MODULE 3: CRY, THE BELOVED COUNTRY Absalom’s case.

When Kumalo tells Absalom’s girlfriend

what has happened, she is saddened by the news but
INTRODUCTION AND MOTIVATION joyfully agrees to his proposal to marry his son and
- What images are evoked in you when Africa is mentioned? return to Ndotsheni as his daughter-in-law.
Safaris, diamonds, slaves, Ebola virus, etc. Africa used to be
referred to as the dark continent not only because their locals Meanwhile, in the hills above Ndotsheni, Arthur Jarvis’
are dark-skinned but also because the world did not care too father, James Jarvis, tends his beautiful land and hope
know much about this continent and its people. However, the for rain. The local police bring him news of his own
world finally riveted its attention to the unfortunate plight of son’s death and he leaves immediately for Johannesburg
these people with Nelson Mandela's crusade against with his wife. In an attempt to come to terms with what has
apartheid. happened, James reads his son’s articles and speaks
on social inequality.
 APARTHEID By accident, he and Kumalo meet for the first time
- It is a system of institutional racial segregation that and after Kumalo has recovered from his shock, he
existed in South Africa and South West Africa from 1948 expresses sadness and regret for Jarvis’s loss. Both
until the early 1990's. It is characterized by an attend Absalom’s trial that ends with the death penalty
authoritarian political culture based on baasskap (white for Absalom and an acquittal for his co-conspirators.
supremacy) which ensured the political, social and Still, Kumalo arranges for Absalom to marry the girl who
economic domination of the nation's minority white bears his child, and they bid farewell. The morning of his
population. Consequently, white citizens had the highest departure when Kumalo is supposed to bring his family
status, followed in descending order by Asians, Coloureds, back to Ndotsheni, he finds out that Gertrude has
and black Africans. disappeared.

