Cry the Beloved Country had many strong themes, but one stood out the strongest in my eyes. The strongest theme was no matter how bad things get, family will always be there for you. Throughout this novel many examples were provided to support my chosen theme.
Stephen Kumalo is the main character and shows the best examples of evidence to support my theme. The first example is when he received a letter from another priest in Johannesburg saying that his sister was very sick and to make a journey to Johannesburg to come see her and her son to try and help them. Stephen made the journey to help his sister first stopping to see the priest who wrote the letter. The priest told him they would find his sister the next day. He also said in the letter when he wrote that his sister was sick that he didn’t mean illness but he meant she had become a prostitute to try to support her and her son. Stephen attempted to take his sister and her son back to their home village but she ran away and he could not find her.
James Jarvis was a rich white man who cared for his son greatly, but in the last few years they haven’t seen eye to eye on some important issues of race separation. James Jarvis believed in the quote,” birds of a color stick together”. So when he hears from his daughter and law that his son missed an important family gathering to stay home and work for and in favor of the blacks he became annoyed and frustrated with the whole idea. Later after Stephen Kumalos’ son Absalom Kumalo killed his son, James Jarvis did an incredible thing, he never got filled with hatred but the exact opposite. James realized what he had lost when his son Arthur Jarvis was killed and when he realized it he started to accept his sons’ views after his death. For his own sake and his sons, he accepted the black race and did what he could to help them.
The Essay on Francis Of Assisi Brother Son Sister Moon
Francis of Assisi - " Brother Son Sister Moon" Ben Ngkaion per: a 2/26/97 Crisis and conversion: While Francis is sick and dreaming, he has images of nature which represent the happiness and peacefulness. He also has images of war which help him understand that it isn't the greatest thing neither is it the most honorable. Francis has many great conflicts with his father. Francis' father is very ...
Stephen Kumalo also had a son living in Johannesburg. Stephen cared for his son but hadn’t heard from him for a long time and wondered what he was up to. Stephens’ son Absalom Kumalo has been committing robberies and petty crimes, to make a living with a few of his friends. While Stephen was in Johannesburg, he acquired information about his sons’ whereabouts but each address he received led to yet another dead end. Finally when he was ready to give up, he is given information that his son is in prison. When he arrives at the prison he talks with Absalom. His son tells him he has committed a robbery, and while in progress he shot and killed the white owner of the house and was to stand trial in couple of days. Stephen never doubted his son. He stuck with him throughout the trial and did whatever he could to help. When his son was sentenced to die, Stephen prayed for him all the time even going back home on the day of his execution. Stephen climbed a tall hill where he felt closer to God and prayed for his son during the time of the hanging.
In conclusion this novel had many examples which supported my theme of no matter how bad things get, family will always be there for you. In my essay, the main character Stephen never once gave up or lost hope for any of his family members. James Jarvis in the end also changed his whole lifestyle and beliefs because his son died, and that just shows how strong the family bond is.
