This document provides background information on Alan Paton's novel Cry, the Beloved Country. It discusses Paton's life and influences, as well as the historical context and main characters and plot of the novel. The summary is: 1) Alan Paton was a South African author and activist concerned with racial injustice in South Africa. He wrote Cry, the Beloved Country in 1948 to comment on the social standing of black South Africans under apartheid. 2) The novel is set in 1940s South Africa and follows Stephen Kumalo, a black priest, who journeys from his rural village to Johannesburg to search for his missing family members. 3) Kumalo encounters the harsh realities of

1. ALAN PATON’s
CRY, THE BELOVED COUNTRY
THE AUTHOR – ALAN PATON (1903 – 1988)
Jamesand Eunice Paton,fromEngland,settledinNatal Province,SouthAfricaandtheyhada son,Alan
born to themon11th January1903.
Theylivedinthe cityof Pietermaritzburgandtheireldestchild,Alanlivedacontentedchildhood,being
bothactive and intelligent.
At the age of twenty-two,Alancommencedateachingcareer,firstlyteachingatanative school inthe
village of Ixopo. He hadgraduatedfromthe Universityof Natal where he hadshownpromise asa poet,
but he was notsatisfiedwithhisearlywritingsandthese weremainlydestroyedbyhim. He gave up his
teachingcareerinorder to take on the postas Principal atthe Diepkloof Reformatorywhere he
attemptedtobringmore freedomtothe oppressive regime atthisinstitution. He wasconcernedin
ensuringthatthe boysreceivedapropereducationinordertoprepare themfor life outsidethe
Reformatorywalls. Dedicatedtothisareaof work,he was determinedtofindouthow suchinstitutions
operatedoutside SouthAfricaandhe traveledextensively.
WhilsttravelinginScandinavia,the ideabehindthe book,‘Cry,The BelovedCountry’wasborn,andhe
addedto thisoriginal thoughtoverseveral yearsuntil the final bookwaspublishedin1948.
The onsetof WorldWar IIhad curtailedPaton’sreformsforthe Diepkloof Institution,butafterthe war,
Patonstartedon an ambitiousprogramtorevolutionize prisonsandreformschoolsinSouthAfrica.
‘Cry,The BelovedCountry’becamepopularthroughoutthe Englishspeakingworld,inparticularinthe
UnitedStates,where similaritieswere evidenttoSteinbeck’s‘Grapesof Wrath’. The bookwasalso
adaptedforthe stage and the motionpicture industry,the filmbeingreleasedin1952. Paton wrote
variousbooksincluding‘TooLate the Phalarope’publishedin1953, ‘The Land and the People of South
Africa’publishedin1955, ‘Hope for SouthAfrica’publishedin1959, and‘Jan Hofmeyr’abiographyof
Paton’sfriend,the formerDeputyPrimeMinisterof SouthAfricapublishedin1965.
Throughouthislife Patonshowedconcernaboutthe political regimeinSouthAfricaandhe helpedform
the Liberal Partyand was the PartyPresidentforatime. He became more andmore outspokenandthis
ledto himbeingchargedwithTreasonin1960, and hisPassportwas revoked. The Liberal Partywas
outlawedbythe SouthAfricanGovernment,whichledtoitseventual dissolutionin1968. Withothers,
Patonwas involvedinthe famousTreasonTrialsalongsideAlbertLuthule whowasthe AnglicanBishop
of JohannesburgandNobel Prize-winner. Althoughthe victimsof theseTrialswere eventuallysetfree
fromprison,Patonwas notallowedtotravel outside of SouthAfricaformanyyears.
Throughouthislife,AlanPatonspoke outagainstthe injusticessufferedbythe Blackmajorityof South
Africa.
He diedathis home nearDurbanin 1988. The TimesObituarysaid,“Hisview of hisCenturybecame
bleaker:he couldforeseeonlyabloodbath. ButhisChristianfaithsustainedhim;andalthoughcriticized
by radical elements,he enjoyedwidespreadrespectasa saintlymanwhowasby no meansunworldly.”
SETTING

2. Paton’smainpurpose inhisbook‘Cry,the BelovedCountry’istocommentonthe social standingof the
blacknative Africansandthe resultinginterface withthe rulingminoritywhites. Inordertomake his
documentarymemorable,he incorporatesaplotand charactersso as to give the booka universal
appeal.Tosome extentthe charactersand how theydevelopinthe storyissecondarytothe changeshe
feelsare necessaryinorderthatSouthAfricamakesthe transitionfroma Dutch/Britishcolonytoan
independentState inAfrica.
Paton’sviewpoint isfromthe late 1940’s, but to understandhow the SouthAfricaof thisday evolved,it
isnecessarytounderstanditshistory.
The book isgeographicallycenteredonJohannesburginthe Natal Province,whichisthe homelandof
the Zulunation. There were around4,000,000 Zuluslivinginanarea of 10,500 sq.miles. Theywere a
proudand handsome peopleandbefore the Europeansarrived,theywere the rulingpowerinthisarea
of Africa.Overthe centuries,theyevolvedanefficienttribal system. TheyoriginallyoccupiedCentral
Africaand migratedsouthtothe more fertile areasof country. Theirhomelandwasfirstinvadedbythe
Dutch whometfierce resistance,butultimatelytheydrew backfromthe unyieldinginvaders. The
Britishinvolvementinthe areatookplace inthe 1870’s, andagain thisresultedinvariousbattlesand
the Britisheventuallyoverrantheirreducedhomeland. There wasstill unrestinthe areaupuntil 1907
and the Colonists’control overthe Zuluswasalwaysfragile.
SouthAfricawas a rich area foughtoverbythe Dutch, BritishandGermans,and the Portuguese also
ruledMozambique tothe north-eastof Natal.
From the Europeanpointof viewcolonizationof thisareabrought“civilization”tothe Zulusandother
tribes.
From the Zulupointof view,theirpositionasoverlordsandmastersof theirownlandhadbeentaken
away fromthemand theyhave beenreducedtoa subservientrace forthe bulkof the 20th Century.
The Dutch settlers,knownasBoers,whichmeansfarmers,occupied2independentstatesinthe
Transvaal and the Orange Free State,and inevitablyconflictbroke outbetweenthemandthe British,
resultinginthe BoerWars,whichstartedin 1899.
In 1910, all the SouthAfricanterritorieswereunitedinthe Unionof SouthAfricawitha formerBoer
General,LouisBothabeingPrime Minister.
SouthAfricaexperiencedupheavalsinthe 20th Centuryupuntil the time of thisbookin1948.
There wasa conflictbetweenthe Liberal Partieswhowishedtoindustrialize SouthAfricabringingin
immigrantstohelpwiththisdevelopmentandbringabouta more integratedsociety. The Nationalist
Party opposedthis. Theywantedtovirtuallybananyimmigrationandexerttotal control overthe native
population. Inthe electionsof 1948 the Nationalistsobtainedpowerwithaverynarrow majority. Not
longafterthat theybegantheirprogramof apartheid,whichmeans‘apartness’orcomplete segregation
of the races. Citizensweretobe segregatedintoEuropeans,the Indianpopulation,the nativesandthe
colored,the latterbeingamix of Europeanand native blood.
CONTEXT

3. The book opensatthe remote villageof Ndotsheni inthe Natal Province of EasternSouthAfrica. Itis
1948. The central character is the ReverendStephenKumalowhohasseenhisimmediate family
fragmentanddepartsto the city of Johannesburg.
Kumalotriestoadhere to the oldways,but the emergingSouthAfricahasbroughtaboutthe
destructionof the tribal communities. Kumaloandhiswife mournthe disappearanceof theirfamilyto
the city mainlybecause theyreceive nocommunicationfromthem. Whenaletterarrivesfrom
Johannesburg,theyare apprehensive fortheysuspectthatitbringsthembad news. The letterisfrom
the ReverendMsimanguwhorunsa MissionHouse inJohannesburg. The letteradvisedKumalothathis
sisterhasfallenonhard timesandhasturnedto prostitution. Kumaloresolvestojourneyto
Johannesburgtoassisthissisterandalsotake the opportunitytodiscoverthe whereaboutsof his son,
AbsalomandhisbrotherJohn. Theyhad bothtraveledtoJohannesburgtosearchforthe sister
Gertrude,butbothhad not returnedandhad stoppedwriting.
Life inthe big cityisfar removedfromthe rusticsocietiesKumalohaslivedinall hislife, andthe bustling
metropoliscomesasashock to him. He isappalledatthe enforcedsegregationandprejudicesuffered
by the blackpeople. Althoughhe soondiscovershissisterwhohasa sonof herown,his questtofind
hisownson ismore difficult. Hissisterwishestoreturntothe homelandandKumalowillhelpherdo
this.
It transpiresthatthe Police are alsolookingforAbsalomwhohasmurderedawhite man,ArthurJarvis,
whowas a leadingactivistpursuingsocial justiceforall. Absalomis foundguiltyof the crime andis
sentencedtohang.
Kumalo’sbrother,John,hasmateriallybenefitedfromhistransfertothe city,but he has turnedhisback
on the Church andis corrupt.
Kumalobecomesmore andmore depressedandthe onlyhope he obtainsfromhistime in
Johannesburgisthroughhissister’sson,whomhe hopestoraise,andhisnewlyacquiredpregnant
daughter-in-law.
ArthurJarvis’fatherJamesdecidestocontinue hisson’sworkandrightthe social injusticessufferedby
the blacks. Coincidentally,he livesonafarmoverlookingthe villageof Ndotsheni andhe decidestohelp
the strugglingnativeswholivebelow. He takesmeasurestolimitthe effectsof famine onthe valleyand
as the book comestoits conclusion,Kumalohasreturnedfromthe cityandgoesto the mountainsto
contemplate hisson’simpendingexecution.
There he meetswithJamesJarvisandthe twoconversesregardingthe lossof boththeirsons.
We see thathope iskindledfromthe evil thathastranspiredinthe city. Jarvisseeshope inthe formof
hisyounggrandson,and Kumaloobtainshope throughhissister’sson.
The book endswithKumaloweepingforhisson’sdeathasdawnbreaksoverNdotsheni.
CHARACTERS
REVEREND STEPHEN KUMALO
He isthe protagonistof the novel,the native priestof the small village of Ndotsheni. The namesof
some of the charactershave significance andwe relate toSt.Stephen,the firstChristianmartyrwhowas