CRY, THE BELOVED COUNTRY Kumalo is now deeply aware of how his people
- It is a social protest against the structures of the society that have lost the tribal structure that can hold them
would later give rise to apartheid. Paton attempts to create an together and he returns to his village troubled by the
unbiased and objective view of the dichotomies it entails: he situation. It turns out that James Jarvis has been having
depicts whites as affected by "native crime" while blacks similar thoughts. Arthur Jarvis’s young son befriends
suffer from social instability and moral issues due to the Kumalo and James Jarvis becomes increasingly involved
breakdown of the tribal system. It shows many of the problems in helping the struggling village. At first, he donates milk
with South Africa such as the degrading of the land reserved then makes plans for a dam and hires an agricultural
for the natives, which is sometimes considered to be the main expert to demonstrate newer and less devastating
theme, the disintegration of the tribal community, native farming techniques. When Jarvis’s wife dies, Kumalo
crime, and the flight to urban areas. and his congregation send a wreath to express their
sympathy. Just as the diocese’s bishop is about to
 SYNOPSIS transfer Kumalo, Jarvis sends a note of thanks for the
- In the remote village of Ndotsheni, in the Natal province wreath and offers to build the congregation a new
of eastern South Africa, the Rev. Stephen Kumalo church, and Kumalo is permitted to stay in his parish.
receives a letter from a fellow minister summoning him to On the evening before his son’s execution, Kumalo
Johannesburg, a city in South Africa. The letter says that goes to the mountains to await the appointed time in
he is needed there to help his sister, Gertrude who has solitude. On the way, he encounters Jarvis, and the two
fallen ill. Kumalo undertakes the difficult and expensive speak of the village and of Jarvis’s bright young grandson,
journey to the city in the hopes of aiding Gertrude and of whose innocence and honesty have impressed both men.
finding his son, Absalom, who traveled to Johannesburg When Kumalo is alone, he weeps for his son’s death and
from Ndotsheni and never returned. clasps his hands in prayer as dawn breaks over the valley.
In Johannesburg, Kumalo is warmly welcomed by
Msimangu, the priest who sent him the letter. Mrs.  CHARACTERS
Lithebe, a Christian woman who feels that helping o Stephen Kumalo
others is her duty, gives them comfortable lodging, - One of the novel’s two protagonists. Kumalo is an
Kumalo visits Gertrude, who is now a prostitute and elderly Zulu priest who has spent all of his life in the
liquor seller, and persuades her to come back to village of Ndotsheni. He is a quiet, humble, and gentle
Ndotsheni with her young son. man with a strong moral sense and an abiding faith in
God.
A more difficult quest follows when Kumalo and - Father of Absalom
Msimangu begin searching for Absalom. Kumalo’s brother, - Brother of Gertrude
John, who has become a successful businessman and
politician, directs them to the factory where his son and o Absalom Kumalo
Absalom worked together. One clue leads to another, and - Stephen Kumalo’s son. After fleeing home for
as Kumalo travels from place to place, he begins to see Johannesburg, Absalom quickly goes astray, but even
the gaping racial and economic divisions that threaten after he commits murder (who shot Arthur J.), he is
to split his army. Eventually, he discovers that his son able to reclaim his fundamental decency.
has spent time in a reformatory and that he has got a o Gertrude Kumalo
girl pregnant. - Stephen Kumalo’s sister and the original reason for
Meanwhile, the newspapers announce that Arthur his trip to Johannesburg. Gertrude, twenty-five years
Jarvis, a prominent white crusader for racial justice, younger than Kumalo and living in Johannesburg, is
has been murdered in his home by a gang of burglars. easily influenced. When Kumalo reminds her of her
Kumalo and Msimangu learn that the police are looking for Christian duties and obligations, she attempts to
Absalom and Kumalo’s worst suspicions are confirmed return to them, but she lacks real determination.
when Absalom is arrested for Jarvis’s murder. Absalom o James Jarvis
confessed to the crime but he claims that two others,
including John Kumalo’s son, Matthew aided him. He said
that he did not intend to murder Jarvis.
With the help of his friends, Kumalo obtains a
lawyer for Absalom and attempts to understand what his
son had become. John, however, makes arrangements
for his own son even though this split will worsen
 - The novel’s other protagonist, a white landowner NELSON MANDELA
whose farm overlooks Ndotsheni. When he first - Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela (/mænˈdɛlə/;[1] Xhosa: [xolíɬaɬa
appears in the novel, Jarvis is a relatively mandɛ̂ːla]; 18 July 1918 – 5 December 2013) was a South
conservative farmer and a man of few words. But the African anti-apartheid activist and politician who served as
tragic news that his only son, Arthur Jarvis, has been the first president of South Africa from 1994 to 1999.
murdered leads him to Johannesburg, where he
begins to rethink his opinions and his relationship to - He was the country's first black head of state and the first
the villagers that live below his farm. elected in a fully representative democratic election. His
government focused on dismantling the legacy of apartheid by
fostering racial reconciliation. Ideologically an African
o Arthur Jarvis nationalist and socialist, he served as the president of the
- He first appears in the novel after he has been African National Congress (ANC) party from 1991 to 1997.
murdered, but he is a powerful presence whose
legacy hovers over the whole novel. An engineer and OTHER NOTES
fierce advocate for justice for black South Africans,
