Stephen Kumalo And James Jarvis example essay topic

1. Cry, the Beloved Country, Alan Paton, 1948,312 2. Setting: Mid-1940's, just after World War II. Ndotsheni and Johannesburg, South Africa. 3.

Type of novel: Father's quest for his son; courtroom drama; social criticism, HISTORICAL FICTION List and identify important Characters: - Stephen Kumalo: The only Anglican priest in the small farming village of Ndotsheni. He is the moral center or compass of the novel. Kumalo had spent his whole life in Ndotsheni. With the exception of the time he betrayed his simple background and traveled to Johannesburg. Stephen Kumalo is a kind, quiet and humble preacher. He has a strong moral sense and believes deeply in his faith.

He endures great suffering, but must be commended for the dignified and graceful way he takes his heartache. Kumalo trip to Johannesburg leaves him without faith, however, with the generosity of others his faith is rekindled. He then works to better the lives of his parishioners. At the end of the novel, he comes to terms with his sons death while grieving in the valley of Ndotsheni. The pain he felt throughout the novel turns to inner peace. -James Jarvis: James Jarvis is a white, English speaking, land owner whose farm overlooks Ndotsheni.

Jarvis is relatively conservative, in South Africa, this means that Jarvis is opposed to aiding the native Africans. Typically, he is ignorant and detached from the injustices of apartheid government. Jarvis is a man of few words keeping to himself and only associating with the people of Ndotsheni when passing on horseback. James Jarvis has one son, Arthur Jarvis whose death brings him to the sprawling metropolis Johannesburg. It is here where James aquatints himself with the liberal writings of his son. This has a great effect on how he views the native people in Ndotsheni.

Upon arrival in Ndotsheni he works hard to restore the health and welfare of the people. These efforts require personal sacrifice being both money and respect from fellow white, English speaking peers. -Theophilus Msimangu: Msimangu is a young minister at the mission house in Johannesburg. He aids Kumalo in the search for his family and makes him his top priority. Msimangu helps Kumalo interpret the fast paced encounters of the big city. He has much in common with Kumalo.

They are both deeply devoted to their faith. Also, both Kumalo and Msimangu often speak unkindly and are prone to violent outbursts, however, both are quick to repent. Msimangu is a selfless person one can see this at the close of the novel when he gives up his possessions to a preacher in need, Kumalo. After giving up his possessions he joins a monastery and devotes himself fully to the lord. Msimangu, like other characters in the novel, has a perfect understanding of the injustices in South Africa. One is lead to believe that Msimangu's words are representative of Alan Paton's message of Christian love.

-Absalom Kumalo: Absalom is the son of the Anglican preacher Stephen Kumalo. Absalom left the farming village as a young man to peruse life in the big city of Johannesburg. Absalom is one of many young men that fled their villages for the city during this period in time. Most of these men were lead into corruption because they lacked a proper moral compass to fly them straight. Absalom himself is influenced by bad company and finds himself with a criminal career. His high-profile requires he carry a gun.

One day he ends up firing the gun at Arthur Jarvis. Absalom is held accountable for the crime in a court of law and is sentenced to hanging. Before the hanging, Absalom marries his pregnant girlfriend in a small civil service. The wedding gave Absalom a new sense of maturity that allowed him to enter death gracefully. One might find that in the novel Absalom is the center of the plot, however, his character is riddled with mystery. -Arthur Jarvis: The son of white landowner James Jarvis.

Arthur was the man that was gunned down by Absalom Kumalo. When he died he left behind two young children and a wife. Arthur is an educated man that made his opinions as an opponent of South Africa's racial injustices heard. He devoted his life to debating the issues of racism and poverty. Arthur is a selfless character much like Msimangu.

He works for change in South Africa not for personal gain, but because he finds flaws and contradictions within the system. It is strange because the reader is never introduced to the character, however, we find his views in essay's answer many of the novels questions. Even though this monuments character's life is taken before he could make a real change hope still lives on that his son will follow in his footsteps. Arthur's son is very much like him. The book describes a certain inner light that is said to shine from both father and son. It is possible that this light is a sign of matching eager intellects and generous hearts.

4. Summary: Ndotsheni is a small farming community in the South African countryside. It's natural resources are completely tapped resulting in rapid population decline. The people of Ndotsheni either die of starvation or move to the sprawling metropolis Johannesburg. When famine struck, the Anglican preacher, Stephen Kumalo, saw his tribe and family fall apart. Absalom, Stephen Kumalo's son was one of the many young men that fled to the city.

Gertrude, Kumalo's sister also leaves for Johannesburg at this time. This completes the collapse of Stephen Kumalo's family. When the novel opens, Stephen Kumalo receives a letter from a priest at a Johannesburg mission house. The letter informs his that his sister Gertrude has fallen into liquor and prostitution. It suggests that Kumalo come at once to save his family from the evils of Johannesburg. Stephen Kumalo pulls together his family savings and leaves the next morning by train for the city.

Upon arrival, he meets a young priest Msimangu; this man devotes his time to helping Kumalo reunite his family. The men are quick to track down Kumalo's sister Gertrude. They find her in the slums of Johannesburg living with her young son. Gertrude has made her money in Johannesburg off of other people's weaknesses, be it sex or alcohol.