4. stonedtodeath. Kumalohas seenhisimmediate familydispersetothe sprawlingcityof Johannesburg.
He has seenthe oldcustomsdecline andthe increasingoppressionof hispeople. He isoftenreferredto
as ‘umfundisi’,whichisaterm usedwhenspeakingrespectfullytoaparson. Kumaloisa goodand
humble man,butcan sometimeslose histemperdue tofrustration.
ABSALOMKUMALO
Kumalo’sson,he soonfallsintoalife of pettycrime afterrunningawayto the brightcitylightsof
Johannesburg. He fallsintobadcompany,whicheventuallyleadstothe murderof Arthur Jarvis,for
whichhe is convictedandsentencedtodeath. Alongthe way,he meetsayounggirl,butdesertsher
whenshe becomespregnant.
GERTRUDE KUMALO
Kumalo’syoungersisterbytwenty-five years, Gertrude travelstoJohannesburglookingforthe fatherof
heryoungson. In orderto supportthe child,she resortsto prostitution.
JOHN KUMALO
He isKumalo’sbrotherwhoturnshisback on the Churchand becomesa powerful andcorruptblack
politicianinJohannesburg. He wishestoplaythe part of Chief,andkeepall the trappingsthatthis
wouldbring.
REVEREND MSIMANGU
He isa kindyoungpriestwhorunsa MissionHouse inJohannesburg. MsimanguinspiresKumalowith
hisgood sermonsandaidshiminhissearch for hisfamily. He concentrateshiseffortsindealingthe
oppressionsufferedbyhisflock.
JAMES JARVIS
He isa wealthyfarmerwholivesclose toNdotsheni. HissonismurderedbyAbsalomKumaloandJarvis
dedicateshimself tohelpingthe oppressedpeople of Ndotsheni afterhisson’sdeath.
ARTHUR JARVIS
The murderedsonof JamesJarvis,he isa social activistdeterminedtobringsocial reformtoSouth
Africa.
MRS. LITHEBE
Kumalo’slandladyinJohannesburg,she becomesaclose friend. She takesinKumalo’ssisterandchild.
FATHER VINCENT
He isan EnglishpriestwhoassistsKumaloinobtainingadefense lawyerforhisson.
MR. CARMICHAEL
He isa famouslawyerwhotakesonAbsalomKumalo’scase forfree.
BOOK1 CHAPTER 1 Context

5. ThisChapterservesasan introductionandsetsthe scene providingadescriptionof the countryside
surroundingthe villageof Ndotsheni. Itslocalityisonthe easternside of SouthAfricaapproximately40
milesinlandfromthe IndianOcean,occupyingapositionequidistantfromthe coastand the countryof
Basutoland. Thisisthe home of the maincharacter of the story,the ReverendStephenKumalo,andwe
learnof his rusticbackgroundandhis beliefinthe oldwaysof society.
BOOK1 CHAPTER 1 Interpretation
The plot isnot starteduntil the nextChapterandthe readerwill findthatthe storyline ispunctuated
withChaptersandpassageswhichmerelyprovideatmosphere,orthat state a specificpointconcerning
the factors surroundingSouthAfricanlifeatthistime.
We are givena taste of Paton’spoeticprowess,whichisinstarkcontrast to the narrative.
Whenthe book dealswiththe advancementof the plot,the style usedbyPatonisverysimplistic. Itis
designedforeasyunderstandingbythe manin the streetof SouthAfrica. There are virtuallyno
complex passagesinthe entire book,andperhapsthisisone of the reasonswhythe bookhasbeen
successful overthe whole spectrumof society,whetherinSouthAfricaorfurthera field.
What we do gatherfrom the firstChapterare the relative situationsof whitesandthe native black
population. We see thatthe whiteslive onthe bestlandandinsome caseslookdownintothe valleys
where the nativesliveonthe more barrenfields.
Patonusesgood symbolismheredescribingthe soil of the hillsasbeingredandas itis washedintothe
riversthrougherosion,itcolorsthe riversintoablood-redhue symbolizingthe sufferingof the people
whobleedbecause of the unfairhumanrightsanddistributionof land.
You will recall thatPatonstudiedpoetryandhissymbolicdescriptionof the landisshownhere,“The
great redhillsstanddesolate,andthe earthhas tornaway like flesh. The lightningflashesoverthem,
the cloudspour downuponthem,the deadstreamscome to life,full of the redbloodof the earth.
Downin the valleyswomenscratchthe soil thatisleft,andthe maize hardlyreachesthe heightof a
man.”
CHAPTERS2 – 5 Context
In the village of Ndotsheni,asmall girl deliversanote to the ReverendStephenKumalo.
The village isnowonlyoccupiedbyoldmenandwomen,ormothersand youngchildren. All the men
have gone to the citiestofindwork. This isthe case withKumalo. Hissister,brother,andonlysonhave
longsince leftthe small villageandthisletterhe hasnow receivedwill probablyonlybringbadnews
aboutone of hisrelations.
The letterisfrom the ReverendMsimanguwhowritestosaythatKumalo’ssisterGertrude isveryill in
Johannesburg. Kumaloresolvestotravel tothe cityand hiswife persuadeshimtouse the moneythey
had savedfortheirson’seducation. Kumaloisreluctanttodothis,buthis wife tellshimthathe will
neverneedtobe education,andthismakesKumaloangry. He triesto thinkthe bestof his son and
suggeststhatperhapsthe white manhas notsenton Absalom’sletters,buthe soonrealizesthisis
wrong,and repentshisanger.

6. The nextday,Kumaloboardsthe trainfor Johannesburg. He isapprehensiveaboutthisjourneyashe
viewsthe cityas an evil place thatappearstoconsume so manypeople withouttrace. The trainpasses
throughthe goldmineswhere somanyyoungnative menworklonghoursfor meagerpaywhile the
white ownersgrowfatand rich.
Eventuallyhe arrivesinJohannesburgandis confusedbythe bustlingmetropolis. He isswindledbya
youngman whoofferstoacquire a bus ticketforhim. He takesa bus to the MissionHouse in
Sophiatown,asuburbof Johannesburg,andhe meetsthe kindyoungMsimangu.
The two have a longdiscussionconcerningthe problemsfacingSouthAfricaandhow the oldvalues
have beenlost,andthe tribal systemhasbrokendown.
Gertrude’sillnessisnotphysical,butmoral. She hasbecome aprostitute. Kumaloisdeeplyhurtbythis
revelation,particularlyasshe hasa youngson. Kumalo’sbrotherJohnhasbecome a powerful politician
inJohannesburg,buthasturnedhisback onthe Church. Msimangutriesto comfortKumaloby telling
himthat the breakdownof hisfamilyissimilartothe breakdownbeingsufferedall acrossSouthAfrica.
MsimangutakesKumalotoMrs. Lithebe’shouse whohasagreedtotake the priestinwhilsthe staysin
Johannesburg.
CHAPTERS2 – 5 Interpretation
At the endof thisnote,youwill findaglossaryof wordsusedinthe text. You will note thatthe small
childreferstoReverendKumaloas‘umfundisi’,whichisaword usedspecificallywhenaddressinga
pastor andis a tokenof respect.
We see thatKumaloisa kindman, butnot worldly. One of the themesof the bookisthe fast learning
curve he ison concerningthe modernSouthAfrica.
There are specificreligiousovertonesinthe bookregardingthe namesandoccupationsof the
characters.Kumalo’sChristianname isStephen,andwe are remindedof the firstChristianmartyrSt.
Stephenwhowasstonedtodeathafterbeingconvictedof blasphemy. Kumalo’sbrotherisJohnwho
was a carpenter,andjustlike Jesusthe carpenter,whenhe lefthisvillage greatdevelopmentswere to
take place for him.
Kumalo’sonlyson,AbsalomcorrespondstoKingDavid’ssonwhorebelledagainsthisfather. The full
significance of these parallelsbecomesevidentasthe bookprogresses.
We learnthatKumalo’ssister,Gertrude,issome twenty-five yearsyoungerthanhim, sothere isa
significantage gapbetweenthe twosiblings.
We see thatKumaloisquickto angerwhenhiswife remindshimthathissonhas infact turnedhisback
on them,the consequence beingthathe hasfailedtoobtaina propereducation,eventhroughKumalo
had savedmoneyto finance hisson’seducation.
Thisarea of SouthAfricaispart of the Zuluhomeland,andalthoughthe vastmajorityof the nativesare
Christian,there are still referencestotheirpaganZulupast. Insteadof using‘God’as an expletive,
Kumaloandothersuse the word ‘Tixo’,whichreferstothe Zulu’sgreatspirit.
As youcan see,the bookiseasilyread,the dialogue beinginthe formof shortstatements,whichare
almostpoeticinconstruction,butveryeasytounderstand.

