Cry, The Beloved Country (1727 words)
Cry, the Beloved CountryCry, the Beloved
Country
The book “Cry, the Beloved Country” by
Alan Paton is a book about agitation and turmoil of both whites and blacks
over the white segregation policy called apartheid. The book describes
how understanding between whites and blacks can end mutual fear and aggresion,
and bring reform and hope to a small community of Ndotcheni as well as
to South Africa as a whole. The language of the book reflects the Bible;
furthermore, several characters and episodes are reminiscent of stories
from the New Testament and teachings of Christ. Thus, Alan Paton, as a
reformer and the author of “Cry, the Beloved Country”, gives the people
of South Africa a new, modern Bible, where he, like Christ, teaches to”love thy brother as yourself” in order to help whites and blacks overcome
the fear and misunderstanding of each other.
The language of the book from the very
beginning reveals its biblical nature. “The great valley of Umzimkulu is
still in darkness, but the light will come there. Ndotcheni is still in
darkness, but the light will come there also.” The style includes symbols
such as light and darkness, short clauses connected by “and” or “but”,
and repetition. This style is used to represent speech or thoughts “translated”
from Zulu.
Jesus Christ is symbolized by the figure
of Arthur Jarvis. He is a white reformer who fights for rights of blacks.
Like Christ, he is very altruistic and wants to pursue his aims at all
costs. His friend, Harrison, says: “Here [Arthur Jarvis] was, day to day,
on a kind of mission.” (173) Arthur Jarvis and his wife Mary “agree that
it’s more important to speak the truth than to make money.” (172) Arthur
Jarvis is killed in his house by Absalom, a black youth who gets entangled
in crime. Absalom only intends to rob Arthur Jarvis, and the homicide is
unintentional. Absalom thinks that Arthur Jarvis is out and comes into
the house with two friends. However, when Arthur Jarvis “heard a noise,
and came down to investigate” (186). Startled and afraid, Absalom fires
blindly. Absalom later says in court: “Then a white man came into the passageaˆ¦
I was frightened. I fired the revolver.” (194) Absalom’s blind fear is
symbolic of the fear, blindness, and misunderstanding between whites and
blacks; these are the reasons of racial hatred. In his room, there are
pictures “of Christ crucified and Abraham Lincoln” (176), the two men who
fought for human love and compassion and were killed because of their beliefs.
Arthur Jarvis can be identified with Jesus Christ. Jesus taught “love thy
neighbor as thyself”. Roman priests didn’t understand him, but they felt
his power and were afraid of him. Even though Christ taught compassion,
they claimed he would incite a riot and crucified him. Like Christ, Arthur
Jarvis teaches compassion and love between neighbors – whites and blacks,
separated by the policy of apartheid.
The crucifixion of Jesus Christ leads to
redemption, spiritual growth of many people and progress; likewise, the
death of Arthur Jarvis brings reform and hope. Ironically, the tragedy
brings together Stephen Kumalo, the father of a black murderer and Jarvis,
the father of Arthur Jarvis, the white victim.
High Place where Jarvis lives is symbolic
of an elevated position of many whites. Before his son’s death, Jarvis
is on the hilltop, thinking in a distant, uninvolved way about the problems
between whites and blacks, seeing just the white point of view.
“Indeed they talked about [the erosion
of land] often, for when they visited one another and sat on the long cool
verandahs drinking their tea, they must needs look out over the barren
valleys and the bare hills that were stretched below them. Some of their
labor was drawn from Ndotcheni, and they knew how year by year there was
less food grown in these reserves.” (162)
Jarvis is not a bad person but is ignorant
about the lives of blacks and the real issues that take place.
After the death of his son Jarvis learns
to view blacks as real people. Jarvis reads his son’s papers and suddenly
becomes concerned with the ideas expressed by his son and by Abraham Lincoln.
“Jarvis sat, deeply moved [after reading Arthur’s last paper.] aˆ¦
[Then Jarvis] read [the Second Inaugural Address of Abraham Lincoln], and
felt with a sudden lifting of the spirit that here was a secret unfolding,
a track picked up again.” (188) Later on, when Kumalo and Jarvis meet,
Kumalo stumbles and almost faints because of the shame and guilt he feels.
Jarvis doesn’t yet know Kumalo is the father of the criminal, and doesn’t
understand Kumalo’s anxiety. However, Jarvis doesn’t dismiss him as a “dirty
old parson” (174) like before. Earlier Jarvis might barely have noticed
expressions on the face of a Zulu, but now he has changed enough to recognize
that this man does not mean to be rude. “Jarvis knew this was not rudeness,
for the old man was humble and well-mannered.” (211) As a result of reading
his son’s writings, Jarvis learns about the real problems of South Africa.
Most of the whites don’t view blacks as real people and are unaware the
problems blacks have to face. Therefore it is easy for whites to oppress
blacks.