Gertrude agrees to leave the life of sin and return with her brother to Ndotsheni. Kumalo and Msimangu continue the search for the remaining family members. Absalom, Stephen's son, seems to have also fallen into an undesirable environment. Kumalo goes to a number of locations trying to find his son. Everyone tells him that he has come to late and the boy moved on. Also, they tell Stephen that Absalom was involved in some heavy dealings.

Kumalo is filled with fear after hearing these reports. The search becomes more intense creating a labyrinth of closed doors and bad news. One day in the midst of Kumalo's search, terror strikes the white population of South Africa. It was reported that three native hooligans gunned down an educated white man that devoted his life to establishing programs to better the lives of black community. Kumalo learns that the police have identified the gunman in the shooting as his son, Absalom Kumalo. Absalom confesses to the crime.

Absalom Kumalo appears in court and pleads guilty to the charge of murder. The judge sentences Absalom to death by hanging. During the trial, Absalom's pregnant girlfriend surfaces. She was distraught when hearing about the news involving Absalom's hanging but joyfully agreed to join him in marriage. Also, she plans to move back to Ndotsheni with Stephen Kumalo, Gertrude, and her son. Meanwhile, back in Ndotsheni, Arthur Jarvis the father of James Jarvis, the man that was gunned down in Johannesburg, tends to his dry crops and prays for rain.

The police bring him news that his son was shot in Johannesburg and he leaves his home at once for the city. In an attempt to understand his son and come to terms with the murder, Jarvis reads several of his sons compositions on social inequality and the ever present racism of South Africa. The readings have convinced Jarvis to do some self evaluation and reconsider his prejudice outlook. At the mission house, Stephen Kumalo plans for the wedding between his son and the girl who bears his child.

The family bids Absalom adieu as he is scheduled to be hanged the following day. The morning after the wedding, Kumalo wakes his family to make the journey back to the countryside, however, Gertrude is absent from her bed. Kumalo searches the house and there is no sign of her save the young son she left behind. Kumalo then returns to his village deeply troubled by the events of his trip to Johannesburg. One can see that Kumalo is finally realizing the loss of the tribal structure that had held his people together. Once Kumalo has settled in back at home he meets Arthur Jarvis's grandson and they become quick friends.

This is soon followed by James Jarvis donating milk, followed by agricultural experts to benefit the community. When Jarvis's wife dies, the congregation at Ndotsheni sends their deepest sympathy along with a wreath to express these feelings. Jarvis responds with a note of thanks and offers to build a new church for the congregation. The night before Absalom Kumalo is scheduled to be executed, Stephen Kumalo sets out for the mountains to pray that his son's soul will go to god in peace. On the way to the mountains, Kumalo runs into Jarvis's bright grandson and the two speak of the new church that is to be built. Kumalo finally makes his way to the summit he is alone, he weeps for his son's death and clasps his hands in prayer as the sun rises over the valley.

6. "This is no time to talk of hedges and fields, or the beauties of any country... Cry for the broken tribe, for the law and the custom that is gone. Aye, and cry aloud for the man who is dead, for the woman and children bereaved. Cry the beloved country these things are not yet at an end". (Ch 11) The quotation shows a contrast between the novels earlier tendencies to dwell on detailed descriptions of land and countryside.

The book now takes a somber tone with focus on the sorrow in South Africa. The break from fluffy subject matter to serious subjects that show how grave and urgent South Africa's growing problems have become. The major change was made so that the reader would tend to focus more on the issues rather than the plot. The ending sentence seems to foreshadow the hanging of Absalom. One can see that the prophetic last sentence with its serious tone informs the reader that this episode is one of many that South Africa has yet to endure. Paton is hinting at the sad irony of a nation in which justice and racial equality are confused by poor timing rather than bad intentions.

7. Alan Paton has a very unusual style of writing. One is able to infer from his writing that English is a second language to him. He writes excellent dialogue and is consistent in keeping without the customs of the culture in which he is describing.

For example, in Cry, The Beloved Country, Paton writes dialogues in which the characters always depart by wishing one another well. Cordial or formal speech like this is rarely seen in modern literature. This is a result of deterioration the societies moral standards. Another striking unique characteristic of Paton's writing is his tendency to repeat phrases.

Every time a phrase appears more than once it shows little to no change from its original meaning. One such phrase is "as was the custom" or "it was not the custom". Repeated phrases are used to remind the character how often something happens. For example, the above quote is used to show how many times a character in the novel did something others were unaccustomed to.

Paton uses symbols in his writing, or objects, character, and figures which are used to represent abstract ideas or concepts. One example is the church in Ndotsheni, when it is replaced by Jarvis it is symbolizing the replacement of an old dilapidated friendship with a new updated and comfortable one. 10. The novel ends with the sun rising over the valley of Ndotsheni. One might find this ending ironic because actually the novel ends with a setting sun. Stephen Kumalo and James Jarvis have reached the winter of their lives and will soon be gone.

Absalom Kumalo, Arthur Jarvis, and Margaret Jarvis are all dead. One can see that Paton uses the sun rising to show a new generation of fresh thought arising. The ground work for peace will be a carried over to a new school of though. As Kumalo gazes at the sky it becomes apparent that change is inevitable and upon the new generation. Kumalo realizes at this point that he could not have lived any other life than his own and that changes have happened for the better. The better changes will outpace the changes for the worse.