7. Kumalo’sjourneytoJohannesburgisverysymbolic. Itmarksa journeybetweenthe simpleandthe
complex,countryandcity,goodand evil,knownandunknown. We see Kumalo’snaivetyinallowinga
boyto take hismoneytoobtaina bus ticketsothat he doesnot lose hisplace inthe queue. Itis only
whenhe boardsthe bus that he realizesticketsare acquiredfromthe driver.
Kumalo’sconversationwithMsimangushowsthatthe latterismuchmore sophisticated,andhe
understandsthe politicsandsocial problemsinthe city. ToKumalo,Johannesburgisa new world,and
he feelsoutof place and outof time.
One thingthe oldministerdoessense isthatthe cityisgrippedbyfear,especiallyamongthe native
population. Thisisanothermaintheme of the novel –the fearexperiencedbythe differentcharacters
invaryingsituations.
We learnof the widespreadpovertythatmostof the native peoplelivein,andthisiswhatleadsmany
of themintoa life of crime.
As KumalojourneystoJohannesburg,he feelsagrowingfearwithin him,buthe learnsthathisfellow
Africanslivinginthe cityare alsofearful,wonderinghow theywill feedtheirfamiliesandwhetherthey
will obtainworkorkeepthe workthat theyhave. However,the whitesare alsofearfulof the blacks.
Theyrememberthe greatZuluwarsof the past,and there isthe constant reminderthattheyare greatly
outnumberedbythe blacks.
We note that the twoministersagree thatthe break-upof the tribesispartof the reasonfor the decline
of the native population. The lossof the tribal systemhasresultedinthe oldworldbeingbrokenup,but
nothinghasbeenputin itsplace. The black nativesdesertedthe landthattheyhadhusbandedfor
centuriesandwhichhasnowfallenintodecayinorderto go to the cityto findthat there isnothing
there forthem.
Kumaloissomewhatdisappointedtolearnthathissisterhasbecome a prostitute,buthe feelshelpless
to do anythingconstructive aboutthissituationandwill,therefore,relygreatlyonthe benevolentpriest
Msimangu.
Kumalohadgone to Johannesburgwiththe aimof findinghisdispersedfamily,reunitingthemwithone
another,andrestoringhisfamilyunit.
CHAPTERS6 and 7 Context
The nextday,Kumaloand MsimanguseekoutGertrude. Kumalohopesthatshe will have news
concerninghissonAbsalom.
Kumaloisshockedbythe filthandpovertyof the streetswhere hissisterlives. Malnourishedchildren
playinthe streetswithoutsupervision. Atfirsttheirmeetingisfrosty,butsoonGertrude comestolife
and herbrothereventuallyforgivesher,andthe pairresolvestostaytogether. Gertrude desiresto
returnhome and thishelpsliftKumalo’sdepression,ashe hopestorebuildhisfamily. He will askhis
landladyif she will take Gertrude andhersonin until theycan returnhome.
Gertrude doesnothave detailsof where Absalomisliving,butshe heardthathe associatedwithhis
cousin,John’sson. Kumalodecidestoseekouthisbrother,John.

8. Mrs. Lithebe agreestotake Gertrude and the boyin. She ishonoredto have a ministerinherhouse for
she isa goodChristianwoman.
Kumalo’sfirstthoughtonbringingGertrude outof the slumsisto buyher a new dressandclothesfor
the boy. Gertrude soonsettlesintohernew lifeinMrs.Lithebe’shouse andshe helpswiththe
householdchoreswhilstthe small boyrevelsinhisnew surroundings.
Kumalothenmeetswithhisbrotherandhe hasclearlyprosperedandhasgrownfat. He acts like one of
the oldtribal Chiefsandissomewhatpompous. He stresses thathe isa man of importance in
Johannesburgashe has hisownbusiness“Ican make £10, £12 a week.” JohnconfessestoKumalothat
hisson andAbsalomwere rebelliousandgotupto mischief. Atone time theysharedaroom and they
had workina factorycalledDoornfonteinTextiles. Perhapstheywouldknow the whereaboutsof
Absalom.However,atthe factory,althoughthe white menthere treatedthemwithconsideration,they
couldonlyadvise thatAbsalomhadleftsome twelvemonthsearlier. Absalomhadbeenstayingwitha
womancalledMrs. Endlelainastreeton the outskirtsof Westdene. She toldthemthatAbsalomhad
leftandgone to live inAlexandrawithMrs.Nkize.
KumalowasfeelingtiredandMsimangusaidthattheywouldrestandcontinue theirsearchnextday.
CHAPTERS6 and 7 Interpretation
Patonis at painsto describe the povertyof the native communityinJohannesburg.
It doesnotrequire greatimaginationtovisualize the scene inthe streetsof ClaremontwhereGertrude
lived. Fromhisdescriptionof Gertrude we see thathertrade hasleftherspirituallydead. Kumalojust
by hispresence,rescuesherandforgivesher,andleadsherbackto a betterwayof life. She hadnot
writtentoher brotherbecause of the shame she feltbeingforcedintoprostitutiontomaintainherson.
She had traveledtothe cityto seekherhusband,butwasunsuccessful. The sicknessthatshe suffers
fromis sharedbymany inthese ghettos.
We see a glimmerof hope withthe prospectof Stephen’sfamilybeing rebuilt.
In contrast,John’slife istotallydifferent. Inthe eyesof the Church hiswayof life isjustascorrupt as
Gertrude’s,andthatis whyhe has turnedhisback on the Church. He tellsKumalothathe is now free
fromthe tribal systemandthe ignorantChiefsthatruledit. He,infact, acts like aChief inthe city,
orderingnativesaroundtodohisbidding. He isnow full of hisownimportance,andalthoughhe isina
positionof power,he doesnotuse thistopursue good,but forcorrupt ideals.
Msimanguplaysan importantpart inthe book. He is infact the mouthpiece forthe author,andthrough
hisdialogue,the readercanidentifyclearlywiththe evilsprevalentinthissociety. WhatJohnenviesis
the powerthat the white manhas. He wishestohave a share of thispowerand be like the white man.
It isMsimanguthat makesthisclearto Kumalo.
CHAPTERS8, 9 and10 Context
The search continuesforAbsalomandKumalo’slearningcurve intensifiesashe ismet withnew
situations.

9. Alexandraissome elevenmilesawayandtheyare not able to take the bus because there isaboycott.
Fairshave increasedfrom4 pence to 6 pence for the journey,andthe native communityisrefusingto
pay the increase andisboycottingthe buses. KumaloandMsimanguresolve towalkthe distance.
The pair had walkedmanymilesthroughthe citywhenacar stopped,drivenbyawhite manoffering
thema lift. The white manis sympathetictowardsthe busboycottandmanywhitesassistthe blacksby
givingthose lifts.
MsimanguadvisesKumaloconcerningthe busboycottandhe givesdetailsregardingthe leadersof this
movement. Atthe heartof the movementisamancalledDubulawhohas sufferedmuch,andhe is
dedicatedtobringingreformtothe native population. A mancalledTomlinsonsupportshimandhe is
the brainsof the movementscomposingspeechesforthe publicmeetings. John’sinvolvementispurely
selfish,andhe isonlyinthe movementtogetoutof itas much as he can. Eventuallytheyreach
Alexandra,butthe landladyonlypassesthemontoa taxi driver.
There isan interruptiontothe storyinChapter9, where the readerisgivenaninsightintothe suffering
of the residentsinthe shantytown.
Theymake contact withthe taxi driverwhoiscalledHlabeni. He revealsthatAbsalomwasinvolvedin
pettycrime and thathe had beensenttothe Reformatory. Kumaloisdisappointedthata whole dayhas
passedandhe hasstill notmetwithhisson.
The two travel back to the Missionasit isgettingdark andKumaloobtainssome hope fromthe fact that
manywhite mengive liftstothe nativesbecause of the busboycott. He feelsthatall cannotbe bad in
societywhenthere issuchkindness.
KumaloandMsimangugo to the Reformatorywhere theylearnthatAbsalomwasamodel inmate. He
leftthere amonthearlier,due tohisgood behaviorandalsobecause there wasayounggirl who was
pregnantbyhim. She visitedhimofteninthe institutionandthe pairseemedgenuinelyfondof one
another. They trace the younggirl and she advisesKumalothatAbsalomhadleftafew daysago to go
to Springsandhas not yetreturned. The girl seemedresignedtothe factthat she had beendeserted.
Kumalofeltresponsibilityforthe girl asshe carriedhisgrandchild,althoughMsimangusaidthathe
couldnot be certainof that.
CHAPTERS8, 9 and10 Interpretation
Kumalo’sjourneythroughtheseChaptersinsearchof hissonprovideshimwithmore information
regardingthe societyinJohannesburg.
The firstinstance isthe bus boycottwhere he meetsthe leaderof the movementDubula. Thisisreally
the firstblackpersonwhois nota ministerthatKumalohasmetwhoworksfor the benefitof the native
society.He isdedicatedtobringingreform. He posesareal threat to the Governmentbecause he
cannot be corrupted,unlike John. Itisinterestingtosee how the white people reacttothe boycott.
Some feel threatenedatthe unitedfrontshownbythe native populationinrefusingtopaythe fare
increase,andso theyshowsolidaritybygivingliftstothe blackcommuters. Nodoubtsome of the
whitesdothisoutof compassionforthe blackpeople,recognizingthe injustice behindthe fare increase.
Kumalo’ssearchforAbsalomispunctuatedwithfear,inparticular fromthe landladywhodoesnotwish
to be implicatedwithAbsalom. She refersKumalotothe taxi driver. Kumaloisslowlycomingtoterms

