Cry, the Beloved Country
By Alan Paton
Written in 1948, immediately prior to
the instigation of the apartheid
government in South Africa.
Three books and 36 chapters.
Book I: Presented through the eyes of the main character,
Stephen Kumalo, a native priest in Ndotsheni, a small community
in the Ixopo district of South Africa. The time is 1947. Search for
his son, Absalom.
Book II: Presented from the point of view of James Jarvis, the
father of the murdered man. He lives in Ixtopo and has a large
estate, High Place, near Ndotsheni where Rev. Kumalo is priest.
Book III: Point of view of both Kumalo and Jarvis who have
returned to their homes in Ixtopo.
Cry, the Beloved Country
By Alan Paton
Cry, the Beloved Country
By Alan Paton
•Born in Pietermaritzburg, Natal in
1903
•Graduated with a degree from the
University of Natal in physics.
•Taught math and chemistry at Ixopo
High School until 1928.
•Moved to Johannesburg to sere as
principal of Diepkloof Reformatory for
African boys. Transferred its control
from prison system to educational
system.
•Cry, the Beloved Country was his response to his
journeys across South Africa studying the penal
systems.Became an immediate literary success and is
now considered a literary classic.
Cry, the Beloved Country
By Alan Paton
Brief history: in the beginning
were the descendents of the
Zulu and Bantu tribes. 1652:
Dutch East India, Co. Settled
and called themselves “boers”
(meaning farmers). Became
the Afrikaners and spoke
Afrikaans.
During Napoleonic wars, Britain occupied portion (Natal). 1806
Gold discovered in Transvaal in 1886. Let to Anglo-Boer War.
Fearing the black majority, the Afrikaner Nationalist Party
instigated Apartheid meaning “separateness.” Nelson Mandela
released from prison in 1996 head of African National Congress.
Cry, the Beloved Country
By Alan Paton
•Nature and its meaning
•Fear
•Fathers and sons
•Hope
•Race and Racisim
•Colonialism and greed
Cry, the Beloved Country
By Alan Paton
Style: Point of view-present tense, third person
narrative. Not omniscient.
Dialect: Diction is
influenced by the Zulu and
Xosa tongues. Native
syntax.
Apostrophe, aphorism, and parallelism
Dramatic Irony
Cry, the Beloved Country By
Alan Paton
Reading Schedule and
assignments
Week One: Jan. 31-Feb. 6--Read
Chapters 1-10.
Week Two: Feb. 7- Feb. 13--Read Chapters 11-22.
Week Three: Feb. 14- Feb. 20--Read Chapters 23-36.
Assignments: Use handout “Terms Used in AP Essay
Instructions.” For each chapter, record the use of 2 of the
AP terms. List term on left with partial quote, and on right
record what it adds to the structure/style/theme of novel.
After each week’s reading, record 3 observations, connect
each to theme (WAAW), then infer authorial purpose. You
will have 3 total observations and 72 journal entries.
Cry, the Beloved Country
By Alan Paton
Cry, the Beloved Country
By Alan Paton