AFRICA UNIT
nfhs
March/April 2017
1
Africa Unit
Week #1
March 29, 2017
Part One: Literature - Cry, the Beloved Country
1. Read the Introduction and Book I - pages 19-157.
2. Answer the following questions in complete sentences from the Introduction
section:
i. Who were the Boers and why did they settle in South Africa?
ii. How and when did the British come to South Africa? How did they
get along with the Boers?
iii. When and why did the Anglo-Boer War occur?
iv. What is the ANP and why did it establish "apartheid"?
b. Chapters 1-5
i. Where is Kumalo taking the train to and why? What imagery ( five
senses) language does the author give to describe this journey?
ii. Why did Gertrude go to Johannesburg? What does Stephen Kumalo
learn about what has happened to her since? Why did Absalom leave
home?
iii. What is Msimangu's explanation of why so many of the children are
breaking the law? Why doesn't he hate the white man, then? What
does he mean, "…the tragedy is not that things are broken. The
tragedy is that they are not mended again." Do you agree?
iv. "It is fear that rules this land." Who fears whom?
c. Chapters 6-12 - Discussion Only EXCEPT for ii, vii.
i. Why does Msimangu say that it is a pity that blacks and whites are
separated?
ii. Write - Compare the two brothers, Stephen and John Kumalo, in a
Venn diagram. Use words, phrases, give beliefs, attitudes. At the
bottom of the Venn diagram give your opinion of each man and tell
why you feel this way. (note: you can get a Venn diagram chart from
Word, Insert, Smart Chart, Relationship – scroll down until you see a
Venn diagram)
iii. What is the reason for the boycott of the buses? Why does Kumalo
smile when he sees the white driver take in black passengers?
2
iv. What does the first line of Chapter 9, "All roads lead to
Johannesburg," mean? When and where else has this "urban shift"
occurred?
v. What is Shanty Town? Why has it arisen? What problems do its
residents have?
vi. How does Kumalo feel about Gertrude's child? Pay attention to the
children in this story. What do you think they have to do with the
theme of the story? [hint: You must figure out what the theme of the
story is to do this one!]
vii. Write: Where do you find the title of the book in the text? To what
does the title refer in your own words? What does “…these things
are not yet at an end” refer to?
d. Chapters 13-17 - Write out the answer to iv. Otherwise, these are for
discussion.
i. How does Father Vincent treat Kumalo? Does he treat Kumalo as an
equal? Do the other whites in the story?
ii. How doe Absalom react when he sees his father? How does Kumalo
react?
iii. Father Vincent says that while there is life, there is hope for
amendment of life. What doe he mean? Do you agree? Does this
thought comfort Kumalo?
iv. Write - Stephen Kumalo is overcome by a wish to hurt the pregnant
young girl, and is then ashamed of himself. Write about a time when
you felt something like this toward someone.
Part Two: History & Geography
1. Read pages 924-933 in World History and pages 338-339 (only the first 2
paragraphs) in Streams and answer the following questions in complete
sentences:
a. No video this week.
b. How did World War 2 influence nationalist movements in Africa? Why were
most African nations able to win freedom peacefully?
c. Describe three ways in which the legacy of the Age of Imperialism and
colonial rule hampered development after independence.
d. Describe two goals of the emerging nations of Africa.
3
e. How did ethnic rivalries play a part causing struggles for the new nations?
What were other causes of many African countries having trouble building
stable governments? (see pages 339 in Stream and pages 929-930 in World)
f. What were two economic obstacles to modernization? Describe two areas
in which African nations have made progress since independence.
Part Three: AFRICA UNIT MOVIES
Hotel Rwanda, The Gods Must Be Crazy, Timbuktu (Amazon Prime free), Cry the Beloved
Country
You must watch two of these movies during this unit. We will have a discussion on
March 29th about the how the movies help explain the complicated problems of Africa
and what they teach about life there. If you cannot participate in the discussion
knowledgeably for the movies you watched, you will be required to summaries of each
movie in writing. Mrs. Withem highly recommends you watch all the movies, but only
2 are assigned considering how much time we have for this unit.
IN CLASS PROJECT: Metaphor Analysis: Cry, the Beloved Country
Cry, the Beloved Country is organized around two searches. The first is a physical search
by Stephen Kumalo for his son, Absalom. The second is an intellectual and emotional
search on the part of James Jarvis for the spirit of his son, Arthur, as gleaned from the
murdered man's writings. Both these searches can be understood as part of an inner
journey that leads to a new spiritual awareness in both Stephen Kumalo and James
Jarvis. In that sense the outer events of the searches are metaphors for the growth of
each man's mind and heart, both of which are essential if the country is to be
regenerated and social justice achieved.
1. As you read this week, note changes in Kumalo’s thinking and understanding
grows through the search for his son. (mark in book with sticky note and pg.
number) Then, note changes in Jarvis as he strives to understand what happened
to his son and to understand exactly who his son was and what he stood for.