In the end of the book, Jarvis plays the
role of an angel coming down from above. When Jarvis returns to his “High
Place,” he doesn’t view the problems of the black community in Ndotcheni
as being below him as earlier, but plays an active role in reform. He hires
an agricultural instructor to teach new methods of farming and sends milk
daily to the sick children. Because of one man’s understanding and change
of heart, many lives are saved, and finally, there is a ray of hope, thanks
to Jarvis, “an angel of God” (234).
Another character reminiscent of the Bible
is Absalom, the son of the main character Stephen Kumalo, an African priest.
The biblical Absalom is a favorite son of King David. Absalom goes against
his father and joins his father’s enemies. However, the rebellion is suppressed
and Absalom is killed. Instead of rejoicing, David bitterly weeps for his
son. Absalom in “Cry, the Beloved Country” causes grief to Stephen Kumalo
by disappearing into Johannesburg. Moreover, when Stephen Kumalo goes to
look for him, the old priest is devastated to find out that his son has
killed a man. When Absalom is hanged, Stephen Kumalo weeps. Like David
who cries out, “O Absalom, my son, my son!” Kumalo too cries, “My son,
my son, my son!” By naming Kumalo’s son “Absalom”, the author emphasizes
the importance of the break of the father and son.
Gertrude, the sister of Stephen Kumalo,
can be identified with a Samaritan woman in New Testament. Priest Msimangu
describes Gertrude to Kumalo. “It would be better to say aˆ¦
that she had many husbands.” (57) That means she is a prostitute. Likewise,
Christ says to the Samaritan woman that she had many husbands, but none
of them was her husband for real. When the reader notices the connection
to the prostitute in the Bible, we are able to view her differently, and
forgive her like Jesus Christ forgave the sins of the Samaritan woman.
Kumalo can be seen as a representation
of Moses. Moses takes his people on a journey. When they arrive to their
destination, they have obtained a new set of laws and beliefs. Kumalo’s
journey to Johannesburg is filled with fear. However, when he returns to
his home in Ndotcheni, he has acquired a new understanding of racial problems
and a capability to help his people. Even though he looses a son, a sister,
and a brother, he has a new daughter-in-law, a nephew, and a grandson about
to be born. The younger generation emphasizes a new beginning, a new way
of life for Kumalo. By making a friendship with Jarvis, Kumalo also changes
the way of life in Ndotcheni. Even though the end of the journey is filled
with sorrow, it is a start anew. Father Vincent remarks to Kumalo, “My
friend, your fear has turned to sorrow. But sorrow is better than fear.
aˆ¦ Fear is a journey, a terrible journey, but sorrow
is at least an arriving.” (140) By identifying Kumalo with Moses, the author
stresses the importance of the concepts of journey and fear throughout
the book.
The journey of Kumalo to Johannesburg can
also be seen as a loss of innocence. Adam and Eve ate from the Tree of
Knowledge of Good and Evil, and after that they never lived the simple
naked life of the Paradise, the garden East of Eden. When Kumalo travels
to Johannesburg, he has to deal with problems he never faced in the simple
agrarian community of Ndotcheni. He sees ugliness of the life there: “They
walked down Lily street, and turned off into Hyacinth Street, for the names
there are very beautiful.” (59) Also, he experiences compassion and help
of generous and benevolent people such as Msimangu. When Msimangu gives
Kumalo a post office book that is worth thirty pounds, “Kumalo put his
hands with the book on the top of the gate, and he put his head on his
hands, and wept bitterly.” (248) Just like Adam and Eve were never able
to return to primeval innocence of paradise, likewise Kumalo is permanently
changed by his journey to Johannesburg. For this reason the bishop tells
him, “Mr. Kumalo, you should go away from Ndotcheni.” (294) Because of
the knowledge and understanding he acquires in Johannesburg, Kumalo cannot
go back to his old way of life.
In “Cry, the Beloved Country” Alan Paton
teaches the attitude similar to Christ’s philosophy. Christ leads people
to love and compassion, both to friends and enemies. Alan Paton wrote the
book with such strong biblical references to appeal to the people to follow
biblical beliefs. Alan Paton calls for an end to racial injustice, misunderstanding
and alienation of black and whites.
“Cry, the Beloved Country” examines racial
hatred and turmoil from a very different perspective than most people of
Paton’s time were used to. Because the setting and issues of this book
are so removed from most readers’ experiences, readers can form opinions
and view this book without bias, because most people don’t encounter issues
such as life in an African village, African landscape and draught, Zulu
language, etc. People can look at issues discussed in this book as if from
a distance. This makes the book universal. Paton further stresses the universality
of this book by making a strong comparison with the Bible, which most people
in the world are familiar with. Since the audience of the book is people
from different cultures and countries, “Cry, the Beloved Country” can make
people look from different perspectives at issues such as racial discrimination.
Alan Paton wrote this book in order to stop racism and other kinds of prejudice
throughout the world.
