesburg could be so radically different that it's existence should nullify all the customs of their people. John's response laid out the freedom and slavery being presented by the white man. On one hand, the people of Ndotsheni "are nobody", but when mov...
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...eriences of Johannesburg, with a few exceptions. These are the ones who break the customs because they do not believe in them: The man who helped Msimangu and Kumalo when they were walking without a bus, Jarvis and his about face, and the young boy who talked so interestedly with Kumalo. These exceptions are highlighted by Msimangu's words and represent the hope of South Africa.
South Africa's fate under the hammer of segregation was uncertain as of the writing of Cry the Beloved Country, and yet Alon Paton was still sure change would come. Kumalo witnessed the disparity of the people and objectively presented these facts to the reader. Stories present in conversation brought up directly issues that would otherwise be difficult to come about in normal conversation. Paton expressed his views and solutions to the problems through the character Msimangu.
The distance of 5km, is it truly the disparity between affluence and indigence? Although they only live 5km apart from each other, the “apartheid’s children”, Sylvia and Nameurena live in contrasting worlds. Sylvia lives in the Alexandra township, without a mother or father for protection or comfort. On the other hand, Nameurena lives in a private home with her family just outside of Alexandra, where she enjoys the luxury she would’ve never been able to if apartheid was still in effect. Consequently, the two black South African girls evidently demonstrate distinctive individual development and identity. Although the Afrikaner government has long since been taken down, apartheid is still not over for thousands of black South Africans living in poverty; therefore it is vital for young students to maintain their own individuality.
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.
Cry the Beloved Country, by Alan Paton is a novel inspired by the industrial revolution. Paton describes in detail the conditions in which the Africans were living during this time period, 1946. This story tells about a Zulu pastor who goes into the city in search of his son and siblings who left in search of a better life. The pastor sees this immense city where a ruling white group is oppressing the black population. This novel is more than just a story, but it depicts the effects imperialism and the Industrial Revolution had on South Africa. Although the government has intervened to protect the people, some of these effects are still present in our societies.
The skeletal system has several functions as well as some serious diseases and disorders. The skeletal system serves the purpose of supporting the body as well as protection for vital organs. The skeletal system is composed of 206 bones both male and female have the same amount depending on age. There are some interesting facts about human bones, for an example humans and giraffes have the same number of bones in their neck. The Femur is stronger than concrete and its hollow! The skeleton has several functions like supporting the body, protection for vital organs, and the production of blood cells. For support the skeletal system uses a series of bones like the femur, fibula, tibia, and the vertebral column (figure 1). The skeleton has a few joint throughout the body, such as the hinge joint found at the patella and the elbow joint. Both of these joints are referred to as Ginglymus or hinge joint. The other joint is the ball-and-socket which is located at the shoulder and neck. The skeletal system has two means of protection. The ribs are curved bones in the mid to upper cavity of th...
top two bones are the atlas and axis. They let us to shake and nod out
“Cry for the broken tribe, for the law and the custom is gone. Cry, the beloved country, these things are not yet at an end (Paton, 105).” In Cry, the Beloved Country, it is 1946 and the land reserved for blacks in Ndotsheni, a part of South Africa, is drying up. In the novel written by Alan Paton, young men and women begin to leave Ndotsheni for the new city Johannesburg. One of those gone is John Kumalo, a businessman in Johannesburg and younger brother of Stephen Kumalo, a reverend in Ndotsheni. Stephen and John Kumalo differ in their regards for family, religion, and corruption.
Cry the Beloved Country, by Alan Paton, is the story of the two fictional characters, Stephen Kumalo and James Jarvis, who lose their sons in South Africa in 1948. In his story, Alan Paton used the George Hegel's Dialect of thesis, antithesis, synthesis, in order to expose social injustices in a microcosm of South Africa that correlate to the macrocosm of the issues faced by the entire country and what must be done to fix these injustices. Paton subdivided his story into three books. The first of these books, depicts the Journey of Stephen Kumalo, to try and restore his family, is a cry against injustice. The second book focused mainly on James Jarvis’s plight to understand his deceased son, depicts the yearning for justice. While the final book displays the restoration and repair of the injustices derived from the yearning for justice.
Cry, the Beloved Country is such a controversial novel that people tend to forget the true meaning and message being presented. Paton’s aim in writing the novel was to present and create awareness of the ongoing conflict within South Africa through his unbiased and objective view. The importance of the story lies within the title, which sheds light on South Africa’s slowly crumbling society and land, for it is the citizens and the land itself which are “crying” for their beloved country as it collapses under the pressures of racism, broken tribes and native exploitation.
