Book I:

Chapter One:

The first chapter of Alan Paton's Cry, the Beloved Country begins with a description of a road that runs from the village Ixopo into the hill and then leads to Carisbrooke and to the valleys of Africa. The grass is rich and matted, a holy ground that must be kept and guarded for it keeps and guards men.

Analysis

Alan Paton begins Cry, the Beloved Country with a description of the land surrounding Ixopo, the village where the pastor (and protagonist) Stephen Kumalo lives. Paton establishes this as a rural and isolated area, which is significant to develop the character of Kumalo and his relationship to the larger urban area of Johannesburg where he will soon find himself. The style of this first chapter is grandiose, equating the survival of the soil to no less than the survival of the human race, but this serves an important function, relating the life and health of the country (in both its meanings) to the health of its inhabitants and, by extension, the novel's characters.

Chapter Two:

A small child brings a letter to the umfundisi (pastor) of the church, Stephen Kumalo, who offers the little girl food. This letter is from Johannesburg, and thus may be from either his sister Gertrude, who is twenty-five years younger than he, his brother John, a carpenter, or his only child Absalom, who had gone and never returned. Both Stephen and his wife hesitate when opening the letter, thinking it may be from their son, but it is instead from the Reverend Theophilus Msimangu, who relates to Stephen that Gertrude is very ill and advises him to come to the Mission House in Sophiatown, Johannesburg, to help her. Kumalo sighs, and tells his wife to get him the money intended for Absalom's education at St. Chad's, for now that Absalom has gone to Johannesburg, he will never come back. His wife tells Stephen to take the entire twelve pounds, five shillings and seven pence, just in case.

Analysis:

This chapter serves as the introduction to the protagonist of Cry, the Beloved Country, the pastor Stephen Kumalo, establishing his main conflicts and character traits. From his first encounter with the small child, Paton establishes Kumalo as a kind man yet powerful and respected within his community despite his poverty, as shown by the small savings that he and his wife had scraped together for their son's education. Kumalo is decidedly a man of the country; he and his wife approach Johannesburg as a nearly mythic place where people go and are never seen again. Paton establishes this sense of awe and wonder in the city in order to create a legitimate sense that Kumalo is an outsider once he actually reaches the urban area.

This chapter also introduces one of the major themes of Cry, the Beloved Country: the reassembling of the family. Paton establishes that three members of the Kumalo family are now in Johannesburg, and a major thrust of the novel will involve bringing these disparate family members together. The most important of these characters is the errant son Absalom Kumalo, whose fate will be the major preoccupation of Stephen Kumalo as the story progresses. Paton creates a definite sense that Absalom has been lost to his family, with the mention that he will never come back to Ixopo and the use of his savings for other purposes, as well as the dread with which the Kumalos approach the letter from Johannesburg; however, despite this dread it is important to note that Stephen and his wife have not given up hope for Absalom, and it is this hope that will provide a major motivation for Stephen Kumalo's actions.

The use of the word "umfundisi" is important, for it encompasses both the literal meaning "parson" as applied to Stephen Kumalo, but is also used as a sign of respect. Thus the use of the term to characters other than Kumalo and Reverend Msimangu does not necessarily indicate their occupation, but is used as a title of respect akin to "sir" or "mister."

Chapter Three:

The train takes Stephen Kumalo from the valley into the hills of Carisbrooke, as he worries about the fate of his sister, the cost of the trip, and the possible adversities he might face. He remembers the story of Mpanza, whose son Michael was killed in the street of Johannesburg when he inadvertently stepped into traffic. His most pressing fear, however, concerns his son. Before the train leaves, Kumalo's companion asks him to inquire about the daughter of Sibeko, who has gone to Johannesburg to work for the daughter of the white man uSmith. (the last name is, as expected, actually Smith; the prefix u- serves the same function as Mister in Zulu). Sibeko himself did not ask because he is not a member of their church, but Kumalo insists that he is of their people no matter. Kumalo travels with the fear of a man who lives "in a world not made for him, whose own world is slipping away."

Analysis:

Alan Paton again establishes Johannesburg as a place of great terror and danger in this chapter through both the anecdote about the son of Mpanza and the request by Sibeko for Kumalo to contact his daughter. The first anecdote deals with the literal physical dangers provided by the city, while the second anecdote bolsters earlier assertions that Johannesburg is a place where people from the country go, never to be seen again.

Paton also establishes the character of Stephen Kumalo in greater detail. In dealing with the case of Sibeko, he is both kindly and stern, insisting that Sibeko has no reason not to make his request directly, for they are both from the same people despite having different churches, but he nevertheless admits that he may find some matters more pressing. Kumalo is single-minded in his quest in Johannesburg, despite the multitude of worries. Despite the immediate danger for Gertrude, Kumalo displays a much greater worry concerning the missing Absalom, thus foreshadowing that the main narrative of the novel will involve his son and not his sister.

Perhaps the most important trait of Stephen Kumalo that Paton establishes is that Kumalo is a man who is reaching obsolescence. He is a small rural pastor who does not live in the modern world and is growing to find that the remnants of his world are collapsing around him.

Chapter Four:

The train passes the mines outside of Johannesburg, which Kumalo suspects might be the city, and the signs shift from Kumalo's Zulu language to the Afrikaans language that dominates the city. When the train reaches Johannesburg, Kumalo sees tall buildings and lights that he had never seen before. To Kumalo, the noise is immense, and he prays for Tixo (the name of the Xosa god) to watch over him.

A young man approaches Kumalo and asks him where he wants to go. He tells Kumalo that he must wait in line for the bus, but that he will go to the ticket office to buy the ticket for him. Kumalo gives him the money, but the young man does not return, and an elderly man tells Stephen that he can only buy the ticket on the bus: he has been cheated. Kumalo travels with the elderly man, Mr. Mafolo, and they arrive at the Mission House, where Reverend Msimangu greets him. At the Mission House, for the first time, Stephen Kumalo feels secure in Johannesburg.

Analysis:

This chapter focuses primarily on the descriptions of Johannesburg as an imposing and threatening place. Paton establishes that the city is foreign to Kumalo in many ways, even in language; Kumalo has so little experience with urban areas that he mistakes a mining area for a metropolis. Kumalo is therefore the quintessential outsider when he reaches Johannesburg. This is important in several respects. His outsider status allows Paton to use characters, most importantly Msimangu, to explain the workings and logistics of Johannesburg that would be obvious to an actual citizen of urban South Africa. Also, the novelty of the situation allows Kumalo a greater attention to detail, thus creating opportunities for detailed description of horrors that may seem routine to any modern reader. Lastly, Kumalo's status as an outsider, as this chapter certainly demonstrates, makes the pastor a ready victim for opportunists. Despite his age and experience, Kumalo possesses a demonstrable naïveté that will be significant throughout Cry, the Beloved Country.

The relationship between Reverend Msimangu and Stephen Kumalo will be an important one throughout the novel. Msimangu, like Kumalo, is a deeply religious man, yet his experience in Johannesburg has given him a much different perspective. He will serve essentially as the guide to Stephen Kumalo as he journeys throughout the South African city on his various quests.

Chapter Five:

Msimangu offers Kumalo a room in the house of the elderly Mrs. Lithebe. Before they eat, Kumalo washes his hands and witnesses indoor plumbing for the first time. Kumalo eats at the Mission House along with a priest from England and another priest from Ixopo. Kumalo describes to the priests how people leave from Ixopo, leaving the tribe and the house broken. They also discuss news from the Johannesburg Mail reporting how an elderly couple was robbed and beaten by two natives. After dinner, Msimangu and Kumalo speak privately: Kumalo tells him that Gertrude came to Johannesburg when her husband was recruited for the mines, but when his job was finished he did not return. Msimangu tells Kumalo that Gertrude now has "many husbands" and lives in Claremont, where she makes bootlegged liquor and works as a prostitute. She has been in prison more than once, and now has a child. Kumalo tells Msimangu about Absalom, and Msimangu offers to help him find his son. Msimangu also tells Kumalo that his brother John is no longer a carpenter, but is a great man in politics, despite having no use for the Church. Kumalo explains that the tragedy of South Africa is not that things are broken, but that they are not mended again and cannot be mended: it suited the white man to break the tribe, but it has not suited him to build something in its place.

Analysis:

This chapter provides an interesting commentary on the status of South African politics around the publication of the novel in the late forties. The discussion of current events and politics in South Africa reveals the bias of the white novelist Alan Paton, who places his sympathies squarely with the pastor Stephen Kumalo but nevertheless gives the white ruling class of South Africa nearly total absolution for the decayed state of the African natives who populate the nation. It seems both odd and inconsistent that the great criminal tragedy that the priests lament is the killing of a white couple by natives, despite the marked injustice against Africans during that period, and even Msimangu essentially rejects the notion that the whites have any responsibility for what has occurred in South Africa. He seems to locate both the blame and the solution to the blacks' troubles in themselves, in finding a way to independently rebuild their way of life. Paton can clearly identify and lament the injustice to the natives of South Africa, but this chapter manifests little sense of regret and almost no legitimate sense of responsibility for this injustice.

Once again, Paton details how foreign and backward Kumalo feels in Johannesburg. As this chapter makes clear, Kumalo represents an obsolete and tribal way of life that is crumbling around him. He is part of the remnants of the tribe, now a relic among his contemporaries.

Chapter Six:

Kumalo and Msimangu travel from the Mission House in Sophiatown to Claremont. Msimangu says that he does not like segregation, but laments that the whites and blacks are not apart because blacks are often thrown off the train by young hooligans, and black hooligans do the same. Msimangu points out a woman who is one of the richest black women in Johannesburg because she is a liquor seller. Kumalo visits Gertrude alone, and finds her nearly lifeless. He asks her why she did not write, and she claims she had no money. She says that she was not guilty of the crime for which she was sent to prison, but she helped another woman to get money for her child. Kumalo tells Gertrude that she has shamed him, and he has come to take her away from Johannesburg. Kumalo asks about Absalom, but she says that John's son will know. When Gertrude and Stephen Kumalo return to Mrs. Lithebe's house, he is happy again for the first time in years, for now "the tribe was being rebuilt, the house and the soul restored."

Analysis:

A central metaphor for Cry, the Beloved Country is the relationship between rebuilding the family and the tribe and rebuilding the status of blacks in South Africa. Alan Paton constructs the rescue of Gertrude to conform to this idea: her repentance occurs when she rejects the urban life of Johannesburg, a life that centers around illegally selling liquor and prostitution, in order to return to her home in rural Ixopo. Paton describes Gertrude's life in Johannesburg as an unabashed horror, as the despairing woman degrades herself to no end until her pastor brother can save her. The return of Gertrude, despite being the ostensible rationale for Stephen Kumalo's visit to Johannesburg, is nevertheless secondary to the quest for Absalom. It is quite significant that Stephen quickly turns from the more pressing problem with his sister to question her about his son; Stephen Kumalo is a man obsessed with a singular quest, and this quest will dominate the novel.