10. withthe fact that hisson haslefthisworkin the factoryin orderto pursue a life of crime. Hisjourney
takeshimto the Reformatorywhere he isgivensome hope withthe newsthathissonwasa model
inmate,andthat he appearedtobe loyal toa younggirl he hadmade pregnant. However,ittranspires
that he has desertedthe girl whentheylocate her.
Chapter9 issimilartoChapter1 inthat it doesnotenable toplotto develop,butmerelyisaseriesof
short,abrupt scenesthatdocumentthe miseryenduredbythe nativesinthe shantytown. Theirlives
are a dayto-daystruggle forsurvival. If the readerdidnotrealize itbefore,Chapter9bringsit home that
thisbookis notjust a storyconcerningthe Kumalofamily,butaboutthe greaterpicture of SouthAfrican
life in1948 and rightthrough the yearsof apartheid. Perhapsthe pointthatPatonis makingisthat
peaceful revoltthroughbusboycottsandshantytownlife will bringamore positiveresponsefromthe
white maninthe street,whereasviolence wouldonlyincrease oppression.
Althoughmuchof thispart of the bookdealswithKumalo’ssearchforhisson,he doestake time outto
converse withhissisterandherson. In the youngboy he seeshope forthe future andperhapshe can
do more for hisnephewthanhe didforAbsalom.
We are mindful thatPatontriesto strike abalance,and sofar hiscriticismof the systeminSouthAfrica
at thistime isaimedat the Government. Patonalsoviewsthe Reformatoryinapositive lightwherethe
staff membersare shownaskindand constructive,anditisclear that Absalomrespondedpositivelyto
thisapproach whilsthe wasthere. The Directorof the ReformatoryassistsKumaloinlocatingAbsalom’s
girlfriend,andwe sense thathe isjustas disappointedinAbsalom’sdesertionasKumalois.
Patonalsopaintsa poignantpicture of the younggirl whohas beenbornandbredin Johannesburg.
There seemstobe no happinessinher,andshe has beenreducedtothe depthsbythe degradationthat
surroundsher.
CHAPTERS11 – 14 Context
The EveningStar newspapercarriesatragic headline,“Well-knownCityEngineerShotDead. Assailants
thoughtto be natives.”
Msimanguisshockedat thisterrible news,forArthurJarviswasa brave youngwhite manandone of the
stalwartsof the fightfor justice forall SouthAfricanpeople. He wasin fact Presidentof the African
Boys’ClubinClaremont. Jarviswasregardedas one of the mainbridgesbetweenwhitesandblacksin
Johannesburg.
FatherVincent,anotherlocal white ministerfromEngland,asksKumaloif he knowsJarvis’father,
James,as he ownsthe farm overlookingKumalo’shome village. Kumaloadmitsthathe doesknow
JamesJarvisandsympathizeswithhim,asArthurwashisonlyson.
Kumalosinksintoadeepdepression. Since hisarrival inJohannesburghe hasbeenbombardedwith
one distressingepisodeafteranotherandhe seesnohope inthe situationapartfromGertrude’sboy.
He had knownthatthe situationbetweenthe whitesandthe blackscouldbe better,buthe hadn’t
realizedhowpoorrelationshipswere betweenthe tworacesuntil he arrivedinJohannesburg.
NotingKumalo’sdepression,MsimangucomfortsKumaloandtellshimthatthe youngwhite manatthe
Reformatorywill doagood jobinsearchingforAbsalom. Theywill allow the youngmantime tomake
hisresearchand will visitwithhimagainin afew days. Msimanguhas to conducta service at

11. Ezenzeleni,whichisaninstitute forthe blind,andhe suggeststhe Kumaloaccompanieshimashe might
finditinteresting. KumaloisliftedbyhisvisittoEzenzeleniwhere he witnesseshow well blacksand
whitescanworktogether,andhe is movedbythe care giventothe blindnatives. Kumaloisintroduced
to the EuropeanSuperintendentof the Institute,whoshowedhimroundthe facility.
He had time tocontemplate all thathadhappenedtohimandKumalo’sthoughtsturnedtohisson’s
girlfriendandthe unbornchildthatwouldbe hisgrandchild. He wasmore determinedthanevertosee
throughhisquestto rebuildhisfamily,whichinvolvedGertrude andherson,andhisownson,the girl
and the unborn child.
In the afternoon,MsimanguconductedhisserviceandKumalowasinspiredbythe youngminister’s
sermon.The sermonwaswell receivedbythe congregationandatthe endKumalotoldMsimanguthat
hisdepressionwaslifted.
KumaloreturnedtoMrs. Lithebe,whohadfounda buyerforGertrude’spossessions,andthese were
soldfor £3, whichwas a good bargain.
The young manfrom the Reformatoryarrivedwiththe newsthatitwasa Reformatoryboy,Absalom,
and twoothers,one beinghiscousin(John’sson) whohadcommittedthe crime of murderingJarvis,but
apparentlyitwasAbsalomthathad firedthe shot. The youngman was concernedwhatthe
repercussionswouldbe forthe Reformatory. He informedKumalothatthe three boyshadbeen
arrested.
Arrangementswere made forKumalotovisitthe prison,butonthe waythere,Kumalowishedtobreak
the newsof what had happenedtohisbrother. John’sreactiontothe newswasto blame Absalom
entirelyforthe crime andtry to free hisownson.
The two brothersmake theirwayto the prison. Whentheyarrive theyare takento separate roomsto
meetwiththeirsons.
KumaloasksAbsalom,“Whydidyoudo thisterrible thing,mychild?” The sonconfidesinhisfatherthat
it wasthroughfear thathe firedthe gun. He didnotmean to kill the white man. Kumalogoesontoask
Absalomabouthisgirlfriend,andwhetherhe wishestomarryher. He doesandKumalohopesthatthis
can be arrangedwhateverthe outcome of the trial. The fathercomfortshisfearful sonandconfirms
that he will standbyhim. Kumaloleaveshissonandmeetsupwithhisbrother.
Johnis concernedaboutobtainingalawyerforhisson. He ispreoccupiedregardinghisproblemsand
doesnotofferto helpKumalo.
KumalothenrememberswordsspokentohimbyFatherVincentbackat the Missionwhenthe news
broke aboutthe murder. He offeredhelpthem, andKumaloresolvestoseekthishelp.
CHAPTERS11 – 14 Interpretation
The previousChaptershave providedthe ingredientsthatleadtothe highdegree of lawlessnessamong
the black community. Manywhitesattribute the crime-wavetothe nature of blackpeople considering
that theyare inherentlyevil. Thisisan ignorantstandpoint. The lawlessnessstemsfromthe factthat
the black communitysufferssocial degradationandmanyyoungblackmaleswill notworkyearafter
yearfor a pittance,andsee the onlywayto improve theirsituationthroughalife of crime.

12. The murderof ArthurJarvisis ironic,forhe is one of the few white people whoendeavortobringjustice
and social reformtoall the people,andhisdeathseverelydamagesthiscause.
In these Chaptersthere are several passagesthatare statementsregardingthe situationinSouthAfrica
and have no directrelationshiptothe plotdevelopment. Fromone of these passagescomesthe title of
the bookand we read,“Cry, the belovedcountry,forthe unbornchildthatisthe inheritorof ourfear.
Let himnotlove the earthtoo deeply. Lethimnotlaughtoo gladlywhenthe waterrunsthroughhis
fingers,norstandtoo silentwhenthe settingsunmakesredthe veldwithfire.” Thispassage stresses
the change takingplace from the oldvaluesintoaregime where there isnothingtoholdtogetherthe
people. The resultischaos, for the native people have seenthe rulesdevaluedandignoredandthey
are withoutguidance.
Patonindicatesthattrouble ismountinginJohannesburgandthatcrime isescalating. He viewsthe
increasedPolice suppressionasexacerbatingthe situation. Itisnot justthe whitesthatfearthe
increase inlawlessness. The god-fearingnativepopulationsharestheirfearaswell.
The storm that Kumalohasfacedsince hisarrival inthe cityceasesduringhisvisittoEzenzeleni. He is
cheered-upbythe scene of the whiteshelpingthe blindblacknatives,andhe isinspiredbyMsimangu’s
sermon. He is givenrenewedstrengthtopursue hisquest,whichnow seemsclearertohim. He isalso
determinedtotake a more active role inthe educationof hisownpeople backhome. Msimangu’s
sermonenablesKumalotoobtainabetterunderstandingof the sufferingenduredbyhispeople.
Kumaloisimpressedbythe youngminister’sunselfishdevotiontohisflock.
Kumalohashad to come to termswiththe fact that hissister wasa prostitute andhisbrotherisa
corrupt businessman. Nowhe isfacedwiththe shockthat hissonis a murderer. It iswithsome
trepidationthathe journeystothe prisontomeethisson. Althoughhe wasable to breakdownthe
barrierbetweenhimself andhissister,the taskwithAbsalomwill be muchgreater.
His brother,John,isseeninatrue light,havingnoregardfor hisbrother’ssituation. He isonly
concernedwithsavinghisownson. If he can show no loyaltytohisfamily,how canhe show any loyalty
towardshispeople?
The scene inthe prisonbetweenKumaloandAbsalomisquite touchingandpoignant,anddespite
Kumalo’sinitialfears,the pairissoonreconciled. Kumalocansee thathisson genuinelyregretshis
actions,andreading betweenthe lines,Jarvis’deathisanunfortunate accidentcausedbyAbsalom’s
fear. We suspectthatJohn’sson hasledhimastray.
We note that Kumalowill seekhelpfromFatherVincent,anothercaringwhite man.
CHAPTERS15 and16 Context
KumaloreturnstoMrs. Lithebe’slodgingsdrainedanddispirited.
The two womensense Kumalo’sdepressionandleave himtocontemplate the recenteventsinsilence.
The young manwho broughtthe newscomestoMrs. Lithebe’shouse tospeakwithKumalo. He wishes
to discussthe arrangementsconcerningalawyerforAbsalom. AlthoughAbsalomhasadmittedthe
crime,itis importantthathe has a lawyerbecause the youngmandoesnottrustJohn Kumalo,anditis
importantthatthe court believesAbsalom’sstory. The youngmantakesKumalobackto the Mission