and he is shot dead in his home by Absalom Kumalo.  INCLUSIVITY is the idea that all types of people, for
- Son of James Jarvis whatever differences, must be included as much as
- Chairman of housing committee possible in work and other institutions and must be
o John Kumalo assimilated. It means that whatever benefits afforded to
Stephen Kumalo’s brother. Formerly a humble others must be afforded to everyone, and if possible, if
carpenter and a practicing Christian, John Kumalo ever they are disadvantaged, society must address that
becomes a successful businessman and one of the deficiency to ensure equality.
three most powerful black politicians in Johannesburg. - Promoting inclusivity is easier in theory than in
He has a beautiful and powerful voice, which he uses practice, for biases abound against the marginalized,
to speak out for the rights of black South Africans, but minorities, women, and people of different genders and
his fear of punishment prevents him from pushing for mental and physical disabilities. They have been victims of
actual radical change, and he is considered by many the patriarchal society, majority, the powerful, and the
to be without courage. dominant classes throughout history.
o Matthew Kumalo - The powerful and dominant in society instituted policies
- John Kumalo’s son. We learn little about Matthew, against them. The story of modern societies is much the
but he is important to the plot of the novel, as he is a history of redressing the wrongs against them and their
good friend and eventual accomplice of Absalom’s. emancipation and empowerment. Little by little, progress
Eventually, however, Matthew denies having been has been made, and in the middle of the last century,
present at the robbery, turning his back on his cousin significant strides have been made towards achieving
and friend. social justice for those mentioned.
o Theophilus Msimangu - Inclusivity is one of the results of the battle for social
- Stephen Kumalo’s host and guide in Johannesburg. justice, equal rights, and opportunity. It is the product of
A tall, young minister at the Mission House in the relentless struggle by the marginalized, oppressed,
Sophiatown. and discriminated against injustice and oppression.
Society, then, must push through with inclusivity, if only to
ALAN PATON (Biography) preserve all the victories in our fight for social justice.
- Alan Paton was born on January 11, 1903 in
- The workplace is one of the critical areas of struggle for
Pietermaritzburg, South Africa. After graduating from
inclusivity and one of the first to be won. Legislations were
Maritzburg College in 1918, he studied at the University of
passed to ensure that people previously marginalized and
Natal, where he graduated with a distinction in physics. After
discriminated against were not denied the right and
leaving school, he became a science teacher in 1925. Even
opportunity for employment. The working environment is
early in his career, he took a strong interest in race relations,
made conducive and friendly for everyone.
joining the South Africa institute of Race Relations in 1930.
- But victories in the fight for social justice here and
- In 1935, he left his teaching position to become the principal elsewhere must be secured. The only way to do this is to
of Diepkloof Reformatory for delinquent urban African boys promote inclusivity in society in all its aspects. All
near Johannesburg. During this period, he continued to work members of society must internalize the concept itself, and
on behalf of race relations. In 1942, he was nominated to the it can only be done if practiced thoroughly and citizens are
Anglican Diocesan Commission to inquire into church and educated on its merit and importance.
race relations in South Africa. He also wrote a series of articles
- By implication, then, inclusivity must be promoted
concerning crime and punishment and penal reform for Forum.
everywhere. We can bring the struggle not only in the
- He wrote “Cry, the Beloved Country” which was workplace, for which a lot has already been secured but
published in February 1948, during a time in which he from other areas that might seem neutral but are actually
studied penal institutions in Europe, the United States and implicated in society’s power relations. By making them
Canada. Several months after the publication of the novel, compliant towards inclusivity, we can make society more
the National Party came to power in South Africa and responsive to the concept as a whole.
instituted apartheid. The publication of his novel, which was a - Among the key areas where inclusivity must make even
great success, allowed him to resign as principal of the more significant strides to make a difference are those
Reformatory and devote himself fully to writing. This novel was concerning design, leadership in all its aspects, inclusivity
soon adapted into a musical “Lost in the Stars” by in educational institutions, in the language that we used, in
composer Kurt Weill and a film directed by Zoltan Korda on some aspects of our health like fitness, and in several
whose screenplay Paton contributed. aspects of learning.

AFRICA  PLURALISM
- Africa is the world's second-largest and second-most - A state of society in which members of diverse ethnic,
populous continent, after Asia in both aspects. At about 30.3 racial, religious, or social groups maintain and develop
million km2 (11.7 million square miles) including adjacent their traditional culture or special interest within the
islands, it covers 20% of Earth's land area and 6% of its total confines of a common civilization.
surface area.[7] With 1.4 billion people[1][2] as of 2021, it
accounts for about 18% of the world's human population.
Africa - Africa - Wikipedia

Nelson Mandela - Wikipedia

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