Once again a discussion of South African political affairs takes an interesting turn; Msimangu appears to be an apologist for segregation, noting that crime occurs when the two races are put together. Although he first notes that white hooligans attack blacks, he takes pains to include the reverse scenario. This approach is maddeningly even-handed and, in the argument for segregation, seems almost an apologia.

Chapter Seven:

Gertrude helps Mrs. Lithebe around the house as Stephen plays with the little boy. Msimangu takes Kumalo to see his brother, John, who has grown fat and sits "with his hands on his knees like a chief." John at first does not recognize Stephen, but soon they speak privately. John admits that his wife Esther has left him, and he is living with another woman. John tells Stephen that back in Ndotsheni, he was subject to the chief, but in Johannesburg he has his own business: he may not be free in Johannesburg, but he is at least free of the chief. John claims that it is here in Johannesburg that the new society is being built. John speaks loudly, as if he were giving a speech. Stephen asks about Absalom, but John says that Absalom and his son had a room in Alexandra and were working for a factory, Doornfontein Textiles Company. Msimangu says that the problems between the whites and blacks will only be solved when both groups do not desire power nor money, but only desire the good of their country.

Stephen Kumalo is unsuccessful at Doornfontein, but they learn that Absalom had been friends with a workman, Dhlamini, who tells them that he last heard that Absalom was staying with a Mrs. Ndlela in Sophiatown. They find Mrs. Ndlela, and she gives them a forwarding address, care of Mrs. Mkize in Alexandra. Mrs. Ndlela admits that Absalom left because she and her husband did not like Absalom's friends, but she claims to have seen nothing.

Analysis

John Kumalo provides a stark contrast to his brother Stephen, representing a different and wholly modern set of values that clash with Stephen's insistence on conservatism and family. John Kumalo rejects any sense of conventional morality, dismissing ideas of fidelity and finding religious beliefs to be antiquated, and more importantly he approaches the changes in South African society as an improvement. In contrast to Stephen, he believes that the tribe is a dangerous and autocratic body that was necessarily destroyed; living under white rule John knows that he is not free, but John believes himself at least subject to a less oppressive authority than a chief. Paton even makes the notable comparison between John and a chief; in essence, John has taken on the authority that he now derides. In his values and opinions John thus comes to represent modernism in Cry, the Beloved Country, the archetype of the successful businessman and politician.

With the exception of John Kumalo's hard realism, the discussion of the political situation in South Africa remains problematic. While John Kumalo's contented state is easily explained, since he holds one of the few positions of power among the blacks of Johannesburg, the political prescriptions given by Msimangu seem deluded and impossible, as he rests his hope for the nation on a communal rejection of self-interest and ambition.

The search for Absalom begins to take a disturbing turn in this chapter, as Kumalo and Msimangu travel from location to location in order to locate him, but find only a different forwarding address at each turn. This creates the sense that Absalom lives an aimless life, while the mention of Mrs. Ndlela's disapproval of his friends serves as a bit of foreshadowing and promotes the idea that Absalom may be involved in unsavory activities that have kept him away from his family.

Chapter Eight:

Msimangu and Kumalo set off to take the bus over to Alexandra, but on the way a man stops them to persuade them not to take the bus, for there is a boycott until the price of bus fare is brought down to four-pence again. This man is the famous Dubula, part of the great trio of black Johannesburg politics: John Kumalo is the voice, Dubula is the heart, Tomlinson is the brains. Msimangu and Kumalo start on the eleven mile walk, adhering to the boycott. Msimangu tells a story about how a white woman knocked on a man's door after she had been assaulted and raped. They reach the house of Mrs. Mkize, who says that Absalom must have been gone a year now. She is obviously afraid, so they leave, but Msimangu tells Kumalo to get a refreshment and he turns back to the house. He tells Mrs. Mkize that he is not from the police, and is there simply to help Kumalo find his son, and he swears that no harm will come of her for telling what she has to tell. Mrs. Mkize admits that Absalom and his friends would often bring back clothes and watches and money in the middle of the night. She tells him to talk to the taxi-driver Hlabeni, who was friends with Absalom. Msimangu and Kumalo find this taxi driver, and pay him eleven shillings to take them back to Johannesburg. Before they go, Msimangu asks Hlabeni about Absalom, and he says that he heard that Absalom went to Orlando and lives amongst the squatters in Shanty Town. On the way back to Johannesburg, Msimangu and Kumalo watch people riding bicycles and walking because they cannot take the bus. They watch a car driven by a white man that the police stop because he is carrying black passengers. The white man confronts the police and dares them to take him to court. Kumalo smiles at this, for such an act is not lightly done, but Msimangu claims that this kindness "beats" him.

Analysis:

This chapter continues the pattern of previous chapters, alternating between details concerning Johannesburg politics and plot points concerning the search for Absalom Kumalo. The boycott of the bus service is perhaps the most significant of these political developments, for Paton locates the major problems with the situation of blacks in South Africa within the economic sphere rather than the sphere of political rights. Yet once again, he finds the plight of whites in South Africa worthy of equal if not greater attention than the condition of blacks. Yet another story about crime in South Africa focuses on a white as a victim of blacks, while the paramount example of heroism in this chapter involves the action of a white man as he defies the police and aids the blacks in their boycott. The reaction of Kumalo to this incident is one of unabashed joy and approval, while Msimangu takes a more ambiguous reaction. Paton gives no interpretation of his cryptic comment "it beats me," allowing for multiple interpretations of Msimangu's opinion over the incident.

The condition of Absalom Kumalo becomes more serious as this chapter progresses, as Kumalo and Msimangu travel from one location to another in search of the missing son, at each point learning more disturbing details concerning Absalom's life. The incident with Mrs. Mkize bolsters earlier comments by Mrs. Ndlela as it becomes more obvious that Absalom is involved in a life of crime. These crimes are serious, as demonstrated by Mrs. Mkize's terrified reaction to questions. Paton demonstrates that Absalom's actions are serious and grave by this reaction; terrible things may happen to her as a result of Absalom's actions, and considering her distant position to Absalom, his crimes must be great indeed.

The dynamic between Stephen Kumalo and Reverend Msimangu becomes fully realized in this chapter, the most full expression of the relationship that the two men have. It is Msimangu who is worldly and diplomatic, able to deal with the terrified Mrs. Mkize, while Stephen Kumalo has a more simplistic and single-minded attitude and cannot consider all of the ramifications of his actions because of his preoccupation with his quest for his son.

Chapter Nine:

Johannesburg is the destination for everyone, white or black, who must search for a job or hide a pregnancy or escape for some reason. Finding housing in Johannesburg is next to impossible, and the waiting list for houses includes several thousand names. In Orlando, a Shanty Town has been built nearly overnight. In this Shanty Town, children suffer from sickness, and Dubula must arrange for doctors. When white men first come to Shanty Town, they do so to take photographs, but when more blacks come to Shanty Town from other areas, white men return out of anger and the police drive the people away.

Analysis:

Alan Paton departs from the quest of Stephen Kumalo in this chapter to describe the conditions of Shanty Town and the way in which it came about. The Shanty Town arises mostly out of the prohibitive housing conditions in Johannesburg as well as the intense poverty of its inhabitants, but the efforts of politicians such as Dubula make life at Shanty Town more palatable. For the first time, Paton departs from his sensitive treatment of the whites in South Africa to indict them for their actions; in blaming the whites for the police action that forces the removal of the Shanty Town population, Paton takes his first step toward a definitive political statement.

Chapter Ten:

While Kumalo waits for Msimangu to take him to Shanty Town, he spends time with Gertrude and her boy. Gertrude cannot speak to Stephen about her problems, but can discuss them with Mrs. Lithebe. Stephen thus turns to the small boy for enjoyment, but even in these moments of satisfaction he remembers his son.

Msimangu takes Kumalo to Shanty Town, and shows him a building that he credits to Dubula's work. He points out nurses that have been trained by white nurses, and mentions the recent enrollment of blacks in the European University of the Witwatersrand for medical school. A nurse points them to Mrs. Hlatshwayos, who tells them that Absalom stayed with her because he had no place to go, but the magistrate sent him to the reformatory. Kumalo and Msimangu thus visit the reformatory, where a white man tells them that Absalom was given leave partially because of good behavior, partially because he got a girl pregnant. Absalom is not married, but everything is arranged for a marriage. He is now in Pimville. The white man takes them to Pimville, and they meet the girl, who admits that Absalom went to Springs on Saturday and has not yet returned. Msimangu warns Kumalo that he can do nothing, but Kumalo says that her child will be his grandchild. Msimangu replies that he does not know that. The white man learns that Absalom has not been at work this week. After they leave, Msimangu apologizes for his behavior toward Kumalo, and Kumalo takes this as an understanding that they should see the girl again.

Analysis:

The search for Absalom Kumalo continues but remains fruitless as Stephen Kumalo and Msimangu go from contact to contact. The extension of this search allows Paton to give a broader view of the conditions in South Africa, as Kumalo receives a full tour of the various areas of Johannesburg. Shanty Town is among the worst of the areas, an impoverished region where the homeless remain, yet Paton steps back from the political critique that marked the previous chapter and focuses on the few improvements in Shanty Town. Instead of dwelling on the poverty of the region, Paton details the new training of black nurses and the enrollment of blacks in European medical schools and also lauds Dubula for effecting the construction of a new building in the region.

The white worker at the reformatory is a more significant character in the novel than his lack of a name might imply. He is representative of the white characters that Kumalo meets on his journeys through Johannesburg; kind, helpful and respectful toward Kumalo, and even approaching courage at a later point in the novel. This is important because it demonstrates Paton's biased view of South Africa; he details the poverty and the problems of the nation, but virtually ignores the racism that is one of the causes of these problems.

The meeting between Kumalo, Msimangu and the girl serves to demonstrate both Kumalo's unerring kindness and sense of duty and bolster Msimangu's greater skepticism. Kumalo immediately takes responsibility for the girl, even though he cannot be sure that she is pregnant with Absalom's child, while Msimangu suggests that Kumalo operate with a great degree of doubt. This marks the great contrast between the rural pastor and the urban clergyman.

The news concerning Absalom continues to foreshadow a disastrous fate for the errant son. While Absalom acted well at the reformatory, the very fact that he was sentenced to a reformatory does not bode well for him, while the fact that he has been missing suggest the existence of problems that will drive the plot of the second stage of the novel.

Chapter Eleven:

Msimangu tells Kumalo that the man at the reformatory will do a better search for Absalom than he can, and that he must go to Ezenzeleni, the place of the blind, to hold a service for them, but he will return two days later. At dinner at the Mission House, there is news of another murder: a well-known city engineer was shot, supposedly by natives. The murder victim, Arthur Jarvis, was a courageous young man according to one priest: he was the President of the African Boys' Club, and the son of James Jarvis of Carisbrooke. Arthur Jarvis was renowned for his interest in social problems and for his efforts for the welfare of the non-European sections of the community.

