Cry The Beloved Country Essay

In the novel Cry, The Beloved Country, the author, Alan Paton, writes about the current struggles within South Africa through the eyes of two opposite characters: James Jarvis and Stephen Kumalo. James Jarvis is a wealthy white man coping with the loss of his son while questioning his attitudes toward the racial injustice of his country. Stephen Kumalo is a native black priest whose life takes a turn when he discovers the vices and twisted realities behind Johannesburg and his home country. Kumalo receives a first-hand experience of the issues within his country along his journey to Johannesburg and meets various individuals on the way. It is later revealed that Stephen’s son, Absalom Kumalo, has murdered a white activist by the name of Arthur
The changes Stephen Kumalo and James Jarvis undergo are bound to lead to advances in resolutions towards the issues within South Africa. Stephen Kumalo is introduced as a clean and holy man who appears to have nothing bringing him down. This changes rather quickly upon his journey to Johannesburg and his experiences within the city. “His anger masters him and he does not wait for it (Paton, 61).” Kumalo is sent into a fit of rage upon discovering that Gertrude, his precious sister, has become a prostitute. He is ultimately shamed by her actions and cries as a result. It’s also worth mentioning that he was finessed out of his money instantly upon arrival into the city. So far, he has yet to receive anything positive out his journey. “This thing, he said. This thing. Here in my heart there is nothing but fear. Fear, fear, fear” (Paton, 105). The news of Absalom’s crime sparks great awe from Kumalo and forces him into a period of grief. His crime triggered an emotional change towards depression in Stephen. His extreme emotions cause him to forget everything else as he has nothing on his mind aside from negative thoughts. The two issues which brought him to Johannesburg, which were to help Gertrude and locate