Disgrace, set in a post-apartheid community, shows the struggles that many people face when pushing towards change in the community of desegregating in the most segregated parts of Africa. The country of South Africa emphasizes physical consequences, sexual urges, and sexually transmitted diseases. Graham explains the importance of such a historically diverse setting by relating it to events, such as segregation and apartheid, which occurred in Africa. “Coetzee’s choice of rural Eastern Cape as a setting for rape of Lurie’s daughter by three black men emphasize complex historical relationships between issues of race, gender, and land” (Graham). These events create the bold conflicts in the story which makes everything unique to the country South Africa.
In Alan Paton's novel Cry, the Beloved Country two characters, Absalom's girl and Gertrude, show the how society in Johannesburg is as a whole. Absalom's girl symbolizes how girls her age are mothers and have even become divorced several times before. On the other hand Gertrude, Kumalo's sister, illustrates the qualities of a young woman who becomes corrupt from Johannesburg's filthy system of stealing, lying, and prostitution. Both of them show the ways of Johannesburg as a whole.
Hope is the strong feeling of desire for something good to happen. Hope is a driving force in the progression of life. The idea of hope is powerful because it can lead to patience, courage, and happiness. Hope is an important concept in Cry, the Beloved Country. Hope is what the main character Stephen Kumalo must use to keep fighting for his beliefs, for his son, and for his tribe. The power of hope is one of the only things that people had to overcome apartheid in South Africa. If hope were not present, Stephen Kumalo may have gave up on restoring himself, his son, and his tribe. Hope is the concept that helps Stephen Kumalo and other characters develop during the span of the novel. Hope is found in the characters, the tribe, and the land.
We learn from the novel that Makhaya is struggling with several very large struggles. Makhaya wants to live in a country that is free from all forms of apartheid, racial domination and conflict between the rich and poor and the black and white. Makhaya spent his whole life under the apartheid system in South Africa, where offensive terms such as ‘boy’, ‘dog’ and ‘kaffir’ are used when referring to the black people, and attempts to escape this system by crossing into Botswana. “… He simply wanted a country to love and chose the first thing at hand…” (Head, When Rain Clouds Gather, p. 17). He moves into the village of Golema Mmidi which is a unique refuge for Botswana and South African people who are trying to escape the misfortunes of their lives. Makhaya left South Africa for many reasons, one being that if he lived in a free country he thought that “maybe some of the evils in his life will correct themselves” (Head, When Rain Clouds Gather, p. 10). In this journey, Makhaya realises his main aspiration is that of a simple life. “ ... One road might lead to fame and importance, and another might lead to peace of mind. It’s the road of peace of mind that that I’m seeking” (Head, When Rain Clouds Gather, p. 20).
James Matthews's short story "Azikwelwa" was first published in 1958. It was reprinted again in the year of the Mdantsane Bus Boycott (1974) in the collection The Park and Other Stories and then reappreared in the journal Grassroots in 1982. One of the questions we could ask ourselves after a first read could be about the role of South African literature at the time and especially when it is concerned with political and racial questions. On one hand, we could affirm that in "Azikwelwa", we have an example of literature used as a particular form of political and social propaganda. On the other, the realistic and fictional facets of the text are rather well-balanced which could bring out questions about the kind of literature we are dealing with. It is on this issue that we will base our discussion in the first part of the present commentary. On the second place, it seems essential to examine the reprsentation of South African society in the short story. Society as depict...
The two hundred and six bones in the human body produces a lot of blood cells, store important minerals such as homeostasis (storage and release), and also release hormones, which are necessary to life. During body movement, the skeletal system assists by contracting and pulling on bone to produce movement. Although, in the world we all live in today, skeleton symbolizes all kinds of means/significant reasons. From people using it as a symbol for death (Halloween, rituals, etc.), movies, and many other scary things, the real fact is that skeletal system is one of the most body’s most life giving systems. Apart from other living organs such as the skin, eyes, and many more, the bones are the main primary function that carries them all. Bones are sturdy and firm, but each one in our bodies has their own blood, lymphatic vessels, and nerves. Being the fact that the skeletal system makes up our body movements, support, and protection, it also has its
Many debates have been sparked by Alan Paton's Cry, the Beloved Country. Even the essence of the book's title examines South Africa and declares the presence of the inner conflict of its citizens. The importance and meaning of the title of Cry, the Beloved Country is visible in Paton's efforts to link the reader to forthcoming ideas in the novel, Paton's description of South Africa's problems, and Paton's prayer for the solution of South Africa's difficulties with race and racial oppression.