Analysis:

The murder of Arthur Jarvis is the central issue of this chapter, and proves to be the turning point of the novel. The significance of this event cannot be underestimated, even as Paton leaves the actual connection between Jarvis and Kumalo somewhat ambiguous at this point. However, it is important to note the foreshadowing in this chapter. Throughout Cry, the Beloved Country, Paton pays little attention to developing many of the characters of the novel, even failing to give names to many of the more significant characters. That he devotes significant space to these events and the history of Arthur Jarvis suggests that his fate plays an important role in the novel.

The murdered Arthur Jarvis is yet another example of the noble European characters who pervade Cry, the Beloved Country. It is significant to note that it is not a notorious racist who was killed by natives, but a renowned social reformer. This negates any possibility for any difficult political content: the murder of Arthur Jarvis becomes bleakly ironic, but also becomes so senseless that no character can justify it by any means. Paton thus creates an opportunity to critique the white treatment of native South Africans, but then cuts off any possibility for such a discussion.

Chapter Twelve:

This chapter takes place during a conference in which a Mr. McLaren reads a resolution stating that "we shall always have native crime to fear until the native people of this country have worthy purposes to inspire them and worthy goals to work for." A Mr. de Villiers suggests that increased schooling facilities would cause a decrease in juvenile delinquency. Some lament the cutting up of South African into separate areas where white can live without black and black without white. There are hundreds of cries, but there is also the question of what should be done when these cries conflict. Whites fear not only the loss of their possessions, but the loss of their superiority.

Mrs. Ndlela finds Msimangu and claims that the police have been to her, wanting to know about Absalom. She wonders whether she did something wrong, but he reassures her that she was right to uphold the law. Msimangu relates this to Kumalo, but neither have any idea why they would want to see Absalom. The police retrace Kumalo's journey for Absalom, from Shanty Town to Pimville. Kumalo sees the girl once more, and asks if the police have been there, but she does not know why they wanted him either. She admits that the matter seemed heavy.

Analysis:

Alan Paton uses the first section of this chapter to discuss the problems of South Africa through the description of a conference in which these problems are discussed. Several of these problems are only peripheral to the actual conflicts of the novel. The most obvious of these dilemmas is the one of apartheid, which had not been instituted at the time of the novel's publication but was obviously discussed. However, Paton discusses these problems from a purely white perspective, most significantly in the case of native crime. There is no discussion of crime against the natives, only concerns over the status and safety of whites.

Paton continues to suggest the fate of Absalom in this chapter, in which Kumalo learns that the police have been searching for Absalom as well. This greater implies a connection between the murder of Arthur Jarvis and the location of Absalom. Absalom's culpability in the murder of Arthur Jarvis is certainly consistent with his behavior and the reason why the young man is so elusive; he is not merely a transient, but instead is hiding in order to escape the authorities.

Chapter Thirteen:

Kumalo and Msimangu make the silent journey to Ezenzeleni, and on the journey Msimangu tells him that he understands his silence. Kumalo realizes that Msimangu was right: there is no need to fear the one thing in a great city where there were thousands upon thousands of people. Absalom had gone astray where so many others had gone astray before, but Kumalo can nevertheless not comprehend that he might have killed a white man. Kumalo wonders how he failed, and what he might do about his expected grandchild. Kumalo admits to himself that the tribe was broken and would be mended no more.

Kumalo finds Ezenzeleni great, for the blind had eyes given to them and made things that he could never make such as baskets. Msimangu gives a sermon to the blind there in which he quotes from the Bible: "I the Lord have called thee in righteousness . . . To open the blind eyes to bring out the prisoners from the prison / And them that sit in darkness of the prison house." Kumalo knows that Msimangu is speaking to him at this moment. After the sermon, Kumalo goes to Msimangu and says that he is recovered.

Analysis

Stephen Kumalo begins to finally understand the repercussions of his son's actions in this chapter, in which he retreats into silence upon learning of the fate of his son. This chapter serves as a transitional point for the Kumalo character. His character's focus shifts from the mere search for his son to setting right the fate of his son and those involved with the murder. This is best reflected in the shift in Kumalo's attitude from the specific concerns over reuniting the tribe to alternatively more personal concerns (the fate of the young pregnant girl) and more broad social concerns relating to the fate of South Africa. A major question of this chapter concerns the ambiguity over Kumalo's newfound attitude: it is ambiguous whether Kumalo's realizations are a cynical admission of failure or a necessary adjustment and revelation, a departure from his previous naïveté. Certainly there are elements of both, but through the metaphor of blindness that pervades this chapter, Paton suggests that Kumalo's new attitude is not a sign of failure but a sign of maturity.

During the visit to Ezenzeleni, Paton compares the state of Stephen Kumalo through the chapter to the blind at Ezenzeleni. Kumalo enters Ezenzeleni metaphorically blind, but leaves the area with a newfound vision. Paton imbues this with intense Biblical imagery, the most explicit of this contained in Msimangu's sermon, which is in many ways the impetus for Kumalo's conversion. Like numerous Biblical figures, Kumalo is redeemed by suffering and receives a new and greater vision from it.

Chapter Fourteen:

When they return from Ezenzeleni, Kumalo finds that Mrs. Lithebe had found buyers for Gertrude's tables and chairs, and Gertrude would use the money to buy shoes and a coat. The young man comes to visit Kumalo, and tells him that he has arranged so that Kumalo can come to the prison. Msimangu insists that Kumalo tell John where he is going before he leaves. When Stephen admits this to John, John worries that his son and Absalom are companions. John decides to accompany Stephen to the prison.

At the prison, Stephen Kumalo finally finds his son, who claims that it is too late. Stephen wishes to know why he carried a revolver, and he says that he never knows when he might be attacked. Absalom says that he was frightened when the white man came so he shot him, but did not mean to kill him. Stephen asks about the reformatory, and asks whether this is Absalom's repayment to their kindness. Absalom weeps over everything, but Stephen continues and asks why he wrote no message to him. Absalom blames the devil, but Stephen asks whether he can say that he fought with the devil and had no strength left. Stephen orders Absalom not to write to his mother until he sees him again. When Stephen leaves his son, he sees John Kumalo and tells him the story. John Kumalo insists that there is no proof that his son or the other young man were there at all. John Kumalo asks Stephen who will believe his son. He claims that both he and Stephen save souls, and that he will save Absalom's.

Analysis:

The contrast in the attitudes and style of John and Stephen Kumalo become significant in this chapter, in which the two brothers find that both of their sons are suspects in the murder of Arthur Jarvis. This evokes the underlying conflict between the two brothers apparent from their first meeting, in which John represented the secular and the urban, while Stephen represented the religious and the rural. The conflict between the two brothers will involve other issues as the fate of the two cousins diverge, while encompassing the major difference in the two men's approaches to the world. Paton suggests the eventual conflict between the brothers through the difference between their visits with their respective sons; while Stephen Kumalo uses his visit to Absalom to seek truth and repentance, John uses his visit to establish a legal strategy and look for a way to shift the blame away from his son.

Alan Paton uses the character Absalom Kumalo as a personalized symbol of the problems of blacks in South Africa taken to a tragic end. Absalom Kumalo is in some sense a cautionary tale: he emerges in this chapter not as a heartless murderer or an irresponsible transient, as his actions have suggested, but as a scared and foolish young man acting on instinct rather than forethought. Paton suggests this through the forthright quality in which Kumalo expresses himself; he seems barely capable of dissembling, and honestly admits his culpability in the murder of Arthur Jarvis. Paton portrays him as a pitiable and weak character caught in a situation that he barely understands but deeply regrets. This naïveté in Absalom will be the young man's downfall, as he falls victim to those who are more savvy than he is and thus able to shift greater blame to the repentant boy.

Throughout his visit with Absalom, Stephen Kumalo never wavers; he remains true to his principles in dealing with his son, properly berating his son for his lost opportunities and attempting to bring his son closer to penitence. This suggests that the struggle for Absalom Kumalo will not be a legal one. With his admission of guilt, Absalom's legal fate is already to a great extent sealed; whether Stephen Kumalo can find redemption for his son will be the focal point of the rest of the novel.

Chapter Fifteen:

Kumalo returns to Mrs. Lithebe's home tired and dispirited. The young white man from the reformatory comes to speak to him about a lawyer. He says that Absalom must have a lawyer, because he does not trust John: his plan to deny that his son and the third man were there, while a lawyer can make the contention that Absalom had no intention of actually killing the white man. He warns Stephen that, no matter what, Absalom will be severely punished, but if his defense is accepted, it will not be extreme. Kumalo can hardly believe that this, which happens to one in a thousand, happened to him. Father Vincent, the white priest at Mission House, tells Stephen Kumalo that his anxiety has turned to fear and his fear into sorrow, but this sorrow is better than fear, for sorrow may enrich while fear always impoverishes. Kumalo cannot see how such a life can be amended, but Father Vincent says that he is a Christian and there was a thief upon the cross. Kumalo harshly says that his son was not a thief, and he cannot suppose it to be less than the greatest evil he has ever known. Father Vincent tells Kumalo to pray and rest.

Analysis:

The young man from the reformatory confirms what Paton suggested in the previous chapter: the fate of Absalom Kumalo is essentially sealed, since he has admitted his culpability in the matter, but the fate of the other two suspects is still flexible and John Kumalo will attempt to use Absalom's admission of guilt as a means to shift the blame from his son to Absalom.

This chapter returns to the religious themes that have been prevalent throughout Cry, the Beloved Country. This chapter focuses on the religious question of absolution and forgiveness; while Father Vincent suggests that Absalom Kumalo can still be saved, Stephen Kumalo remains in doubt whether his son may be forgiven for the worst imaginable sin. Father Vincent also suggests the religious theme of transformation through suffering. Paton thus suggests a sense of catharsis for Kumalo's travails; the sorrow that he now feels may enrich him.

Chapter Sixteen:

Kumalo goes to Pimville the next day to see the girl who was pregnant by his son. He goes without Msimangu because he feels he can do this better alone. He tells her that Absalom is in prison for killing a white man, and she shouts at hearing this. He shows her the newspaper with the article about the killing, and asks why she wishes to marry Absalom. He tells her that he wants to know, because he does not wish to take her into his family if she is unwilling. She looks at him eagerly and says that she is willing. She tells him that she has had two husbands already, both of whom were caught. Stephen wishes to hurt her upon hearing this, and shouts that now the third is caught, asking if she has ever had a murderer before. She shrinks away crying, and he asks if she will now take a fourth. He asks her how old she is, and she thinks that she is sixteen. Stephen asks her if she could live at a quiet church, but she says that quietness is what she desires. She tells him that she is from the Church of England, and he laughs at her simplicity. He insists that if she repents of this plan, she must tell them and not run away as she did from her mother.