(Again, mark places in the book or note page numbers.) Bring this information
with you and we begin to form an analysis during class of the metaphor of each of
the journeys these men are making.
2. When you come to class on Wednesday, you only the need the book and the list
of page numbers/markings in the book.
4
Africa Unit
Week #2
Due April 5, 2017
Part One: Literature - Cry, the Beloved Country
1. Read Book II & III.
2. Chapters 18-24. For discussion unless marked “write”. For those use complete
sentences.
A. Write - Re-read the beginning of Book I and then the first page of Book II.
How are the beginnings similar and how are they different? What is the
author's purpose? What literary technique is this?
B. It is said that the chief influence on Paton's writing this book was the King
James Bible. Do you agree or disagree? Give specific examples to back up
your opinion.
C. We never meet Arthur, but we almost feel as if we do. How do we learn
about him? What do we find out? What is Arthur's study like? What does
the room tell about him?
D. Who is Harrison? What is he like? Do you like him? What views does he
express? Do you think Paton is suggesting that these views are
representative of a group in the South Africa - which group would that be, if
so?
E. What is Arthur's manuscript about? Paraphrase what the son has written.
How does the father feel about what the son has written?
F. What has happened to take people's attention away from the murder trial?
What is the difference in attitude between those who hold shares and
those who do not? Why? How could some of the money have been used
instead of to buy shares?
G. **Why is Arthur Jarvis's father hurt by his son's "Private Essay on the
Evolution of a South African"? Would you be hurt if you were Arthur's
father?
3. Chapters 25-31 A. Why do the policemen believe that John Kumalo's voice is dangerous?
What does John Kumalo advocate? What do you think of John Kumalo?
B. What are some of the many causes of the problems black mineworkers
have? Whose voice do you hear when you read the words, "So in a way it is
best not to think about it at all" (pg 224)? What is meant by the observation
that "nothing is ever quiet, except for fools" (pg 224)? Do you agree?
5
C. **If the court had accepted Absalom's assertion that he did not intend to
kill, how would the outcome of the trial have been different? Why didn't
the court accept Absalom's assertion? As a jurist, what would you have
decided? Why?
D. Why does Rev. Kumalo go to visit his brother? Why does his brother say,
"…the fatted calf will be killed here"? How does Kumalo hurt his brother?
How do both feel when they part? With which one do you sympathize
more? Why?
E. Who is the small boy on the red horse? Why does his coming cheer Kumalo
so much? Why does the small boy treat Kumalo with openness and
respect?
F.
4. Chapters 32-36.
A. How does Kumalo express his regrets to Jarvis about the loss of his wife?
Why is Kumalo hesitant about sending regrets? What else could he have
done? In his place, what would you have done?
B. How does Jarvis's letter affect Kumalo? What impact does it have on the
bishop? What does the letter show you about Jarvis, himself?
C. Why does Kumalo go up to the mountain? What is Kumalo's time on the
mountain like? What does he see? Hear? Feel? What does he do at the very
moment he believes his son is being executed? What would you do?
D. What thoughts pain Kumalo? What thoughts does he find reassuring?
Kumalo reflects on how afraid South Africans are of salvation. Of what does
he think they are afraid? Does he expect to see that salvation some day?
Part Two: History
1. History – complete sentences
a. Watch the video on the website.
b. Read pages 339-343 in Streams and pages 933-942 in World History.
c. Several African nations were profiled in our two history books in the above
pages. In each country, there were intense political struggles which in turn
led to chaos, poverty, and bloodshed. Look for patterns in the causes of
these struggles. Would you say the causes were different for each nation
or are there themes that seem to present in each nation? Make an analysis
of what you think have been the 2 or 3 main causes of the political
struggles in these nations since 1945. Give specific reasons for your
analysis.
d. What nations do Islamic leaders control in Africa today? Which nations,
although not controlled by Islamic leaders, are experiencing pressure from
6
Moslem terrorist groups? You will need to search the Internet for this
information as Africa has changed since your textbooks were written!
e. Check persecution.com, christianaid.org (look "by region") and
worldmag.com for examples of Islamic persecution of believers in Africa.
Find three stories and summarize them.
f. Compare the church in Africa with the church in China from what you have
read in the last 2 units.
g. Check online newsmagazines: What African nations are in the news this
week? Find three articles and from 3 different countries and summarize the
problem/issue. Are the issues the same as you saw in your answer to b.
above? Are the issues facing African nations different or like what is facing
Americans right now? Explain.
Part Three: AFRICA UNIT MOVIES
Watch another movie from this unit. Be prepared to discuss it and its themes in class.
IN CLASS PROJECT: Metaphor Analysis: Cry, the Beloved Country
1. As you read this week, continue to note changes in Kumalo and Jarvis. (Mark
places in the book or note page numbers.) Bring this information with you and we
begin to form an analysis during class of the metaphor of each of the journeys
these men are making.
2. When you come to class on Wednesday, you only the need the book and the list
of page numbers/markings in the book.
7