Messages and Fear

 Fear grips all black societies and is widespread not only for black people but also white people. An unborn child will inherit this fear and will be deprived of loving and relishing his country because the greater he loves his country the greater will be his pain. Paton shows us this throughout this book but at the same time he also offers deliverance from this pain. This, I believe is the greater purpose of this book.  For example: Kumalo has fear when in search for his son, but Msimangu offers him deliverance from the pain.  Absolom, was under terrible fear because he was to be hanged and was in fear of being alone, yet his father, Stephen, comforts him.  Paton's message is when we help and serve each other then only can we drive out fear. Only brotherhood will bring comfort to the people and our beloved country. `The bondage of fear, why that is a secret', when will South Africa and its people be free of fear?

Who is responsible for Absolom's death?

  The practical part of me wants to say that one cannot give blame solely to one person and walk away, but the literary part of me thinks otherwise.  This question really does have some depth...Was his father responsible for not parenting good enough?  Was it Absolom's friend for influencing him poorly in the first place?  Was it the unjust judge or Kumalo's selfish brother?  Or was it Absolom's, for actually firing the gun and killing Arthur Jarvis.  Those people may be partially to blame, but majorly the blame truly goes to not a person, but something else.  The answer goes back to the title, Cry, the Beloved Country.  It is the broken tribe to blame, the greedy leaders, and the racist speakers.  The families split up, “The men are away, the young men and the girls are away." And Why? Because," The soil cannot keep them any more.”  Poor Absolom was just another victim to the bigoted fiends that tore what was once a lovely place.  From this ,one can clearly understand the title: Cry, the beloved country.

An Inevitable Truth, A Segregated South Africa

The brewing storm in South Africa is not an easy topic to talk about, as the hints in the book are subtle and sparse, but I feel it important to talk about regardless.  In the beginning of Cry, the Beloved Country there are a number of examples of the horror the country is about to endure.  Clues like the brusque racism in the media, the shanty towns, the complex role of the free city, Alexandria, and the story of Msimangu's friend that lived on Potchefstroom road give much insight.  Examples that present white and black alliance, and white and black segregation bring many variables to the complex issue of the future South African Apartheid.  What we know is that South African segregation will get worse very quickly, and will soon be the overlying message the book has to offer.  What is expected is the ability to glimpse at what it would be like to live in South Africa at this time, and this sight will be most certainly heinous.   There are very high tensions in the country, and it seems as though all weapons are loaded.  South Africa is doomed for tragedy.    

Letters, and One of Their Many Roles

              A major motif or symbol in Cry, The Beloved Country are letters.  Letters tell Kumalo of his sister, and aid him when looking for his son.  I am fascinated by the formal and distinguished form of communication, but besides that the deeper meaning of letters are prevalent when the beloved umfundisi reaches Johannesburg.  Kumalo has three family members that all have gone to Johannesburg, and all three have not written to him.  Yet, when he reaches this prominent, intimidating city, he finds all three family members unscathed.  His repetitious encounters with his family give no real reason to why they haven't written to him.  He heard things like, "I haven't had the money", and," Life is different here", but no one has truly answered him.  That is what is so interesting, why has no one written to Kumalo? And if they did truly tell Kumalo why they had not written, would their answers be the same?  I feel that the reserved and refined(and old) umfundisi has some skeletons in his closet, because who wouldn't want to write such a nice man? Perhaps moments like when Kumalo lied in the train and snapped at his son's partner are sheds of light unto the religious man's past self.  More is to be known, and hopefully we will see more letters in Cry, The Beloved Country.