Analysis:

Although the young pregnant girl never emerges as a fully realized character in Cry, the Beloved Country, it is in this chapter that Alan Paton best suggests the various dimensions in her personality. This chapter serves as a test for the young girl in which Kumalo presents her with Absalom's situation in order to ensure that she is prepared to become part of his family. Throughout this test, the young girl emerges as a parallel to Absalom; like the father of her unborn child, the girl is simple and unaffected, unaware of even her own age, capable of improper behavior but likely incapable of premeditated malice. She has had lovers before Absalom, but does not deny the fact.

The parallels between the young girl and Absalom Kumalo thus shift the question of redemption to some degree away from the imprisoned son to his pregnant wife. The redemption of the girl through marriage and life in rural Ndotsheni will serve to some extent as a proxy for the redemption of Absalom. This is part of the rationale behind Kumalo's test of the young girl; he uses this test to find whether she is worthy of redemption and capable of receiving it.

Chapter Seventeen:

Mrs. Lithebe is one of the few people who does not rent rooms, for she has enough money. She admires Kumalo for saving Gertrude and the child, and finds it pleasant to have Gertrude and the child around the house, even if she does speak too easily to strangers. Kumalo asks Mrs. Lithebe if the girl from Pimville can stay with them, but she says that there is no bed for her and she would have to sleep on the floor. The new girl is not like Gertrude, for she is openly glad to be in the house. Mrs. Lithebe criticizes the girl for her careless laughter, and warns her not to hurt Stephen Kumalo with her carelessness.

Stephen visits the prison, and attempts to arrange the marriage between his son and the girl. Absalom tells Kumalo that the two other men involved cursed him in front of the police, placing all the blame on him. Kumalo tells him to maintain courage and not forget that there is a lawyer who will come soon.

Father Vincent introduces Kumalo to the lawyer, Mr. Carmichael, who will take the case pro deo. He says that it is a simple case, for the boy says that he fired because he was afraid, and it will depend entirely on the judge and his assessors and not for a jury. Father Vincent assures Kumalo that Carmichael is a great man, one of the greatest lawyers in South Africa and one of the greatest friends to the blacks in South Africa.

Analysis:

The lawyer defending Absalom Kumalo, Mr. Carmichael, continues the pattern of benevolent white South Africans who pervade Cry, the Beloved Country. Like the worker at the reformatory, Paton portrays him as a hero for helping Stephen Kumalo, thus inordinately shifting the focus of the novel from the proper protagonists to secondary characters. The lawyer is extraordinarily benevolent, insisting on working on the controversial case for no fee and risking ostracism for taking part in this racially charged trial. This is yet another example of Paton's exaltation of the white characters at the expense of the black protagonists, and reveals the bias that taints the novel. The lawyer merely confirms the suspicions of the reformatory worker: Absalom's admission of guilt severely limits his options, and the only question remaining regarding his legal fate is whether he will receive some limited mercy or will be sentenced to death for the crime. This chapter also confirms that the strategy of John Kumalo will be to shift the blame from his son to Absalom alone. Paton thus sets up Absalom Kumalo to be a martyr, still guilty of the crime but not to the extent to which John Kumalo suggests.

The introduction of the girl from Pimvlle into Mrs. Lithebe's household places her in contrast to Gertrude; while both women have suffered from similar hardships and even have similar character defects (Mrs. Lithebe chastises both for a lighthearted manner), there remains some possibility for redemption for the young girl. While the girl accepts Kumalo's kindness and help, Gertrude remains bitter and jaded. This emphasizes the redemptive role that the young girl plays in the novel. While the fates of Gertrude and Absalom Kumalo are already decided to a great extent, the young girl still has a possibility of redeeming herself for her sins.

Book II:

Chapter Eighteen:

This chapter begins with the exact same paragraph that begins the first chapter, describing the road that leads to Ixopo, but then turns to the estate of James Jarvis, who watches the ploughing of his fields. His workers are weak and ignorant, knowing nothing about farming, but with greater education the workers simply go to look for better occupations. Jarvis considers the various problems of agriculture, such as the scarcity of land and the problem of splitting large farms into smaller ones. Jarvis sees a police car from Ixopo and suspects that it will be the Afrikaner policeman Binnendyk. Jarvis notes that Ixopo is now full of Afrikaners. The police captain van Jaarsveld brings Jarvis the news of his son's murder. van Jaarsveld offers him every assistance, and tells him that there is a plane waiting at Pietermaritzburg that can take him to Johannesburg by midnight. Jarvis tells van Jaarsveld that his wife is watching from the window, and knows that something is wrong. Jarvis goes into the house and tells his wife, Margaret as he arranges to make the journey to Johannesburg.

Analysis

By beginning the second section of the novel with the same paragraphs that began the first section, Alan Paton suggests the similarities between Stephen Kumalo and the protagonist of this section, the wealthy white landowner James Jarvis. Yet while Kumalo and Jarvis both hail from the same area, Paton makes clear that the two men approach South Africa from very different perspectives; they both wish for the natives of Ixopo to stay in the area, but while Kumalo does so for their religious and moral health, Jarvis sees these natives as mere workers, worth little more than mere commodities. The story of James Jarvis will nevertheless parallel Stephen Kumalo's, as both men use the tragedy and murder concerning their respective sons to take a new perspective on the problems of South Africa.

While certainly more complex than several of the one-dimensional benevolent white heroes that pervade Cry, the Beloved Country, Alan Paton portrays James Jarvis as a commendable figure. He is concerned about the fate of South Africa and that of its citizens; his attitudes are not yet progressive, but will become so in time, and it is he who will emerge as the savior of the novel. While this is part of the character's awakening, it is nevertheless problematic and remains part of the novel's most basic and evident flaw.

Chapter Nineteen:

John Harrison, the brother of Mary, Jarvis's daughter-in-law, meets Mr. and Mrs. Jarvis at the airport. He tells them that Mary and her children have taken the news poorly, and takes them to the Police Laboratories, where they learn that the police have been combing the plantations on Parkwold Ridge and that Arthur had been writing a paper on "The Truth About Native Crime." James Jarvis admits that he and his son did not agree on the question of native crime. Harrison tells Jarvis that Arthur had learned Afrikaans, as well as Zulu while thinking of learning Sesuto, perhaps to help him stand for a Member of Parliament in the next election. Harrison admits that he tries to treat natives decently, but he is scared stiff in Johannesburg of native crime. Jarvis wonders why this happened to his son, of all people. He considers his son a missionary, despite the fact that he has never thought well of the term. Jarvis laments to his wife that he never learned more about his son, and his wife admits that Arthur's life was so different from theirs.

Analysis:

The second section of Cry, the Beloved Country exists primarily to describe the progress that James Jarvis makes as he becomes more aware and more sympathetic to the problems of blacks in South Africa. While Stephen Kumalo will later play a role in this revelation, the impetus for this change is, to a great extent, the murdered Arthur Jarvis. Of all of the white characters of the novel, it is Arthur Jarvis who is the most idealized: a benevolent man with a reputation for hard work and a dedication to improving conditions for blacks in South Africa.

Yet, as Paton charts it, the conversion of James Jarvis is an incredibly problematic one. The very facts of the murder strain credibility; Jarvis emerges from the murder of his son by a black man more sympathetic to their plight than ever. Furthermore, the conversion of James Jarvis presumes that his attitudes toward blacks are significantly bad to provoke a change. Yet Paton never fully elucidates the character's racism, and in comparison to the obviously bigoted John Harrison, James Jarvis seems positively liberal. While Paton suggests differences in opinion between James and Arthur Jarvis, in the father's actions and demeanor these differences never become quite clear.

Chapter Twenty:

At the home of the late Arthur Jarvis, James Jarvis finds many letters and invitations asking Arthur to speak. He sees four pictures on the walls: Christ crucified, Abraham Lincoln, the white gabled house of Vergelegen, and a painting of leafless willows by a river. On the bookshelves Jarvis finds hundreds of books about Abraham Lincoln, as well as many books about South Africa and its history. Jarvis reads a letter from the African Boys' Club noting that Arthur had been elected president, and finds a paper written by his son that writes that "it was permissible to use unskilled men for unskilled work. But it is not permissible to keep men unskilled for the sake of unskilled work. It was permissible when we discovered gold to bring labour to the mines . . It is not permissible for us to go on destroying family life when we know that we are destroying it . . . The old tribal system was, for all its violence and savagery, for all its superstition and witchcraft, a moral system. Our natives today produce criminals and prostitutes and drunkards, not because it is their nature to do so, but because their simple system of order and tradition and convention has been destroyed." Jarvis then reads a chapter in a book about Lincoln entitled "The Famous Speech at Gettysburg."

Analysis:

Alan Paton introduces the character of Arthur Jarvis posthumously in this chapter through the use of his letters and speeches, each of which express the ideas for South Africa that Paton considers exemplary. Paton goes as far as to compare Arthur Jarvis with Abraham Lincoln, suggesting that he has similar ideas for the South African blacks' liberation and improvement. Yet the writings of Arthur Jarvis merely continue the pattern of condescension that pervade Cry, the Beloved Country. The speeches of Arthur Jarvis assume no culpability on the European settlers' part, and in fact he excuses nearly all of their past behavior when he excoriates the present system. Furthermore, there is a veneer of contempt that condescension for the native way of life. While he writes that "it is not in their nature" to be criminals and prostitutes and drunkards, Arthur Jarvis focuses on the blacks in South Africa in those terms. Furthermore, Jarvis has a more than patronizing view of the blacks' tribal systems as full of "violence and savagery" and their religious life "superstition and witchcraft." In essence, the speeches of Arthur Jarvis focus on the problems of South Africa from the wrong perspective: this perspective considers the question of what the natives are doing wrong, while not properly asking whether the ruling class of whites bear responsibility for remedying the wrongs they have committed and continue to commit.

Chapter Twenty-One:

The service in Parkwold Church for Arthur Jarvis is the first time that James Jarvis attends church with black people, and it is also the first time that he shakes hands with one. James and Margaret return to the house of the Harrisons that might, and Mr. Harrison invites the Jarvis family to stay as long as they like. Margaret will go back with Mary and the children, and James will remain to wind up Arthur's affairs. Mr. Harrison wishes that the criminals will be strung up, and worries about the possibilities of native crime. He claims that he's not a "nigger-hater," but that they are "getting out of hand" and even started Trade Unions. John Harrison enters as his father argues that the mines have brought great things to South Africa, and a Republic would do terrible things for the country. Jarvis says that he wishes his son were here so that he could argue with Harrison on the subject. Jarvis asks John if he knows about the Boys' Club in Claremont, and asks if he will take him to see it.

Jarvis learns the next morning that the servant at Arthur's house recovered consciousness and was able to identify one of the culprits as a former servant who got a job at a textile factory on Doornfontein. Jarvis continues to read his son's manuscript, and reads the last unfinished paragraph: "The truth is that our Christian civilization is riddled through and through with dilemma. We believe in the brotherhood of man, but we do not want it in South Africa . . . We believe in help for the underdog, but we want him to stay under. . . The truth is that our civilization is not Christian; it is a tragic compound of great ideal and fearful practice, of high assurance and desperate anxiety, of loving charity and fearful clutching of possessions." It ends with the words "allow me a minute." Jarvis sits, deeply moved by the words.

