Alan Paton's Cry, The Beloved Country

Introduction

Love, kindness, family ties, and society structure encompass certain realities in an individual's life. Search of comfort in desolation attracts the attention of a reader towards the role a person who faces different hardships in life. Cry, the Beloved Country, written by Alan Paton, published in the year 1948 is a novel that revolves around these concepts. The story of the novel starts with the character of Reverend Stephen Kumalo who left his homeland for Johannesburg in search of his family members. The story ends with the concept of caring poor black community. Alan Paton has identified different constituents that shape the story of novel and captivate the reader's attention that are normally ignored most of the time. Main thesis of the paper is to explore how the novel explores the linkage of an individual while valuing the principles of nature. This will be explored by highlighting the subjects of reuniting the family, value of kindness, concept of emancipation, and tension between rural and urban society.

Brief Summary of the Novel

The story of the novel begins when Stephen Kumalo leaves his town for Johannesburg after receiving a letter from Reverend Msimangu. He left the town in search of his brother, his son, and his sister, who were expected to be living in Johannesburg. Stephen was highly concerned with the care of his family members. On reaching the city, he found that her sister has turned to prostitution, whereas Absalom has killed a boy of white farmer, named James Jarvis (Bloom, 66).

It becomes evident to Kumalo that Absalom has been in a bad company throughout his life. Arthur Javis was killed by some Black people who lived in the same city. Judge ordered the penalty of death for him. Along with it, Gestrude left her son in Mission house and escape ...