13. House so that the paircan talkwithFatherVincent. FatherVincentcomfortsthe oldmanandhe shows
that he is an unselfishman. He undertakestoobtainalawyerforAbsalomandto arrange hismarriage
to the youngpregnantgirl.Kumalofeelsthathe isnotcarryingthis burdenalone andhe isverygrateful
to FatherVincentforassistinghim.
The nextday,KumaloresolvestoseekoutAbsalom’sgirlfriend. He learnsthatthe girl has livedher
entire life inJohannesburgandshe tellsKumalothatshe hashadthree boyfriends,all of whomhave
endedupinprison. Asa result,the onlywayshe can getkindnessandattentionistoofferherself
sexually. Whetheritisthroughstressordepression,Kumaloperformsacruel acttowardsthe girl. He
asksher if she wouldbe willingtogo to bedwithhimandshe indicates,yes. Kumaloimmediatelyfeels
regretfor thisactionand suddenlyfeelsoverwhelmingcompassionforthe girl. He asksher if she is
willingtomarryhissonand he tellsherthatshe cannot carry on livinghere,andthathe will findaplace
for herto stay close bythe Mission. He tellshertomake preparationsforthe move.
CHAPTERS15 and16 Interpretation
We nowsee the significance of the namesgiventohischaractersby Paton.
Justas St. Stephenenduredthe stoningandprolongedagony,soKumaloenduresthe agonyof hisson’s
plight. Youwill recall thatAbsalomrebelledagainsthisfatherKingDavid. Johnthe Baptistprophesied
the comingof Jesus,beinghiscousin,andthere are similaritiesherebetweenthe relationshipof
StephenandJohn.
We wonderhowKumalowouldcope withoutthe assistance he hasreceivedfirstlyfromMsimangu,and
nowFatherVincent. Bothhave suppliedpractical help.
The girl’sstoryin Chapter16 givesa real insightintothe problemsfacedbypeople whohave lostthe
continuityof familylife. She isapparentlyalone andcanonlyfindanysort of relationshipbygiving
herself sexually.
We see a lapse fromStephenwhenhe actscruellytowardsthe girl,broughtonbyhisdepression. This
marks the lowestpointof hisspirit,anddespitethe tragediesthatare to come,Kumaloseems
determinedtorise above the situation. He comesto the realizationthathe cannotchange the world;he
can onlydo the besthe can forthose aroundhim.
The compassionshowntowardshimbythose at the MissionHouse rubsoff on Kumalo,andfromhere
on in,he becomesa more caringand complete person.
CHAPTER 17 Context
Mrs. Lithebe hasbecome a goodfriendof Kumaloandshe provideshimwithsupportandsympathy
whicheasesStephen’ssuffering. She hasonoccasionsfounditnecessarytoscoldGertrude because of
herraucous laughing,butbyand large the two womengetonwell together.
Kumalovisitshissonagaininprisonandtheyform a deep,close bondwithone another. Justaswith
Gertrude,he isable to bringback some spirittohisson.
FatherVincentadvisesKumalothathe hasobtainedthe servicesof afamouslawyer, Mr.Carmichael
whowill notcharge for takingAbsalom’scase. FatherVincentsaysthatCarmichael takesthe case,“Pro
Deo” inotherwords,“He takesitfor God.”

14. CHAPTER 17 Interpretation
We see thatMrs. Lithebe helpssupportKumalo,ashissufferingis similartothatof hisnamesake St.
Stephen.
Gertrude appearsto geton well withMrs.Lithebe,butshe still requiresdiscipline,andthere isahint
that she may notbe able toput up withthissituationona long-termbasis.
It isironicthat Kumalo hasbeenable tocommunicate withhisson,evenalthoughitisundersuch
unfortunate circumstances. Perhapsif he hadfoundhissonsooner,the tragedyof Jarvis’deathmight
not have happened.
At thisstage,the readeronlyseesthe negative side of Absalom’smindlessact,buthopesthatsome
goodwill come outof thisdire situation.
AgainPatonintroducesyetanotherbenevolentwhite maninthe formof Carmichael,aleading
Johannesburglawyerwhowill take the case free of charge.
BOOK2 CHAPTERS18 and19 Context
Chapter18 is more or lessa repetitionof Chapter1 inthat it haslittle relationtothe plotanddescribes
the landscape aroundKumalo’shome village of Ndotsheni. However,the perspective isdifferentasitis
takenfromthe home of JamesJarvis,whichoccupiesahighplace overlookingthe valley.
Jarvisisa simple man,buthe isconcernedbythe conditionsenduredbythe nativeswholive below him.
Like StephenKumalo,he hasadeep-seatedloveof the landandisconcernedat itsslow degeneration.
His home meanseverythingtohim. Ithas beeninhisfamilyforgenerationsandhe hasmany happy
memoriesof the area.
It isonlyafterthe deathof hisson that he appreciatesfullythe workhe didintryingtobringjustice for
all the people of Johannesburg. He isamazedthat hissonwas preparedtosacrifice everythinginthe
pursuitof helpingotherlessfortunatepeople.
ThisChapteralsogivesa flashbacktowhenJarvishearsthe newsof the deathof hisson. We learnthat
Mrs. Jarvisis notkeepingingoodhealth,butarrangementsare made forthe couple tobe flownto
Johannesburg.
In Chapter19 the story of the flashbackcontinuesanddealswiththe comingtotermswiththe bad
newsbythe Jarvis’s. Duringthistime,theyare accompaniedbythe Harrison’s,fatherandson,the
father,John,beingMrs.Jarvis’brother. Theyare an odd pairingandrepresenttwodifferingviewsof the
racial situation.The fatherhasthe traditional colonial view,regardingthe blackcommunityas servants
to the whites,whereasthe sonhasa more liberal outlookandseesthatSouthAfrica’sfuture liesinthe
integrationof blacksandwhites.
BOOK2 CHAPTERS18 and19 Interpretation
These Chaptersprovide uswithacharacter analysisof JamesJarvis. Inmanywayshe isverysimilarto
StephenKumalo. Theyshare the same concernsregardingthe landanditsuse,andare consciousof the
greaterproblemsfacingSouthAfrica,buthave nottakenanyaction to face these problemsandhelp
solve them.

15. We suspectthatlike Stephen,Jameswillalsogothrougha periodof enlightenmentashe dealswiththe
tragedyof his son’smurder.
Patonmakesthe pointthat there are far too manypassive people onbothsidesof the dividethat
appreciate the problemsbutare notwillingtostandupand be counted.
The introductionof JohnHarrisonisPaton’sattemptto ridicule the oldstance takenbysomany of the
oldergenerationof whitesinSouthAfrica. Theystill regardthe situationof SouthAfricaasa white
colonial countryforwhichthe blacksmerelyactas the workforce to supportthe white society. They
wishto prolongthe olddaysof Empire andkeepthe blackcommunityunderfirmcontrol. Althoughhe
admiresthe workdone byArthur Jarvis,he considersthathe wasa dreamerandnot practical like
himself. Itisclear that hissonrecognizesthe absurdityof thisstandpointandhisviewsare farmore
liberal andrealistic.
Patonhas nowformedthree father/sonrelationshipsinthe novel. All are different,butall have
similaritiesaswell. The mainingredientof all three relationshipsisthe elementof communication. So
far as the Harrison’sare concerned,fatherhasclearlycommunicated hisviewstohisson,butthe son
has the witto see that the father’sstandpointisincorrectandhe hasacted accordingly. JamesJarvis’
influenceonhissonhas clearlybeengood,andperhapsoutof the three relationships,theyenjoyedthe
bestcommunication,butunlikethe father,the sonhasdone more thanpassivelyopposethe situation
inJohannesburg,ashe has actedpositivelytoresolve the situation. Sofaras StephenandAbsalomare
concerned,the relationshipissimilartothe Harrison’s. Absalomwasunable toshare hisfather’sdesire
to holdon to the oldtribal waysand rebelledbygoingtothe attractionsof Johannesburg. Indoingso
he gave upthe morals giventohimby hisfatheranddue to immaturity,tookthe pathof evil,whichled
to the murderof ArthurJarvis.
CHAPTERS20 and21 Context
At hisson’shome JamesJarvislooksathisson’sworkand the papershe hasleft.
There are manybooks,mostof whichdeal withthe same problems,rangingfromworksconcerning
AbrahamLincoln’s reformstootherpapersdealingwithracial issuesthroughoutthe world.
He isparticularlyinterestedinhisson’sinvolvementwiththe ClaremontAfricanBoys’Clubandhe looks
throughthe Minutesof the Meetings.
Chapter20 containsa longextractfrom Arthur’spersonal writings,whichhasagreat impacton James.
“It isnot permissible tomine anygold,ormanufacture anyproduce,orcultivate anyland,if such mining
and manufacture andcultivationdependfortheirsuccessonapolicyof keepinglaborpoor. Itis not
permissible toaddtoone’spossessionsif these thingscanonlybe done atthe cost of othermen.”
Chapter21 dealswiththe funeral service andthe Jarvis’sare overwhelmedatthe attendance byall
races.At the endof the Service the grievingparentswerefull of pride fortheirson,andinsome ways
theywere saddenedthattheydidnotfullyrealize theirson’sinfluence. Afterthe service wasoverthe
Jarvis’sreturnedtothe Harrison’s’house. The fathercontinuedtoblame the nativesforall the illsthat
afflictedSouthAfrica. Jamestriedtobe respectfultohishost,buthe did notagree withHarrison’s
viewpoint.