Analysis:

There are three essential factors that precipitate the conversion of James Jarvis from a likely racist to a man with more enlightened and liberal views concerning the situation of blacks in South Africa. The first factor, as established in the previous chapter, is the exposure that James Jarvis finally receives to the ideas of his son. The second factor will be the contact that James Jarvis has with Stephen Kumalo once the two elderly men finally meet. The third factor, which Paton establishes in this chapter, is more subtle and perhaps more interesting than the other, more blatant factors. Paton notes in this chapter that this is the first time that James Jarvis actually has meaningful contact with blacks. The funeral service contains a number of firsts for Jarvis: it is both his first time attending church with blacks and the first time that he shakes hands with one. These events serve to humanize blacks for Jarvis and place them on a more equal footing. By attending church with blacks, Jarvis must acknowledge that both whites and blacks worship the same God and exist under the same divine rule. Furthermore, the act of shaking hands is one that denotes equality between the two parties. It is a sign of reciprocity rather than obedience. For the first time, Jarvis approaches blacks not as servants or workers, but as equals. Paton makes the change in Jarvis's character explicit through the request to see the Boys' Club in Claremont, the institution that best exemplifies his son's concern for social progress.

Despite the underlying tragedy of the situation that Jarvis faces, Paton imbues this chapter with a sense of hope and progress. He does this through the service at Parkwold Church as well as through the contrast between the Harrison father and son. Paton portrays the elder Harrison as the most obvious racist in the novel, a man perpetually concerned that the natives will get "out of hand." Yet he is at his essence an antiquity, even going so far as to dismiss the idea of democracy in South Africa. In contrast, the younger Harrison emerges as a more enlightened and liberal character with similar attitudes to the late Arthur Jarvis. This suggests that the racial attitudes in South Africa will become more liberal through the generations, as men like John Harrison replace men like his father.

Once again the words of Arthur Jarvis serve as a beacon to his father. The final manuscript written by Arthur Jarvis is explicit in its Christian perspective and appeals to both James Jarvis and the reader through these principles. This is perhaps the most effective tactic that Paton employs throughout Cry, the Beloved Country; by using commonly held religious doctrines to argue for equality, he removes the debate from hard political questions that require the assignation of responsibility and blame, which Paton is loathe to do. The religious aspect of the argument also suggests the commonality between James Jarvis and Stephen Kumalo; when the two characters eventually meet, their common ground will be similar values of Christian duty.

Chapter Twenty-Two:

The courts in South Africa are held in high esteem, for even the blacks believe that the judges are incorruptible, for they do not always have faith in the law, but still have faith that the judges will uphold it. The Judge calls the court to silence for the murder case of Arthur Trevelyan Jarvis: the defendants are Absalom Kumalo, John Kumalo and Johannes Pafuri. Carmichael says that Absalom will plead guilty to culpable homicide, but not to murder. When the prosecutor says that there is no charge of culpable homicide, Carmichael has his client plead not guilty.

In court, Absalom tells the story: they chose the eighth of October because Johannes said that nobody will be in the house, and when they saw Richard Mpiring, the servant, Johannes hit him in the back with an iron bar. When Arthur Jarvis entered the house, Absalom shot him because he was frightened. They escaped separately, but they met later at the house of Baby Mkize. The prosecutor asks Absalom why he carried a loaded gun if he did not intend to actually shoot someone. Absalom testifies that they discussed the murder at the house of Baby Mkize, and that he buried the revolver in a plantation, after which he prayed for forgiveness.

After court is adjourned, Kumalo, Msimangu, Gertrude and Mrs. Lithebe exit the courtroom. Kumalo trembles as he sees James Jarvis, wondering how he can look at such a man.

Analysis:

Paton continues to pare down the trial of Absalom Kumalo down to the essential question of whether Absalom will receive some mercy or whether he will fall victim to the machinations of John Kumalo. By establishing that the courts and judges in South Africa are held in universal esteem, Paton removes the possible subtext that the sentence that Absalom receives will be a miscarriage of justice on the part of the court and a manifestation of the racism in South Africa.

The testimony that Absalom gives during his trial is important for several reasons. It explains the reluctance of Mrs. Mkize to give information to Kumalo and Msimangu when they visited her earlier in the novel; according to Absalom, the murder was discussed at her home and she was likely privy to the conversation and thus an accomplice. The testimony also establishes that the other perpetrators of the crime share more culpability for the crime than originally established; it was Johannes Pafuri who planned the robbery and hit the servant Mpiring. In addition, the testimony also gives additional evidence that Absalom suffers from a lack of guile and a lack of forethought. Paton continues to suggest that he feels a strong sense of remorse for the crime, but cannot grasp the foolishness of his actions, as demonstrated when he decided to carry a loaded gun when he intended to use the gun solely for intimidation.

This chapter contains the first instance in which James Jarvis and Stephen Kumalo have contact with one another. Paton portrays Kumalo as a man deeply ashamed of himself and his son's actions; he can barely look at Jarvis knowing the gravity of the situation. Kumalo's sense of humility will be a key factor for establishing the relationship between the two men once they come in closer contact with each other.

Chapter Twenty-Three:

The discovery of gold in Odendaalsrust in the province of the Orange Free State distracts from the trial of the murder of Arthur Jarvis. There is excitement in Johannesburg, despite the dissatisfaction over the unpronounceable name. There is speculation that the country will be rich again, as shares go up from twenty shillings to one hundred. The only dissent comes from Left Clubs and Church Guilds and societies that promote love and brotherhood. Perhaps a second city like Johannesburg will arise, with a second Parktown and Shanty Town and Pimville. Welfare workers such as Father Beresford and Sir Ernest Oppenheimer suggest that another Johannesburg need not arise, for the government could set up something like the Tennessee Valley Authority, and some say that money is not the important thing at all in the situation. No second Johannesburg is needed, for one is enough.

Analysis:

This chapter breaks almost entirely from the narrative of Cry, the Beloved Country to discuss the larger political situation in South Africa. Paton shifts from practical political solutions to entirely vague and unrealistic recommendations for the solution to the problems in South Africa. The perspective that Paton takes has a strong American influence: after heralding the ideas of Abraham Lincoln in previous chapters, Paton now exalts the New Deal programs of Franklin Delano Roosevelt. Yet these more practical suggestions are secondary to the more emotional and spiritual solutions that Paton offers. Paton shows an affinity for the views of the Left Clubs and Church Guilds, in particular their suggestion that the only solution for South Africa is a greater sense of love and brotherhood over concern for personal gain. In essence, Paton asks for a wholesale abandonment of human nature as the solution for the problems of South Africa.

The discussion of the possibility of a new Johannesburg in South Africa serves to broaden the scope of the novel from the situation in Johannesburg to the entirety of South Africa. This suggests that the problems in Johannesburg are not local and specific only to this large urban area, but exist elsewhere. More importantly, Paton suggests that these problems will continue to increase as urbanization continues in South Africa unless the changes he suggests are implemented.

Chapter Twenty-Four:

Jarvis returns to his son's house and finds another work, "Private Essays on the Evolution of a South African," in which his son wrote: "It is hard to be born a South African. One can be born an Afrikaner, or an English-speaking South African, or a colored man or a Zulu. . . One can read, as I read when I was a boy, the brochures about lovely South Africa, that land of sun and beauty sheltered from the storms of the world, and feel pride in it and love for it, and yet know nothing about it at all. It is only as one grows up that one learns that there are other things here than sun and gold and oranges. It is only then that one learns of the hates and fears of our country. It is only then that one's love grows deep and passionate, as a man may love a woman who is true, false, cold, loving, cruel and afraid. . . . From them [my parents] I learned all that a child should learn of honor and charity and generosity. But of South Africa I learned nothing at all." Jarvis puts down the paper, shocked at what his son wrote, but then he continues to read the paper, in which Arthur vowed to devote himself to the service of South Africa. He writes that "I do this not because I am courageous and honest, but because it is the only way to end the conflict of my deepest soul. I do it because I am no longer able to aspire to the highest with one part of myself, and to deny it with another." Jarvis reads little more, and leaves the house. As he leaves, the policeman on guard watches him, and thinks that the old man cannot face it anymore.

Analysis:

Paton continues to suggest in this chapter that a major factor precipitating Jarvis's move from a man unconcerned with the plight of blacks in South Africa to a social activist is direct contact with the situation of blacks in South Africa. In the "Private Essays on the Solution of a South African," Arthur Jarvis suggests that, for whites in his situation in South Africa, the problems of blacks may be ignored simply because they are not present. He suggests that his upbringing with his parents was a very sheltered existence in which he received exposure only to the upper echelons of South African society and was thus unaware of the poverty and injustice that exists for blacks in the nation. The implication of this paper is that Arthur Jarvis only became an activist for social justice when he was fully exposed to the South Africa apart from the "sun and gold and oranges." This further suggests that his father has had no exposure to this side of South Africa himself, and his current contact with the poverty and injustice in South Africa will precipitate a similar change for James Jarvis.

An additional implication of "Private Essays on the Evolution of a South African" is that the shift from sheltered denial to a sense of awareness on the part of whites in South Africa benefits not just the blacks whose plight they may remedy, but also has positive effects for those who work on behalf of South Africa. Arthur Jarvis claims that knowledge and work on behalf of the nation resolved an internal conflict within him, completing the identity of a South African that was previously missing.

Chapter Twenty-Five:

James and Margaret Jarvis visit Barbara Smith, one of Margaret's nieces, on a day on which court is not in session. Margaret and Barbara discuss Ixopo. While Jarvis reads, there is a knock on the door, and he finds Stephen Kumalo there. Kumalo is surprised to see Jarvis, and sits down on the step as if he were ill or starving. Kumalo begins to tremble, and Jarvis believes that he is ill. Jarvis goes to get water for Kumalo, and when he returns Kumalo brings a paper from Sibeko for his daughter, the Smith's servant. Jarvis tells Kumalo that he recognizes him, but he does not know the relationship between them. Kumalo admits that it is a very heavy thing between them, and he is afraid to tell, for it is the heaviest thing of all their years. Kumalo finally admits that it was his son who killed Arthur. Jarvis tells Kumalo that there is no anger in him. The Smith daughter returns, and tells Kumalo that Sibeko's daughter was fired because she started to brew liquor on her room and was sent to jail. She says that she does not know and does not care where the girl is, but when Jarvis translates this to Kumalo in Zulu, he leaves out the fact that she does not care. Kumalo leaves respectfully, and when he leaves Jarvis admits to his wife that he is disturbed because of something that came out of the past.

Analysis

It is the letter from Sibeko that serves as the impetus for the first direct meeting between Stephen Kumalo and James Jarvis and leads to a sense of reconciliation for the two men. The confrontation between the two men is surprisingly tender; instead of portraying great discomfort between the two men as they have this chance meeting, Paton quickly dismisses the possibility of any animosity between the two men.

