A Theme of Divide in Society in Cry, The Beloved Country

The novel Cry, the Beloved Country by Alan Paton, is about an African priest named Stephen Kumalo, who leaves his village in Natal to search for his family in Johannesburg. There, he discovers that his son has been charged with the murder of Arthur Jarvis, a prominent white advocate for racial justice. After his son is convicted and sentenced to death, Stephen returns home to focus on saving his village with the help of Arthur’s father and son. The overall topic of the book is the structure of racialized South African society pre-Apartheid. The book mainly serves as a social protest to this structure, which is present in a very pointed manner throughout the text. Paton mainly uses third-person narration as a tool to describe what the society looks like. This is rather balanced because the narration can reflect all the characters’ points of view which renders it an effective medium for presenting a well-rounded picture of the society. Paton builds on this topic by arguing for the end of social division and the creation of a South African national identity.

While this argument is never explicitly stated, it is clearly woven throughout the text. The author sets up his argument by using the settings in the story to characterize the growing divide in society. The rural setting represents morality, faith, and family. He contrasts this by presenting urban life as one that turns people corrupt, hedonic, and atheistic. More narrowly, he uses the separation of the protagonist’s family to represent these changes. Gertrude, John, and Absalom, who all fled their village for Johannesburg, displayed questionable morals. Even though John was reputable in his new life, his political leadership was motivated by obtaining power and money. During one of his speeches, he advocated for allocating more mining profit to Africans, but did not address issues of civil rights. Comparatively, Absalom abandoned a Christian lifestyle for a life of crime in Johannesburg. However, unlike John, it is clear he regrets his choices in life. Before his death, he asks his father to name his son Peter. Given the family’s faith, it can be understood that this is in reference to Christ’s disciple who denied knowing Jesus until the resurrection, when he renewed his commitment to Christ and faith. This was likely Absalom’s way of telling his father he had renewed his own commitment to faith. The characterization of urban life being dissolute portrays an almost dire need for unity and the return to proper morals.

Paton also characterizes the divide in society through his discussion of the destruction of the tribal community lifestyle. Agriculture was failing because farmers were flocking to cities and agrarian education was no longer valued. Stephen felt that John and Absalom had turned their backs on faith by living with unmarried women. According to Reverend Msimangu, white culture had destroyed all traditional customs and family values. Additionally, the dialogue about native crime during the court scene suggests that it is merely a protest of conditions. This breakdown of community is said to be the result of colonization of the country. Not only, does Paton’s clear negative view of the division in his country suggest he advocates for unity, but his outright discussion of race and politics defend his argument as well.

The book uses the writings and influences of Arthur Jarvis to promote the union of the country. To connect back to the subject of the book, the author’s ability to describe the lifestyle of both black and white South Africans shows an integrated worldview and exposes his desire for shared sympathy between races in his country.