16. The nextday,Jarvisagain readhisson’spapers,particularlythe lastparagraph,whichwasunfinished
and probablyrepresentedhisson’slastthoughts. “The truthisthat our civilizationisnotChristian;itisa
tragic compoundof great ideal andfearful practice,of highassurance anddesperate anxiety,of loving
charityand fearful clutchingof possessions.” Jarviswasgreatlymovedbyhisson’sthoughts. Againhis
mindwanderedtothe workof AbrahamLincoln,andhe read fromLincoln’sSecondInaugural Address
as President.
CHAPTERS20 and21 Interpretation
JamesJarvisistravelingaverysimilarroadto that of StephenKumalo. He ison a steeplearningcurve,
realizingthe impactthathissonhad on the Johannesburgcommunity.
At the funeral,theyfeelthe greatadmirationfeltbyall sectionsof societyfortheirson. Eventhe Police
authoritiesregarded himwithrespect.
Arthur’swrittenworkprovidesJameswithafreshinsightintothe native community,realizingthatall
that separatesthe tworacesis education.
Ironically,itisJames’ownpoorunderstandingof the blackcommunitythatcomesas a shock,for infact
the son throughhiswordsis educatingthe father.
Jamesisalsointriguedbyhisson’scollectionof books,manydealingwiththe life andreformsof
AbrahamLincolnandthe emancipationof the NegroesinAmerica. Hissonalsohada large collectionof
Shakespeare’splays. WhatJamesfindsdifficulttocome toterms withiswhyhisson hadto die. There
seemstobe no rhyme or reasonto it.
Patondeliberatelycontraststhe viewsof ArthurJarviswithMr. Harrison,Senior. He isone of the old
schoolsof thoughtand the standpointhe takesisone of the main stumblingblocksagainstracial
integration.
Patonis at painsto showthe parallelsbetweenArthurJarvisandAbrahamLincoln.
CHAPTERS22 to 25 Context
These Chaptersdeal withthe trial of AbsalomKumalo.
The proceedingsare punctuatedbyChapter23, whichdealswiththe goldrushat Odendaalsrustinthe
Orange Free State.
There isno doubtthat Absalomisguiltyof the crime. What Carmichael hastodo is pleadformitigation.
Of course KumalorecognizesJarvis,butJarvisdoesnotrealize thatitisKumalo’sson,Absalom, that
killedArthur. We learnof Kumalo’sandJarvis’reactionstothe crime as the evidence isproduced.
Towardsthe endof thissection,StephenandJamesmeet. Theyare bothgrievingandJarvisrecognizes
the sufferingof Stephen,butdoesnotyetknow thathe isrelatedtoAbsalom. JarvisassistsKumaloat
the Court and thisisa departure fromhispreviousbehavior. Hisson’swordsare havingan effect on
James’relationshipwiththe blacknatives. KumaloadvisesJamesthathe isAbsalom’sfather,butJames
showsnoanger. Kumalosaysthat he admiredJames’son,whichmovesthe father.
CHAPTERS22 to 25 Interpretation

17. Patonbringsdrama intothe Trial scene,whichstartswitha general descriptionof the Courtsothat the
readerhas a clearpicture of the courtroom. He makesisclearfrom the outsetthat the onlyresultof
the Trial can be the confirmationof Absalom’sguilt. Whathasto be resolvedisthe sentence,which
wouldnormallybe deathbyhanging.
Kumalotowardsthe endof Chapter22 recognizesJamesJarvis,andhe feelsafraidinthe presence of
thisman whose sonwaskilledbyAbsalom.
Because of the prominence of ArthurJarvis,the whole of Johannesburgistakinganinterestinthe Trial
for differentreasons. The positionof the Churchisclear,and theyare seekingcompassionfromthe
Court anduse the Trial as a vehicle forunderliningthe poorpositionheldbythe blackcommunityinthe
city. It is not justthe tragedyof one youngman, but itis a commentonthe whole SouthAfricanregime,
and itmust be the SouthAfricanGovernmentthattakesresponsibilityforthissituation. If Absalomis
sentencedtodeath,he issentencedbythe Governmentandnotthe SouthAfricanpeople.
Althoughwe donotknowthe situationinthe otherSouthAfricancities,Patonmakesitclearthat
perhapsJohannesburgisthe worstplace inSouthAfricainwhichto be a native. He suggeststhisinthe
line,“NosecondJohannesburgisneededuponthe earth. One isenough.” Thisisunderpinnedby
ArthurJarvis’manuscript,whichisclearlyaimedspecificallyatJohannesburg,butalsoappliestothe
whole country.Jameshasto come to termswiththe fact that he too ispart of the problem, andhislack
of actionhas failedhissonandhiscountry. At firsthe isangry at the thoughtthat he failedhisson,but
he is determinedtomake amendsandhisfeelingstowardsthe blackcommunitybecome more caring,
and thisisillustratedinhisactionstowardsStephenKumalo. JamesintuitivelyrecognizesStephen’s
sufferingandoffershimcomfort,andwhenhe revealshisrelationshiptoAbsalom, Jarvisresponds
positively.
Chapter23 dealswiththe goldrushand the prospectthat anotherJohannesburgwill arise inthe Orange
Free State,as a result. It will be anothersponge tosuckoutthe menfromthe countryside intothe
mines,toilingformeagerpay,destroyingthe tribal communitiesof the countryside,leavingwivesand
mothersto fendforthemselvesfroma landthatwill produce lessandlesssustenance;all thistoline the
pocketsof the white mine owners. These mineswill be constructedontribal land. Whatwill the white
people say? “But itis wonderful,SouthAfricaiswonderful. We shall holdupourheadsthe higher
whenwe go abroad,and people say,Ah,butyouare richin SouthAfrica.”
The successof the minescannotbe achievedunlessthe uneducatedblacknativesare dupedinto
comingto the minesandworkingat subsistencelevel. Theyare persuadedthatthe grassis greeneron
the otherside of the hill,butonce theyhave made the move tothe mine,theycannotreturn. Theyare
ina povertytrap.The Governmentshouldbe investinginthe landsothat it can supportthe people that
live onitrather than exploitingthe male populationinordertomaximize the profitsfromthe extraction
of gold.
CHAPTER 26 Context
“The greatbull voice isspeakingthere inthe square. There are manypolicementhere,bothblackand
white;itgivesone nodoubta sense of powertosee themthere,andto be speakingtoso manypeople,
for the greatbull voice growlsandrisesandfalls.”

18. JohnKumaloconsidershimself tobe animportantorator,but whathe saysiscorrupt. Unlike Arthur
Jarvishe will notrisk anythingtopursue hiscause. He viewshispublicspeakingasa meansfor
obtainingmoney.He isregardedwithcontemptbyDubulaandTomlinsonwhowishtheyhadhisoratory
skillsinordertogive impetustotheirgenuine cause toimprove the conditions of the blackpeople in
Johannesburg.
The crowd iscaught up inJohn’sspeechexceptthose thathave hearditbefore. He isagainstthe
increasesinfaresforthe busesbecause if the poorhave to pay more to travel towork,they’ll have less
moneytospendwithhim. It isclear thatJohn wishestotake onthe role of Chief forthese people,and
he relishesthe notorietyandpowerthathe getsfromthis publicspeaking.
The Police are concernedaboutJohnbecause he hasthe abilitytowhipthe crowdup intofrenzy,but
thenhe pullsback. If there wasnot a Police presence,the situationcouldbecome dangerous.
A strike occursin the minesandthe fearis that itwill spreadtothe whole of SouthAfricanindustry,
bringingaboutchaosand civil disorder. Howeverthe strike doesnotlastlongandisconfinedtothe
minesalone. The worsttrouble wasatDriefonteinwhere three blackminerswere killed.
Duringthistime,the Annual Meetingof the JohannesburgDiocese washeldandsome of the Ministers
suggestedthatthe AfricanMineworkersUnionshouldbe recognisedsothatthe plightof Africanminers
couldbe addressed. A large proportionof the minerswere illiterate andtheirexploitationwas
unparalleled.
CHAPTER 26 Interpretation
The main purpose of thisChapteristo provide abackdropto the mainplot,andgive the readersome
indicationastothe lifestyle of the poornative populationof Johannesburg.
We see thatJohnKumalowalksa fine line betweenthe Police authoritiesandbeingthe self-appointed
Chief of the blacksociety. He has to inspire “hispeople”,butkeeponthe rightside of the law.
Msimangusuggeststhatit isa mixedblessingthatJohniscorrupt because if he trulybelievedinbringing
justice tothe black population,he couldquiteeasilyincitethemtorebel againstthe authorities,which
wouldcause a bloodbath. John’smainaimis to bolsterhisownstandinginthe blackcommunityandno
doubtwouldcooperate withthe authoritiesif theymade itworthhiswhile.
The industrial unrestmerelyprovidesthe whitecommunitywithmore insecurityandapprehensionfor
the future.
CHAPTERS27 TO 29 Context
There isfrictionbetweenMrs.Lithebe andGertrude asthe latterisstartingto missherformerlife and
the freedomitgave her.
The case againstAbsalomisnearingcompletion,butagainstthe proceedingsisthe factthatanother
similarcrime hasbeencommitted,where aEuropeanhouseholderhasbeenshotdeadbya native
housebreaker,andthismayhave a directeffectonthe sentence tobe imposedonAbsalom. The
communityof the MissionHouse isnowapprehensive aboutthe sentence thatAbsalomwill receive,
althoughtheyrecognize thatthe Judge iswell-respected. He maybe underpressure fromthe
authoritiestoimpose the maximumsentence.