The behavior of Stephen Kumalo throughout this chapter is part of the impetus for James Jarvis's kindness toward him. Alan Paton makes clear that Stephen Kumalo feels great shame and weakness as he meets James Jarvis, who initially believes that the old pastor's behavior is a sign of severe illness. Faced with a man in such a lamentable condition, James Jarvis can only act with pity and tenderness toward a man so consumed with pain and guilt over his son's actions. Yet Paton does not make Stephen Kumalo merely the object of pity; Kumalo does bring himself to admit to Jarvis that it was his son who killed Arthur, thus demonstrating his own courage and honesty.

The best demonstration of the compassion that James Jarvis shows for Stephen Kumalo occurs when he inquires about Sibeko's daughter. Jarvis respectfully omits Ms. Smith's comment that she doesn't care what happened to Sibeko's daughter. This is significant for two reasons: this fully demonstrates that Jarvis bears no ill will toward Kumalo, for he makes this small gesture even after he knows the reason behind Kumalo's behavior toward him and, as Paton will make clear later, this demonstrates Jarvis's kindness to Kumalo (who actually could translate the comment himself).

Although James Jarvis is not angry with Stephen Kumalo over the action of his son, the confrontation between the two men still disturbs Jarvis. This is significant, for it serves as an additional impetus for Jarvis's reformation.

Chapter Twenty-Six:

John Kumalo gives a speech in the public square as Dubula and Tomlinson look on. The policemen hear the speech and worry that John Kumalo is dangerous. Kumalo asks "is it wrong to ask more money? We get little enough. It is only our share that we ask, enough to keep our wives and our families from starvation." He continues to ask, "is it we that must be kept poor so that others may stay rich?" The native policemen are alert, knowing that at the first sign of disorder, John Kumalo will be brought down and put in the van and taken elsewhere. John Kumalo does care whether he goes to prison, for in prison there is no applause, so he maintains the peace. Stephen Kumalo and Msimangu listen to John Kumalo, and Stephen admits that his brother can play with even his emotions as if he were a child. Msimangu says that it is a relief that John Kumalo is corrupt, for if he were not corrupt, he could plunge the country into bloodshed. He has been corrupted by his possessions, and fears their loss, thus will not stir disorder. Jarvis is also at the rally and listens to John Kumalo speak.

An expected strike comes and goes, never progressing beyond the mines. There is a bit of trouble at Driefontein, where the police were called in to drive the black miners into the mine, but now all is quiet.

Analysis:

The speech that John Kumalo gives in the public square serves to demonstrate several aspects of this character's personality. Most obviously, the speech establishes the great sway and influence that John Kumalo has among the residents of Johannesburg. A speaker of powerful force, John Kumalo can easily use his influence for whatever reasons he desires. This correlates to the trial of his son and Absalom Kumalo, for it suggests that John Kumalo can use similar tactics to secure his son's release at any expense. Yet the speech also suggests that Kumalo is no legitimate reformer; he has too great a concern for personal gain to risk his own safety or financial security. John Kumalo will negotiate between exciting the crowd and keeping them just subdued enough so that the police will not take action against him. Paton here most explicitly portrays John Kumalo as corrupt. His concerns are entirely personal, despite his claims that he works for the benefit of South Africa. In contrast, the motives of reformers such as Arthur Jarvis are much more noble, untainted by the search for glory and power.

Chapter Twenty-Seven:

Mrs. Lithebe and Gertrude argue over Gertrude's behavior; Mrs. Lithebe claims that Gertrude associates with the wrong type of people, who laugh idly and carelessly and will never help her, and warns her not to hurt her brother any further. Gertrude claims that she will be glad to leave Johannesburg, for she has known nothing but trouble there. There is news of another murder: a European householder was shot dead by a native housebreaker. Later, Gertrude suggests to Mrs. Lithebe that she wants to become a nun. Mrs. Lithebe claps her hands in happiness, but says that she should think of the boy. Gertrude wishes to become a nun because she is a weak woman and it might quell her desire. Gertrude goes to the pregnant girl and asks if she would care for her boy if Gertrude were to become a nun, and the girl eagerly agrees.

Analysis:

Alan Paton places Gertrude Kumalo at the center of this chapter, which foreshadows that her brother's efforts on her behalf may be in vain and that she is destined to return to her errant ways. Paton portrays Gertrude as a woman caught within the horrors of Johannesburg and desperate for an escape from her own weaknesses. The idea that she will become a nun, while commended by Mrs. Lithebe, is an altogether foolish idea that shows Gertrude's desperation. She cares so little for her son that she is willing to leave custody of him to the pregnant girl so that she can enter a convent.

Once again, Paton includes another example of crime in South Africa in which a black murders a white. By this point, the inclusion of another crime of this manner strikes not simply a jarring note but an altogether unpleasant one. The underlying theme of native crime against Europeans betrays the overall themes of equality and Christian charity that inform the novel while placing the center of South Africa's troubles in an incredibly wrong location.

Chapter Twenty-Eight:

The judge issues his verdict in the case. He states that Absalom has not sought to deny his guilt, and that there is no conclusive proof that John Kumalo and Johannes Pafuri were present at the time, despite Mpiring's identification of Pafuri. The judge concludes that the guilt of John Kumalo and Pafuri has not been established, but he holds Absalom wholly responsible for the murder, citing the facts of the case and refuting Absalom's contention that he did not intend to kill Arthur Jarvis. The judge considers any mitigating factors, and finds that there are no extenuating circumstances. Finally he asks Absalom if he has anything to say, to which he replies "I killed this man, but I did not mean to kill him, only I was afraid." The judge sentences Absalom to death by hanging. When court is dismissed, the young white man who has helped Kumalo and Msimangu breaks tradition and exits the court with the black men, an action that is not lightly done.

Analysis:

This chapter is largely expository, fulfilling the plot developments that Paton has foreshadowed since the beginning of the trial. As established, the question of Absalom Kumalo's guilt had been well-established and the main question of the trial was whether he would receive mercy. Since the blame falls wholly on Absalom, with the two other defendants protesting their innocence, he receives no mercy from the court. There is the implication that an admission of guilt for the other two defendants would mitigate the sentence that Absalom receives; thus John Kumalo and Johannes Pafuri sacrifice Absalom Kumalo in order to save themselves.

Once again, Alan Paton exalts the behavior of a white man on behalf of blacks in South Africa by having the young man from the reformatory exit the court on the side of the blacks. It is an action "not lightly done," a phrase that recalls the action of the white man on the road to Alexandra.

Chapter Twenty-Nine:

Father Vincent, Kumalo, Gertrude and her son, the girl and Msimangu visit Absalom in prison. Father Vincent performs the wedding ceremony, marrying Absalom and the girl. Absalom tells his father to give his regards to his mother, and tells him about the money that Absalom has saved for his child. Absalom requests that the child, if a boy, be named Peter. Absalom says that John Kumalo and Pafuri are also in prison, for there is yet another case against them. Kumalo tells his son to have courage, and Absalom cries out of fear over the hanging. As they leave Absalom, the girl tells Stephen Kumalo that she is now his daughter, and he forces himself to smile at her.

After returning from the prison, Kumalo goes to his brother's shop. John says that it is a good thing that Gertrude is going with him, because Johannesburg is not a place for a woman alone. He praises Stephen for his kindness toward Gertrude. Stephen says that he has one more thing to discuss with John, but he is not there to reproach him. John becomes indignant, thinking that Stephen should have no reason to reproach him, but Stephen remedies the situation by saying that the only one who should judge John is God. Stephen asks John about his son, and John says that he will bring his son back to him when his legal troubles are finished. John speaks about politics, and says that history teaches that the men who do the work cannot be kept down forever, and that he hates injustice (but not the white man). Wishing to harm his brother, Stephen tells John that he has heard dangerous things, and that John is being watched. Perhaps, he adds, a friend might have been sent to the shop to deceive him. John laments having such a friend, then Stephen adds that Absalom had friends like that. John orders his brother out of the shop, and kicks over the table in front of him. Stephen has to leave the shop, and John locks him out. Stephen is humiliated and ashamed because he did not come for this purpose, but only to tell his brother that power corrupts and that a man who fights for justice must himself be cleansed and purified.

Jarvis bids farewell to Harrison and his son. Harrison tells Jarvis that the Court made a mess of the case, and that they should have hammered away at Mkize. Jarvis gives John Harrison an envelope to open when he is gone. John Harrison reads it later: it requests that John do all the things that Arthur wanted to do at what could be called the Arthur Jarvis club, and includes a check for ten thousand dollars.

Msimangu hosts a party at Mrs. Lithebe's home in which he praises her for her kindness to Kumalo and his family. After the party, Msimangu tells Kumalo that he is forsaking the world and all possessions, but has saved a little money which he would like to give to him for all of the new duties he has taken up. He tells Kumalo that as soon as the Governor-General-in-Council makes a decision concerning mercy for Absalom, Father Vincent will let him know. He also tells Kumalo that if Absalom is sentenced to death, either he or Father Vincent will go to Pretoria that day for the execution. Kumalo groans and repents for the quarrel with his brother, and decides to write his brother a letter. When checking on everybody before turning in for the night, Kumalo finds that the girl and the little boy are there, but Gertrude is gone.

Analysis:

Although the sentencing of Absalom Kumalo is complete, the progression of his story is not yet complete. There remains some hope for clemency for Absalom, but more importantly, Paton suggests the possibility for some greater redemption for the character. The marriage between Absalom and the young girl is a significant expression of this redemption, as he prepares for the girl and his child to live without him. The final step for Absalom's redemption is as yet incomplete; while accepting responsibility for his actions, Absalom has not yet accepted the inevitability of his death and resists his fate.

The confrontation between John and Stephen Kumalo completes the conflict between the two characters, as Stephen betrays his contempt for his brother's actions and John refuses to accept any responsibility for the situation. The quick response that John gives to Stephen's suggestion that he might judge him suggests that John is aware of some guilt that he should feel, but out of arrogance and selfishness refuses to acknowledge. In this chapter, Paton places John Kumalo beyond redemption: his concerns are entirely personal, and he will take any measures necessary to secure his own personal status. Yet this chapter also serves as retribution for John Kumalo; Stephen Kumalo finds the one weakness in his brother, concern over his power and status, and removes his security in that feeling.

Although Stephen Kumalo issues this retribution to his brother, Paton refuses to portray the protagonist as a man bent on revenge. The confrontation between the Kumalo brothers occurs out of impulse, and Paton makes clear that Stephen Kumalo never intended to visit his brother in order to hurt him. Paton further redeems Stephen Kumalo by showing that he feels guilt and embarrassment over the conflict; he takes no pleasure from the pain that he causes his brother, no matter how justified the retribution may be, and even seeks penitence for his action.

This chapter fulfills the shift in James Jarvis from a man unconcerned with the plight of blacks to a social activist. Jarvis takes his first major step to continue the work of his son by establishing the Arthur Jarvis club, while John Harrison fulfills his role as the heir to the leadership role once fulfilled by the murdered Jarvis. However, this is merely a beginning for James Jarvis; Paton foreshadows the final chapters of the novel, which will be devoted to the continued works of James Jarvis to improving the quality of life of blacks in the region of Ixopo.

