THE classic fictional novel “Cry, the Beloved Country” is about Rev. Stephen Kumalo seeking his delinquent and only child, Absalom in the city of Johannesburg - his search takes him through a labyrinth of land, murder, prostitution, racial hatred and, ultimately, reconciliation.
The story begins with Rev. Kumalo preparing to leave his rural area of Ndotsheni for Johannesburg after receiving an urgent letter from Rev. Theophilus Msimangu asking him to rush to the big city to rescue his ‘sick sister,’ Gertrude Kumalo.
Gertrude went to Johannesburg to look for her husband who was recruited for the mines. But when his time was up, he did not return, nor did he write at all. She did not know if he were dead perhaps. So she took her small child and went to look for him.
When she fails to find her husband she turns to selling liquor and sleeping with any man for their price. They gamble and drink and stab. A man is killed at her place in Claremont. She has been in prison more than once.
Absalom had left Ndotsheni in pursuit of his auntie, Gertrude, but never returned, nor after a while did he write to his parents any more.
“Cry, the Beloved Country” by Alan Paton that was first published in 1948, is a remarkable story for its contemporaneity; unforgettable for character and incident, the fictional novel is a classic work of love and hope, courage and endurance, born of the dignity of man.
In search of Absalom and Mathew Kumalo (the son of John Kumalo), Kumalo and Msimangu learn that the boys were buglers and robbers.
The parsons went to Shanty Town at the home of the Hlatshwayo’s. “He stayed with me, umfundisi. We took pity on him because he had no place to go. But I am sorry to tell you tell you that they took him away, and I heard that the Magistrate had sent him to the reformatory,” Mrs. Hlatshwayo informed them.
The head of the reformatory informed them that Absalom, who had left a month ago, was a good boy and had a promising future. Absalom was partly released because of his age, but mainly because there was a girl who was pregnant by him. He promised to work for his child and its mother.
Absalom together with Mathew and Johannes Pafuri are detained for the murder of a Whiteman, Arthur Trevelyan Jarvis and seriously injuring his male servant. It is Absalom who is found guilty of the murder and sentenced to death. His two accomplices are set free.
Arthur was well known for his interest in social problems, and for his efforts for the welfare of the non-European sections of the community. Condolence messages came in from Africans, coloured people, Indians and Jews. Arthur had learnt Afrikaans and Zulu, and he was talking of learning Sesuto.
He was the only son of Mr. James Jarvis of High Place, Carisbrooke. Jarvis owned a farm in the hills of Ndotsheni. Father and son did not see eye to eye on the native question. It was after reading some of his son’s essays on social justice that Jarvis changed his racist attitude towards non-whites.
In one such easy Arthur contended that: “…It is not permissible to add to one’s possessions if these things can only be done at the cost of other men. Such development has only one true name, and that is exploitation. It might have been permissible in the early days of our country, before we became aware of its costs, in the disintegration of native community life, in the deterioration of native family life, in poverty, slums, and crime. But now that the cost is known, it is no longer permissible.”
The church service was attended by people of all races – it was the first time that Jarvis and his wife, Margaret had sat in a church with people who were not white. Later he also shook hand with black people for the first time.
Kumalo, who was frail laments that his has been a sorrowful journey. “At first it was a search. I was anxious at first, but as the search went on, step by step, so did the anxiety turn to fear, and this fear grow deeper step by step. …When we heard of the murder, that my fear grew into something too great to be borne.”
In his comforting words, Father Vincent told Kumalo: “My friend, your anxiety turned to fear, and your fear turned to sorrow. But sorrow is better than fear. For fear impoverishes always, while sorrow may enrich.”
With his sister turned prostitute, his brother (John Kumalo) turned labour protestor and Absalom, arrested for the murder, Kumalo must grapple with how to bring his family back from the brink of destruction as the racial tension throughout Johannesburg hampers his attempts to protect his family.
A night before Kumalo returned home, Gertrude disappeared leaving behind her little boy. So he only went back with his daughter-in-law and nephew.
When Jarvis returned to Ndotsheni he hired an agricultural demonstrator to introduce better farming methods all in memory of Arthur. His farm also started supplying milk to pre-school children, some of whom were dying as a result of the long drought. The milk supply was to continue until the grass came and the area got mill again. A new church to replace the dirty old wood-and-iron, patched and forlorn one was to be built in memory of Margaret.
The film “Cry, the Beloved Country” directed by Darrel Roodt was released in 1995 in the USA. With James Earl Jones as Rev. Kumalo, Tsholofelo Wechoemang (child), Vusi Kunene (Theophilus Msimangu), Richard Harris (James Jarvis) and Charles S. Dutton (John Kumalo), among others.
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