19. Chapter28 providesdetailsof the Judge’sfinal statementwhenthe case isreviewedindetail. The
outcome wasneverindispute,andAbsalomisfoundguiltyof the crime of murder. The Judge says,“On
whatgrounds,can thisCourt make any recommendationtomercy? I have giventhislongandserious
thought,andI cannot findanyextenuatingcircumstances.” The Judge asksAbsalomif he hasanything
to say before sentence ispassedonhim. Absalomsays,“Ikilledthisman,butI didnotmean to kill him,
onlyI wasafraid.” The Judge passesoutthe deathsentence onAbsalom. Some of the membersof the
publicstartwailingatthisnews.
Before the sentence iscarriedout,arrangementsare made forAbsalom’smarriage. FatherVincent
conductsthe ceremonyinthe prison,whichisattendedbyKumalo,Gertrude andMsimangu.
Amidstthe grief of the impendingexecutionof Absalom, Kumaloispleasedthathe hasmarriedthe girl,
and he tellshimthathe will care for the childas if it were hisown.
He tellshissonthathe will be returninghome toNdotsheni inordertoprovide supporttohismother.
Absalomsaysthatif hischildisa boy he shouldbe namedPeter.
As theyleave the prison,Absalom’swifesaystoKumalo,“AmI now your daughter?” Kumaloconfirms
that she is.
Kumalothengoestohis brother’scarpenter’sshoptosayfarewell,andJohnadmireshisbrotherfor
takingGertrude andher child,andAbsalom’swifebackwithhimtoNdotsheni. Kumaloisstillbitter
towardshisbrotherbecause John’ssonbetrayedAbsalom. He triestowarn Johnthat hisquestfor
powerwill onlyfurthercorrupthim,andKumalogetssome self-satisfactionfromthe factthathe isable
to disconcerthisbrotherandmake himfeel lesssecure.
Before Kumalodepartsforthe countryside,asocial gatheringisorganizedatMrs. Lithebe’shouse. Itis
revealedthatMsimanguintendstoenteraMonastery,whichissomethingof asurprise. Kumalo
remindsthemthattheywill all have torise earlyinthe morninginorderto catch the train.
Nextday,Gertrude hasgone;leavingherlittle boyandthe new clothesthatKumalohadboughtforher.
CHAPTERS27 TO 29 Interpretation
It isclear that the secondmurderof a white citizenbya burglartaintsAbsalom’strial. If thishadbeen
an isolatedcrime,thenperhapsthe Courtmayhave beenmovedtowardsclemency,butthe worryis
that thistype of crime will escalate unlessthere isasuitable deterrent. Manyof the blackcommunity
were preparedforthe worst,butevenso,whenthe deathsentence wasannounceditwasstill ashock.
Patonmakesthe pointthat the road to total integrationinSouthAfricaisa longone,butslowlyand
surely,bit-by-bit,the segregationof the raceswill be eroded. Thisissymbolizedbythe factthat the
youngwhite manfromthe Reformatorybreaksthe longstandingtraditionandsitsinthe blackside of
the Court. He alsovisiblyhelpsStephenKumalowhenhe isabouttocollapse afterthe sentence is
given.
Out of thistragedycomesthe ray of hope throughthe marriage of Absalomandhisyoungpregnant
girlfriend. She isnowgenuinelydelightedatbeingpartof StephenKumalo’sfamily. Itisprobablythe
firstreal familyshe hashad,and certainlythe prospectisthather life cannow improve.

20. Kumalofeelsthe needtoreturntohiswife assoonas possible inordertocomforther,but alsoto
escape fromJohannesburg,whichhasbroughthimsomuchgrief and finally,tomove hisnewfound
familyawayfromthe influencesof the sinful city. Beforehe makesthe journey,however,he feelshe
needstowarn hisbrotherJohnaboutthe dangershe will face if he continueshiscorruptwayof life.
However,whenhe seeshisbrotherthe senseof betrayal returnsto himandhe cannot resisttellinghim
a small lie inorderto frightenhim.
The readermightfinditstrange thatMsimanguhas decidedtoentera Monasteryas it appearslike a
stepback fromthe fieldof struggle. Apparently,he isthe firstblackmanto take such a step,and
StephenKumalobenefitsfromthe move asMsimangugiveshimhissavingsaccount.
You will recall thatKumalo’squestincomingtoJohannesburgwastoreunite hisimmediate family.
WithGertrude’sdisappearance thishasnow failed. Hissonwill be executed. Hissisterandbrotherwill
stay onin Johannesburg,andboththeirfatesare indoubt. However,he isnotreturninghome alone.
He has nowformeda newextendedfamilywithGertrude’sson,anew daughter-in-law andunborn
grandchild.Againwe have asymboliclinktothe Bible inthatAbsalomwishestoname hisunbornson,
PeterafterJesus’disciple Peterthe rock. The hope isthat Kumalowill be able toestablishanew
communitybasedonthe livesof these youngpeople.
BOOK 3 CHAPTERS30 to 36 Context
Kumaloisreunitedwithhiswife. She needstohave confirmationfromKumalothattheirsonistodie.
Kumalostill hopesformercy,butthisisextremelyunlikely. He explainstohiswife Gertrude’sabsence,
but introducesinsteadtheirnewdaughter. Kumalo’swife embraceshernew daughterandthe small
boy,and tellsthe boythathe isher newchild. The younggirl burstsintotearsat beingshownsuch
kindness.Onthe waybackto theirhome,there isa suddenbreakinthe droughtand theyhave to run
for cover.Theyhave beenprayinglongandhard forthe rains to come. Kumaloisupliftedbyhisreturn
for althoughthe communityhasbeenlivingonthe edge of survival due tothe drought;theyare far
more unitedthanthose he metin the impersonal cityof Johannesburg.
Kumalo’sfollowersare well aware of the sufferinghe andhisfamilyhave gone through,fornewstravels
fastin thissmall community,buthe hasgainedmuchrespectfromthemand theyvisiblyshow thisto
him. He alsohas freshenthusiasminhiswork,beinginspiredbythe sermonsof Msimangu. He resolves
not to passivelyacceptthe problemsfacedbyhiscommunity,anddecidestogoto the Chief,even
thoughthismay be a futile gesture,asthe Chief hasbeenreducedtoamere figurehead,butatleasthe
isdoingall that he can do. He alsogoesto the school andmeetswiththe HeadMaster, butthe Head
Master advisesKumalothatitisdifficulttoimprove the situationinthe school because itisall down to
economics.
Kumaloisdeterminedtobringaboutan improvementtohisvillage,butall he meetsisapathyand
obstacles. He realizesthatimprovementcanonlycome throughthe powerof God, and he prays long
and hard forthe village of Ndotsheni.
He thenhada surprise meetingwithasmall white boyona horse,whohadriddenintothe village
seekingKumalo. The youngboyattendsSt.Mark’s School inJohannesburgandKumalotellshimthathis
Church iscalledSt.Mark’s. The boywishestolearnZulu. The boyis ArthurJarvis’son. Kumalotellshim
that the Zululanguage iseasyto learnandhe will soonpickitup. The pair hasa longconversation,a

21. mixture of EnglishandZulu,andthe boyconfirmsthat he will visitagainsothatKumalocan speakmore
Zuluto him.
That nightwhile theywere eatingtheirmeal,acar came to the Kumalo’shouse withcansof milkforthe
childrenwhoare not yetat school. The man whobroughtthe milksaidthatif the cans are cleanedand
returnedhere,he will bringmilkeveryday. Kumaloisdumbfoundedatthisact of kindness.
KumaloreceivesfourlettersfromJohannesburg - one isfromAbsalomtohiswife,one isfromAbsalom
to hisparents,one isfromMsimangu,and the last isfromMr. Carmichael. The letterfromCarmichael,
the lawyer,explainedthatthere wouldbe nomercy,andthe date forthe executionhadbeenset.
In Absalom’slettertohisparentshe revealsthathe isaware of hisfate and that he will notsee themor
hishome village again. He isbeingcaredforby a black PriestwhoispreparingAbsalomforwhatlies
ahead.The date forAbsalom’sexecutionapproaches,andKumalodecidestomeditate,andwalksoutof
the valleyontothe hills. There he meetsJamesJarvis,andKumalooffershiscondolencestoJameson
the recentdeathof hiswife. Jarvisisatpainsto reassure Kumalothatherdeathwas not relatedtothe
murderof herson,but that she had beenill forsome time.
Ever since hisson’sdeath,Jarvishasfeltagreatersympathyforthe blackcommunity. Jarviswouldlike
to provide Kumaloandthe village withanew Church.
There isstill muchconcernoverthe conditionof the landalthoughthe recentrainshave helped.
PerhapsKumalo’sprayersare bearingfruitbecause asurveyorcomes toreview the conditionof the
landand to seekwaystoimprove it. It isdecidedthata dam shouldbe builtonJarvis’land,andthiswill
helpthe irrigationof the valley.
Kumalomournsforhisson and the fact that he turnedhisback on hisfamily andendedupinbad
company,whichhadledto the crime againstthe Jarvis’family.
The two menbecome closerbecause of theirsharedgrief,andalthoughtheyfeel love forone another,
there isstill aninvisible barrierbetweenthem.
The last Chapterof the bookrevertstothe format of the firstChapterand providesahope forthe future
of Ndotsheni andSouthAfricaasa whole.
“Ndotsheni isstill isdarkness,butthe lightwillcome there also. Foritis the dawnthat has come,andit
has come for a thousandcenturies,neverfailing. Butwhenthatdawn will come,of ouremancipation,
fromthe fearof bondage and the bondage of fearwhy,that isa secret.”
BOOK3 CHAPTERS30 to 36 Interpretation
The end of the droughtin the valleyof Umzimkulusymbolizesnotonlythe renewal of the land,butalso
the renewal of Kumalo’sspirit. ChangedandinspiredbyhisvisittoJohannesburg,he endeavorstotry
and change the plightof the people of hisvillage. He maynot be successful,buthe decidesthat
continuedpassive acceptanceisnotthe wayforward. Initiallyhe ismetbyobstacle afterobstacle with
hisvisitstothe Chief andthe Head Master, butthe ingredientsare there fortheirlivestoimprove
because the people have asense of communityandspiritthatislackinginthe citythat he has come
from.