This chapter finally serves as a resolution to the story of many of the characters in Johannesburg. Gertrude fulfills her foreshadowed fate by disappearing, presumably to join a convent, while Msimangu, affected by the struggle for justice in which he has taken part, decides to forsake the secular world and donate his savings to Stephen Kumalo. Most importantly, the chapter allows for Stephen Kumalo's departure from Johannesburg without a definitive resolution to his son's fate. Stephen Kumalo can do no more for his son, and the fate of Absalom will become a secondary concern to be detailed second-hand. While the question of whether Absalom will be executed will remain a concern through the final chapters, the possibility of mercy will become secondary to more pressing concerns in Ixopo.

Chapter Thirty:

Stephen Kumalo returns home, where he greets his wife and tells her that Absalom will die soon and that Gertrude has run away. He introduces his wife to the girl and the little boy. The girl suddenly bursts into weeping. Several friends welcome Kumalo home. It is very dry in Ixopo; there has been a drought for a month. The women get water from the river that comes from the estate of Jarvis. Kumalo inquires about Jarvis, and the people from the village tell him that Jarvis returned yesterday, and his wife returned weeks ago. Kumalo gives his first sermon upon his return, in which he beseeches Tixo (God) to give them rain, and prays for the small boy, forgiveness for Gertrude, and for safety and welcome for the girl. A new teacher suggests that the congregation sing Nkosi Sikelel iAfrica (God save Africa). After the service, Kumalo turns to his friend and tells him about Gertrude and Absalom. Kumalo wonders what kind of man can he be with family such as the one he has, and wonders whether he can really remain as pastor. Kumalo tells his friend about the daughter of Sibeko, and how the family does not care, then muses that pain and suffering are a secret, as are kindness and love. Kumalo tells his friend that he is a preacher, but his friend looks at his own hands and asks if these are the hands of the preacher. Kumalo tells his friend how Jarvis left out the fact that the Smiths do not care in his translation. Kumalo returns home and sees his wife. He tells her about the money that Msimangu left for them, and she rejoices as they think about what they may buy with the money.

Analysis

The final section of the novel moves away from concerns over Absalom Kumalo's fate to the fate of the entire village of Ndotsheni. The drought at Ndotsheni is the significant event of the third book of Cry, the Beloved Country. It is important for several reasons, in both the mechanics of the plot and the larger symbolic implications. The drought is the impetus for action on part of a significant character in the novel, but more importantly, it symbolizes the state of Ndotsheni and of South Africa in general. The drought in Ndotsheni is a metaphor for the larger drought in South Africa itself. Causing a lack of nourishment among the people and beyond the control of its victims, the drought can be combated only through widespread improvements within South Africa and a communal effort uniting all segments of South African society. Paton bolsters the idea that Ndotsheni is merely a microcosm representing all of South Africa through Stephen Kumalo's church service, in which they pray for God to save Africa.

Alan Paton makes the change in Stephen Kumalo clear upon his return to Ixopo. The once proud man returns to his native village with a sense of humility that often reverts into deep shame. This is most evident in Kumalo's questions concerning his position as pastor. For the first time, Kumalo questions his role in the fate of his son and his sister, wondering whether he can be an honorable man with a dishonorable family. This causes Kumalo to begin to deny that he is a proper pastor, but this is merely a stage in the character's development, as he moves from denial into acceptance and then action. Although the respective stories of Absalom and Gertrude Kumalo are essentially concluded, their effects on Stephen still reverberate.

While establishing the external conflict (the drought) and the internal conflict (Stephen Kumalo's regret) that will drive the final chapters of the novel, Paton foreshadows the resolution of these conflicts. The mentions of James Jarvis throughout the chapter are numerous, suggesting that his role in the novel is not yet finished. Also, this chapter finally makes clear that Stephen Kumalo is aware of the kindness that James Jarvis has shown him, even if he is as yet unaware of the kindness that he will perform.

Chapter Thirty-One:

Kumalo begins to pray regularly for the restoration of Ndotsheni, but he knows that was not enough. He looks around the hills and sees that he must speak to the chief, a great stout man in riding breeches, and his counselors. The other person to whom Kumalo must speak is the headmaster, a smiling man in round spectacles. Kumalo goes to the chief, who tells Kumalo to wait. As Kumalo rests, he realizes how far he has traveled since the journey to Johannesburg. When Kumalo speaks to the chief, he tells him that he has been to Johannesburg, where he saw many of their people. He suggests to the chief that they should try to keep some of the people in the valley by caring for the land before it is too late. The chief finally says that he has thought of these matters for some time, and he will talk to the inspector again soon. Kumalo replies that it is sad to look upon the place where they are teaching it, but the cattle are dying and children are dying. The chief reminds him that the suffering is because of the drought, but Kumalo says that, dry or not, for many years it has been the same. The chief finally dismisses him, and Kumalo returns to the church. He seeks the headmaster of the school, but is not more successful with him. The headmaster is polite and obliging, but he cannot answer Kumalo's question of how to keep the children in Ndotsheni. As Kumalo works in his church, he sees a small white boy on a red horse. The little boy tells Kumalo that he goes to St. Mark's, and he asks if he can see inside the parson's house. The little boy asks about what Kumalo is working on, and he says that it is the church's accounts. The little boy says that he thought that only shops have accounts. The little boy wishes to know a little about Zulu, and the meaning of inkosana, which Kumalo calls him (it is little master), and he asks what he should call Kumalo. The boy asks for milk from the refrigerator, but Kumalo says that they have neither milk nor a refrigerator. Kumalo teaches the boy a bit of Zulu, and the boy says that he will visit him again. When the boy asks what children do, Kumalo says that the children, such as the child of Kuluze, are dying without milk.

At dinner, Kumalo and his wife, the girl and the small boy have their meal. The friend who carried Kumalo's bags arrives at the house with a message from Jarvis. The friend asks if the small white boy was there today, and then tells Kumalo that he saw the white boy talking about Kuluse's child. The friend brings milk for Kumalo to distribute to the small children.

Analysis:

Alan Paton devotes this chapter to the obstacles that Stephen Kumalo faces in his attempts to bring back order to Ndotsheni. Primary among these obstacles is the chief who rules over the region, whom Paton portrays as a man who is devoted only to his personal well-being and not that of his subjects. He essentially dismisses Kumalo's concerns, despite the minister's respected position in the community, and leaves Kumalo with little more than platitudes. This continues a theme of ineffective leaders that are prevalent throughout Cry, the Beloved Country. The chief is little more than John Kumalo in native dress and traditional mannerisms. Again, Paton creates an uncomfortable racial divide; while most of the white authority figures in the novel are benevolent (James Jarvis, the judge, the reformatory worker), the black characters in positions of power (John Kumalo, the chief) are corrupt.

In this chapter, Stephen Kumalo evolves from his earlier denial and shame to a sense of duty and social justice. No longer expressing doubts over whether or not he is appropriate for his role, he instead uses his tragedies as an impetus for action on behalf of his village.

Yet it is not Stephen Kumalo's newfound sense of social justice that leads to the first step toward improvement in his village. It is instead the sense of kindness and empathy that he has shown throughout the novel and that he shows toward the little boy. It is by spending time with the young boy and teaching the little white boy that he causes action to be taken. Although it is not explicitly stated yet in this chapter, Paton greatly foreshadows that it is James Jarvis who donates the milk for the small children. Paton earlier established that Jarvis's estate is the source for most of the water in the village, and Jarvis repays the kindness that Kumalo showed to the young white boy (as well as his earlier established decency) with actions intended to help save Kumalo's village. Although there is a sense that social activism plays a small role in the decision (Kumalo's concern for the matter are so great that he tells the boy about the problems in Ndotsheni), it is a sense of basic human decency that leads to social improvement. This corresponds with Paton's view that improvement in South Africa is only possible when people work communally for the social good, behaving with a sense of Christian decency and kindness.

Chapter Thirty-Two:

Kumalo receives several letters from Johannesburg, including one from Absalom to his wife, from Absalom to his parents, one from Msimangu and one from Mr. Carmichael. Kumalo opens the one from Carmichael fearfully, because it concerns the mercy. The lawyer writes that there will be none, and that Absalom will be hanged on the fifteenth day of the month. Kumalo sits idly in pain, so his wife suggests that he go see Kuluse's child and do his work. Kumalo shows his wife the letter from Absalom, who writes that he is locked in prison, but can smoke and read and write letters. He writes that he thinks of them back in Ndotsheni, and if he were back there he would not leave again. When Kumalo reads Msimangu's letter, he finds himself astonished to be faintly nostalgic for the great city. Kumalo sees a car from down the road from Carisbrooke. There is a white man on a horse waiting for the car: it is Jarvis. The man in the car is the magistrate. He meets with the chief, and they appear to discuss what should be done; Kumalo is too far away to hear, but he can see that they are using sticks to discuss their plans. Kumalo hears the magistrate say to one of the white men that they say that Jarvis is going crazy and won't have any money left. The magistrate orders that none of the sticks be moved. Jarvis had said that the storm that is coming will be no ordinary storm. As the storm comes, Jarvis hurries back to his horse, but then lets it loose and goes to Kumalo and asks if he can remain in the church. During the storm, Jarvis asks if there is mercy for Absalom, and Kumalo shows him the letter. Jarvis leaves as the rain still pounds lightly.

Nobody understands the purpose of the sticks that are in the ground. Small children attempt to play with the sticks, but they behave in horror when one child, Dazuma, pulls a stick out of the ground despite the chief's orders. Another cart with milk arrives.

Analysis:

The news concerning Absalom Kumalo is not a surprise; it merely confirms the inevitable that Paton has foreshadowed since the beginning of the murder plotline that compromised a significant portion of the novel. The importance of this plotline is no longer the fate of Absalom, for Paton made his fate relatively clear from the beginning; instead, Absalom Kumalo remains significant primarily for the effect that he has on his father, who has been changed by his son's actions and the events surrounding it. Absalom continues to regret his actions and now even regrets departing from Ndotsheni, thus confirming his father's belief that a life centered around the rural, family-centered life on Ixopo is preferable to the urban wasteland that is Johannesburg. (Nevertheless, for the first time Stephen Kumalo finds himself thinking fondly of Johannesburg, yet this is for the Œfamily' that he found in the city including Msimangu and Mrs. Lithebe). An integral part of Stephen Kumalo's recovery from the pain that his son has caused him is his newfound activism to save the people of his village. As his wife realizes, his work redeems him; it is his means to prevent others from suffering the same fate as Absalom and Gertrude.

