Fear In Cry, The Beloved Country

In today’s world, people can do limitless things and reach huge achievements in their lifetimes. However, there seems to be a constant hindrance to these doings, essentially keeping them in check and preventing limitless power. Fear works like disease, seemingly harmless at first until it consumes a body, preventing activity and happiness from the sick person. In most cases and given a severe enough sickness, the afflicted is not able to get better without outside intervention through medical aid from a hospital or doctor. Such is the same for fear, where it can grow to be unbeatable, consuming an entire person. Fear plays a large part as an oppressive and consistent force, shown in Alan Paton’s Cry, The Beloved Country, which can entirely

overwhelm anyone, thereby halting the process of human development completely without proper treatment from an outside source.
Many of the tribes of native black people are the main victims of degenerative fear, only able to overcome them through aid from each other.. Gertrude, one of the black natives, lives a depressing third-world lifestyle portraying fear’s ability to fully halt growth, and her recovery
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shows the power of help from another person. Once Gertrude becomes trapped in the pit of wrongdoings in the Johannesburg slums, she completely stops growing, instead regressing and further ensnaring herself with few escapes. Upon meeting Stephen Kumalo, Gertrude portrays constant fearfulness of him and his capabilities to help. She is scared of the potential changes that Kumalo could bring about in an effort to help her escape. Paton writes, “There is laughter in the house, the kind of laughter of which one is afraid already, perhaps because it is in truth bad laughter…have no doubt it is fear in her eyes…[her hand] is cold and wet, there is no life in it” (59). Gertrude shows an inability to accept the help given, wanting her relatively easy life over a happier one. Through fear, Gertrude has been corrupted and cannot see the true potential of escape through Kumalo.
By herself, Gertrude has no hope of escaping, but with help from Stephen, she is able to resolve and become happier from it. From help and generosity from Stephen, Gertrude is able to adapt and start to live a more wholesome, better life. Without assistance, Gertrude is just a lowly prostitute with no means for escape, but when Stephen Kumalo helps Gertrude out, it makes her see the wrongdoings of her ways and she tries to fix her past life. Without prostitution, Gertrude would not have been able to provide for herself, so Stephen steps in to help her become stable again, resulting in a changed lifestyle. The prevailing love from outside is able to help her overcome her fears and she escapes fear’s eternal grasp.
Though John, a talented yet corrupt politician, has the ability to help many people, he is too selfish to, instead resorting to self-preservation, a characteristic invoked by fear. While John

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is capable of reforming society, he does not decide to based off the possible danger that would come for preaching radical ideals. When John gives a speech to the public, he notices police
nearby to arrest him in case he does something he should not do. He could start a movement, one to change for the better, but instead, chooses to follow the safe path and avoid arrest over truly helping his cause. Paton writes, “John Kumalo sits down, and the people applaud him, a great wave of shouting and clapping. They are simple people, and they do not know that this is one of the country’s greatest orators, with one thing lacking” (220). John lacks a will to speak passionately on topics. He is scared for his life, and it shows when he chooses to life the good life instead of helping his friends who are getting tortured and maligned for what they are doing. Fear has driven John to be reserved and selfish, resulting in his lack of will to help.
While John refuses to use his power to benefit minorities, he also dislikes people that question his actions, regardless of the person questioning. John picks and chooses his ties in order to benefit his doings. He lies to Stephen about his past life in order to seem like he is on the moral high ground. John asserts that life in Johannesburg is a lot better than previously. He betrays Stephen Kumalo and Absalom when he fears legal action would take place. When shown his wrongdoing by Stephen, John detaches himself from him, instead ignoring all efforts to show the issues of his ways. John says, “Who will believe your son? he asks. He says it with meaning, with cruel and pitiless meaning” (Paton 134). Instead of helping people in need, John shuns them and gets them into more problems than before. To add on to that, John severs all ties with Stephen. Paton writes, “Brother had shut out brother, from the same womb had they come” (246). Just as he came, Stephen is cut off entirely from John simply because John fears
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opposition to his power. John seems to fear losing his status, resulting in his avoidance of making morally correct, albeit controversial, choices.
Absalom, similar to the fates of John and Gertrude, finds himself stuck in a trap of fear, and can escape only when Stephen Kumalo is able to help him with is compassion and motivation.

Absalom’s fear and paranoia cause him to do many foolish things, essentially pushing himself deeper and deeper into the pit of fear with each action. Through multiple crimes Absalom commits, he becomes more and more fearful of the police and is essentially constantly running and hiding. Absalom says, “I was afraid, I was afraid. I never meant to shoot him” (Paton 195). Absalom overreacts when he sees the owner to the house he breaks into, and shoots Arthur because of fear of the outcome of the event. His fear spirals out of control with each wrong action he commits, and he eventually is penalized with the death sentence. Consistent fear and guilt drive Absalom into more fear and his eventual demise because of a few simple wrongdoings.
Although grieved from unintentional murder of a white man, Absalom is able to accept his outcome because of compassion from his father, Stephen Kumalo. Stephen persists on finding his son before his death, and Absalom feels wholesome after Stephen forgives Absalom for his actions. Absalom dies knowing that although the punishment is harsh, it is his fault and can remember the few pleasures in his life, namely his wife, child, and Stephen. Through Stephen, Absalom is able to die with little fear and be put to rest

peacefully.
Stephen not only cares about Absalom but also towards everyone he loves, and has people help him just as he helps people. Through Stephen’s efforts, his loved ones become more
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honorable while Stephen carries much of the weight of their fear and problems. Stephen takes on responsibility for all the wrongdoings of his family. He devotes much of his time and energy to
help improve their lives. Stephen fears the death of his son and confronting Jarvis Sr. and resolving his problems. He is afraid of condemnation from Jarvis Sr. because of his son’s actions. Paton writes, “The person was old, and his black clothes were green with age, and his collar was brown with age or dirt. He took off his hat, showing the whiteness of his head, and he looked startled and afraid and he was trembling” (211). Stephen physically exerts himself to the point of inducing sickness all to help his family. He is guilty and embarrassed for his son's actions toward Jarvis Sr. Stephen also fears the desertification and destruction of his home, Ndotsheni. This happening would mean destruction of everything Stephen knows and loves. Stephen takes all these tasks on and almost cannot handle the abundance of problems he has to resolve, resulting in failing health issues and adding to his fear.
Working through his hardships, Stephen accomplishes much of his goal simply through love and assistance. Stephen is able to resolve most of the issues he takes on, but realizes that without outside help, the sheer enormity would have overtaken him. The kindness and generosity of Jarvis, Msimangu, Lithebe, and Father Vincent help Stephen help people like his son, Absalom, and solve the big problem of desertification. Fear is countered by kindness and love and is stopped dead in its tracks, allowing growth and happiness to prosper and flow freely.