22. RespectforKumalohasincreasedthroughthe sufferinghe hasenduredandsohe isina positionto
inspire hisflock,he beinginspiredbyMsimanguwhoquietlyworkedforthe goodof humanityandwas
able to bringaboutsmall,butpermanentchangestopeople’slives.
Kumalocan nowgo to the Chief andurge himto act because he hasa betterinsightintohow the tribal
systemhasfailedthe people. Hisexperiencesinthe cityhave enabledhimtobe more courageousand
to questionthe Chief’sword. Byputtingpressure onthe Chief,he mightbe able tomake himreact. He
hopestohave betterluckwiththe Head Master,but he too explainsthathishandsare tied.
Kumalohasno alternative buttoprayharder forhis people,andcoincidentallyornot,JamesJarviswho
overlooksthe valleyhasdecidedtocontinue hisson’sworkandgive assistancetothe blackcommunity.
He startedthisalmostimmediatelybymakingalarge donationtothe AfricanBoys’Club, andnowhe
providesmilkforthe villagechildren. He isdeterminedthathisson’slife’sworkwill nothave beenin
vain. He realizesthatthe future of SouthAfricaisinthe handsof the young,andso he encourageshis
grandsonto learnZuluinthe hope that he will alsohave a betterunderstandingof the natives’
problems,ashe growsolder.
Anotherseeminglyunrelatedincidentoccurswhenasurveyorarrivesinthe valleytoassessthe use of
the land. Then Jarvis,whilstridinginthe village,iscaughtina downpourandhas to take refuge inthe
Church.He noticesthatthe roof isleakingbadlyandpromisestobuildanew Churchfor the village. It
transpiresthatJarvishas providedthe valleywiththe surveyorwhowill assessthe agricultural potential
of the valley,the aimbeingforthe landtobe more productive. Jarvisisnotinterestedinprovidingthe
people withcharity,butputtingtheminthe positionthattheycansupportthemselves.
Patonclearlyshowsthatthe material side of people’slivescanbe easilyaddressedsothatall the people
can have a life above amere subsistence level. The real problemthatSouthAfricafacesisthe
integrationof all the races,andthisis a far more difficultchallenge. He stressesthe importance thatthe
white communityneedstounderstandtheirblackneighbors. ThisissymbolizedthroughJarvis’
grandsonwantingtolearnZulu.
Althoughthere are numerousinstancesof white peoplebeingcaringandgivingtoblackpeople,thereis
still abarrierbetweenthe races. Thisisillustratedbythe relationshipbetweenJarvisandKumalointhe
final Chaptersof the book. WhenMrs. Jarvisdies,custompreventsKumalofromvisitingJarvis,andhe
has to senda letterof condolence. Whenthe pairmeetsonthe mountainside,bothmourningfortheir
sons,somethingholdsthembackfromfullyopeningtheirheartstoone another. Unlessthese barriers
are brokendown,thenMsimangu’sprophecy,whoyouwill recall isPaton’smouthpiece,willcome to
fruition. He prophesiedthatbythe time the whitesrealizethattheymusttreatthe blackswithjustice
and decency;theirpatience will have wornawayandwill have beenreplacedbyhate.
At the end,Kumalorealizesthatthe solutiontoSouthAfrica’sproblemsis throughtrue Christianlovefor
one another.
It isimportantfor the readerto realize thatthisbookwaswrittenduringadark periodof SouthAfrica’s
history,butdespite thisPatonprovidesaray of hope for the future.
THEMES FEAR and RACE

23. Throughoutthe novel,there isathreadof fearrunningthroughthe storyline andthisisalsoemphasized
inthe Chaptersandpassagesthatprovide a backgroundtothe story.
Startinginthe village of Ndotsheniwe note thatthe people live infearof starvation. The landisunable
to sustainthe populationandprovide food. The societyispracticallydevoidof menastheyhave
traveledtothe cityof Johannesburgorthe goldminestoobtainwork. Those leftbehindare fearful as
to the wellbeingof theirlovedones.
As KumalotravelstoJohannesburg,he isfearful of whatawaitshim. He findsthe cityconfusingand
unsettling,andhe dreadswhathe will findoutabouthisfamily.
The nativeslivinginthe cityhave leftone fearandnow face another. Theyhave the dailytask of trying
to earnenoughmoneytofeedthemandthere isalwaysthe threatthat theywill lose theirjobs. They
are frightenedtospeakoutagainstthe Government’soppression,forthiswouldleadtoviolence. Many
of the blackpopulation resorttoa life of crime inorderto try and improve theirsocial position.
Kumalo’ssonembarksonthispath andthroughfear,murdersArthurJarvis. We note that whilstinthe
Reformatory,he wasa model inmate,probablybecause withinthe wallshe wasprotectedfromthe fear
that existsinthe citystreets.
The white populationisalsofearfulof theirsituation. Theyhave obtainedtheirpositionthrough
violence andwars,amongstthemselvesandagainstthe Zulunation. Theyare ina precariousposition
because the blackpopulationfaroutnumbersthem. Manyrealize thatoppressionisnotthe answerto
SouthAfrica’slong-termproblems,andeventuallyintegrationmusthappen. However,theytooare
fearful of the authoritiesandcannotrebel against the Governmentbycontraveningthe lawsand
assistingthe blackpopulation.
It shouldbe notedthatthe author of thisbook wasin conflictwiththe authoritiesandwaschargedwith
treason.
Patonis at painsto emphasize thatthe actionstakenbythe charactersin thisbookare oftendrivenby
fear.Paton’sfearwasthat the patience shownbythe blackpopulationtowardstheirwhite overlords
waitingforchange wouldbe replacedbyhatredof the whites.
CHARACTEREVOLUTION
The problemsfacingSouthAfricaare symbolizedbygroupsof characters inthe plotand theirabilitiesto
change. For SouthAfricato evolve andbecome partof the modernworlditneedstochange fromthe
positionitwasinafterthe SecondWorldWar.
Againstthischange stoodthe NationalistPartysymbolizedthroughthe characterof Harrison,Senior.
He isportrayedas one of the oldschool,a colonistandrulerof the uneducatedblackrace. He doesnot
see themas proudZulus,butas ignorantnativesonlyfittoserve the Imperial regime.
At the otherendof the scale,we have the tribal systemruledbythe ZuluChiefs. The Chief inthe
UmzimkuluValleyisalsoincapable of change. He isbuta figureheadwhohaswatchedthe tribal system
disintegrate.
The characters that symbolize the changingface of SouthAfricaare StephenKumaloandJamesJarvis.
The eventstheywitnesssteel themtoadaptandchange where previouslytheirview wastopassively

24. accept the situation. Jarvisisinspiredbyhisson’sworktobring justice to all the peoplesof
Johannesburg. Itisonlyafterhisson’sdeaththat he realizesthe esteemhe washeldinbyall races.
WhenStephenKumalotravelstoJohannesburgitistotry and recreate the tribal systembybringing
togetherhisfamilyonce more. He quicklyrealizesthatthisisnotpossible forhe losesall three
membersof hisfamilywhocannotmake the transitionbackto the waythingswere. Inspiredbythe
wordsand workof Msimangu,Kumaloisrejuvenatedandalthoughhe doesnotknow how he will solve
the problemsof hisvillage,he will tryhardertodo so whenhe returns. He returnshome witha new
familywhoare the newhope forthe future.
The plightof the village isalleviatedbyKumalo’sdeterminationandco-operationwithJamesJarvis,and
the conditionsof hispeople improve steadily. Paton’spointhere isthatprogresscan onlybe made by
bringingaboutchange insystemsandinpeople,andwithblacksandwhitesworkingtogetherfora
commongoal,not leadingseparate existences.
CONCLUSION
Politicallythe situationworsenedinSouthAfricaafterthisbookwaspublished. The introductionof
apartheidlegalizedracial segregation,whichresultedinracial inequalityfrom1949 rightthrough until
1990. In1994 the transitiontoa non-racial democraticsocietywascomplete,whichbroughtaboutthe
AfricanNational Congressobtainingpower. The Congresshadoriginallybeenformedin1912 and their
aimhas alwaysbeentosecure racial equalityandfull political rightsfornon-whites. Theirleaders
NelsonMandelaandWalterSisuluwere imprisonedfortheiroutspokenviewsin1964. The bothserved
longsentences.NelsonMandelabecame SouthAfrica’sfirstpost-apartheidPresident.
Althoughthisvastcountrystill facesmanyproblems,theydosoasa uniteddemocraticpeople and
althoughfrictionisstill evidentbetweenthe races,byandlarge,Paton’sfearthat the blackswouldhate
the whiteshasnot transpired.
QUESTIONSfor STUDY
Provide detailswhere fearhasgovernedthe decisionsmade bythe charactersinthe book.
What are the social problemsraisedinthisbook?
‘Cry,the BelovedCountry’canbe regardedas a social protestnovel,andusuallysuchworkshave a
socialistorcommunistflavourtothem. Thisbookisdifferentandisoftenreferredtoasa ‘Christian
novel’. Please expand.
Patonprovidesastudyof humanrelationshipsbetweenthe charactersof thisbook,e.g.Kumaloand
Absalom
KumaloandJohn
Jamesand ArthurJarvis,and
KumaloandJamesJarvisPlease expandonone ormore of these.
Patonis deliberate inchoosingnamesforhischaracters. Whatsignificance dotheyhave?