The appearance of James Jarvis is of little surprise; Paton confirms in this chapter that it is Jarvis who provided the milk for the children, in no small part because of Stephen Kumalo's kindness to the child. Paton portrays James Jarvis as a savior in this chapter. He literally rides into the village on a white horse to save the village from its drought by doing what Stephen Kumalo cannot. In some ways, the appearance of Jarvis is a bit of a deus ex machine with unfortunate implications; in a story about the trials and tribulations of blacks in South Africa, the people are saved by the sudden kindness of a wealthy white man. Yet Paton mutes the more disturbing implications of this plot occurrence by making clear the effect that Stephen Kumalo has had on James Jarvis. The heroism of James Jarvis would be impossible without the exemplary behavior of Stephen Kumalo.

The storm that occurs in Ndotsheni is an example of not quite subtle symbolism regarding Jarvis and Kumalo; it represents the turmoil that both men face and the adversity that both have weathered. Once again, the two men face these tribulations together, yet by accident. By this point in the novel, both characters have reached relatively similar points. Both men have progressed from simple anguish over their respective tragedies and are focused on effecting social change to prevent such tragedies from occurring again.

The mysterious sticks in the ground, considered by the village with nearly religious significance, give some indication of the concrete plans that Jarvis has concerning bringing improvement to Ndotsheni. The sticks in the ground represent a mix of both the traditional and the modern: the use of basic building materials to represent a modern, technological improvement (likely a dam). This confluence of the modern and the traditional is additionally represented by the communal efforts of James Jarvis and Stephen Kumalo, who employ their respective modern training and traditional values in order to effect change in the village.

Chapter Thirty-Three:

The sticks stand for several days. There are rumors that a dam will be built there. Kumalo prays regularly for the restoration of Ndotsheni, and Kuluse's child does recover. The girl is happy in her new home, and the small boy plays with the other small boys; he does not ask about his mother. Nobody asks about Absalom, and those who speak of him make no ill judgment on Kumalo for his son's behavior. The small white boy returns to talk Zulu, and meets Gertrude's child. Kumalo tells him, in English and in Zulu, that when he leaves, something bright will go out of Ndotsheni. The small white boy meets Kumalo's wife, and she tells him that she is overcome and knows not what to say. Kumalo teaches the boy more words in Zulu. When he leaves, Kumalo goes to the church, where he meets a young man, Napoleon Letsitsi, the new agricultural demonstrator. He says that Jarvis has sent him here to teach farming in Ndotsheni. Kumalo laughs that Letsitsi is an angel from God. Letsitsi gives Kumalo agricultural advice, and says that there has to be a dam so that the cattle always have water to drink. Kumalo suggests that Letsitsi first go to the chief. The young man says that there is much to be done, but it will not happen quickly. Kumalo prays that he will at least see the improvement before he dies.

Analysis:

An important theme in the final chapters of the novel is the confluence between African and European cultures. The alliance between Stephen Kumalo and James Jarvis as well as the use of the sticks in the previous chapter are examples that demonstrate this theme. The character Napoleon Letsitsi introduced in this chapter is a further example. Letsitsi incorporates a native background with modern knowledge, and thus can bridge the gap between the two cultures as he attempts to teach the villagers in Ndotsheni better ways of farming. The small white boy, in a much smaller way, also demonstrates the same theme as he learns more about the Zulu language and culture.

This chapter gives an additional perspective on Stephen Kumalo, noting that the other villagers do not blame him for the actions of this family. This is a significant point, for it makes clear the position of the village, which will be significant in coming chapters, and it also demonstrates that a significant portion of the shame that Stephen Kumalo feels is unnecessary. The others do not think him less worthy because of what has happened, no matter what Kumalo might suspect about himself.

Chapter Thirty-Four:

Kumalo awaits the Bishop's arrival for a confirmation ceremony. He is surprised to see his friend driving along the road with the cart that brought the milk, for it never comes this early. His friend tells Kumalo that Mrs. Jarvis is dead. Kumalo writes a letter in English to Jarvis in consolation for his wife's death, but he wonders whether he should send it, for she may have died of a broken heart from the death of her son, and it would be inappropriate for the father of her son's murderer to offer condolences. Kumalo considers Jarvis's kindness and decides to send the letter. After the confirmation that day, the Bishop speaks to Kumalo, and suggests that he go away from Ndotsheni. Kumalo says that if he were to leave, he would die. Kumalo says that the people love him, despite his age. The Bishop finally tells him that he should go because Jarvis lives nearby, but Kumalo, although he does not say so, remembers that Jarvis has visited him and sent milk for the children. The Bishop wants Kumalo to go to Pietermaritzburg to his friend Ntombela, whom Kumalo would help. The Bishop tells Kumalo that if he stays, there will be many loads on his shoulders, including the rebuilding of the church. Kumalo receives a letter from James Jarvis, who tells Kumalo that it was one of his wife's last wishes that a new church be built at Ndotsheni and that his wife had been in poor health even before Johannesburg. The Bishop asks to see the letter, and Kumalo tells him about the milk. He finally decides that it is not God's will that Kumalo should leave Ndotsheni.

When Kumalo returns home, he finds his wife, the girl, and his friend busy making a wreath from a cypress branch. The friend wonders whether they are using the right flowers for the wreath, and the friend agrees to fetch arum lilies from a stream on the far side of Carisbrooke.

Analysis:

An important consideration for Stephen Kumalo in regard to his relationship with James Jarvis is the tension between human consideration and socially appropriate behavior. This consideration was brought up in earlier chapters, in which Kumalo considered how he could behave around the man whose son Absalom murdered, and returns again in this chapter. Yet Paton finally resolves this tension when Kumalo decides against considerations of possible impropriety and finally decides that kindness and empathy are more important values. It is here that Paton makes clear the effect that James Jarvis has had on Kumalo; the relationship is reciprocal; not only did Stephen Kumalo inspire James Jarvis to behave with greater social awareness, James Jarvis inspires Kumalo to behave in accordance with his more noble instincts.

In this chapter, Paton demonstrates the marked change that has occurred in Stephen Kumalo since his arrival home from Johannesburg. While Kumalo first considered him unworthy to remain pastor in the area, even attempting to cede the job to his friend, Kumalo has no quelled his doubts over his worth and fights to remain in Ndotsheni. There is a sense of irony in the bishop's argument: while he believes that Jarvis makes Kumalo's position as pastor untenable and the work that he will undertake is too great, it is in fact the actions of James Jarvis that have confirmed to Kumalo that he must remain in his position and the work that sustains Kumalo in this time of tragedy.

Chapter Thirty-Five:

There is a new sense of excitement in the valley concerning the new developments. Kumalo compares the new teacher, Napoleon Letsitsi, to his more famous namesake. Kumalo credits him with many of the improvements in the region. When Letsitsi says that, with the water from the dam leading to more healthy cows, they will no longer need the white man's milk, Kumalo reprimands him for seeming ungrateful. Letsitsi says that it was the white man who gave them so little land and took them away from the land to go to work, so what this good man does is only a repayment. Letsitsi says that he does not work for men or for money, but for the land and the people, for Africa as a whole. Kumalo thinks upon the situation, and realizes that those who show compassion or sympathy for the white men are called, as he is, a "white man's dog."

Analysis:

In the penultimate chapter of the novel, Alan Paton resolves the situation in Ndotsheni, making clear that the improvements for which Jarvis, Kumalo and Letsitsi have worked are at last beginning to sustain the region. Once again Paton maintains a sense of reciprocity between the cultures when Kumalo reprimands Letsitsi for ingratitude. While the effect of the dam will be a greater independence for the blacks in Ndotsheni, this sense of independence is not the goal; the final goal of the improvements is a greater good for all of South Africa, and not merely the black population. Paton further rejects the idea that this reciprocity is a sign of weakness on the side of blacks in South Africa, as Kumalo scoffs at the idea that those who show sympathy for Europeans are a "white man's dog." To accept kindness, for Kumalo (and by extension Paton) is a sign of gratitude and a move for the communal good, and thus more important than foolish considerations of pride.

Chapter Thirty-Six:

Kumalo tells his wife that he is going up into the mountain, as he had done when Absalom was sick, when he had thought of giving up the ministry to run a native store in Donnybrook for a white man named Baxter, and when he had considered committing adultery. This time, Kumalo invites his wife to come along, but she says that she cannot leave the girl. As Kumalo leaves that night, he sees Jarvis on his horse. Jarvis asks if he desires a new church, and tells him that the plans will shortly come to him. Jarvis asks about Letsitsi, and then tells Kumalo that he is going to live with his daughter and her children in Johannesburg. Kumalo thanks Jarvis, but Jarvis says that he is no saintly man. While on his journey, Kumalo thinks of his various reasons to give thanks, such as Msimangu, the young man from the reformatory, Mrs. Lithebe, Father Vincent, and his wife and his friend. He wonders why it is the man whose son was murdered by Absalom who is now attempting to save Ndotsheni. Kumalo thinks of those who are suffering, such as Gertrude and the people of Shanty Town. He cries out for his son, and thinks also of Jarvis and his family, and in the end all of Africa.

When Kumalo awakes, he realizes that it is now the day of his son's execution. Kumalo prays as the dawn comes. Ndotsheni is still in darkness, but the light will come there, for it always does. However, the time in which the dawn of emancipation from fear and bondage will come is a secret.

Analysis:

The final confrontation between Jarvis and Kumalo emphasizes the parallels between the two characters. Both suffered greatly during their journeys to Johannesburg, and then used their suffering as an impetus toward social action. Both men are aware of their faults and limitations, as Jarvis shows when he emphasizes that he is not a saint, but in their actions more often than not they behave impeccably.

Although Paton constructs Stephen Kumalo's journey to the mountain as the final test that the pastor faces in Cry, the Beloved Country, this pilgrimage serves as less of a trial than a summation. Even before Kumalo leaves to remain on the mountain on the day that Absalom will be executed, Kumalo seems secure; he does not need to make a solitary and personal journey as he has done before, as he shows by inviting his wife to join him on the mountain.

Kumalo's thoughts during his journey to the mountain serve as a beacon of hope in the novel. Kumalo does not think primarily of the suffering that he and others face, but instead considers the kindness of others such as Msimangu and James Jarvis. Paton shifts the focus of this chapter from the particular, including the fate of Absalom and the actions of the various characters throughout the novel, to larger social ramifications. Paton thus relates the fate of the novel's characters to the fate of the South Africa in general. The novel thus ends on a note of hope: Kumalo awakes from a both a literal and a metaphorical darkness into dawn. Therefore, while Paton ends the novel with the question of when Africa itself will emerge from its metaphorical darkness, there is nevertheless the assumption that the emergence into a dawn is inevitable. The question of when this emergence from darkness will occur is the only question that Paton can now pose.

• Biography of Alan Paton
• About Cry, the Beloved Country
• Character List
• Major Themes
• Short Summary
• Full Summary and Analysis
• Summary and Analysis of Book I, Chapters 1-6
• Summary and Analysis of Book I, Chapters 7-12
• Summary and Analysis of Book I, Chapters 13-17
• Summary and Analysis of Book II, Chapters 18-24
• Summary and Analysis of Book II, Chapters 25-29
• Summary and Analysis of Book III, Chapters 30-36
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