The Unifying Power of Love (Keaton Mathis)
Christian love as a response to injustice is a big element from the novel that connects to South Africa and the unifying power of love. You can see throughout the novel that even when James Jarvis' son was murdered by Stephen Kumalo's son, they still loved each other and showed forgiveness in the end. A great quote from the book is “But there is only one thing that has power completely, and this is love. Because when a man loves, he seeks no power, and therefore he has power.” This quote is amazing. It talks about how with love, power means nothing. A person could hold all the power in the world, but if they don't have love then there really is no point to it. A person with little power and a lot of love is better off than a person with a lot of power and little love. This project really has helped me to understand how love can and will change lives, and if you combine love with forgiveness, you will be even better off (Paton).
Both James Jarvis and Stephen Kumalo had a big connection in the book. Both of them were in search of their sons and both were very humble and compassionate and brought together by the death of theirs sons. The great thing about their connection is how they came from different backgrounds. Kumalo was a religious man who saw different races the same, while James Jarvis was a wealthy white man who looked down upon blacks until he saw and understood the writings of his son Arthur. A great example of love in real life is Nelson Mandela. He was a Christian, and looking back at his death many people are understanding that his Christian base was a great reason why he tried hard to help other people and the country as a whole (Gradesaver). A great example from the book that shows this christian love is when James Jarvis gave Stephen Kumalo money to give to his charity. They had both been through a whole bunch and the forgiveness and love that James showed here was amazing.
Desmond Tutu, the archbishop of Cape Town and a Nobel Peace Prize winner said this about Mandela concerning his death, "I believe he was saintly because he inspired others powerfully and revealed his character, transparently, and many of God's attributes of goodness: compassion, concern for others, desire for peace, forgiveness and reconciliation." If you take a look at those attributes and connect them back to Stephen Kumalo and James Jarvis, you can see that great leaders have similar characteristics and these three men all fall under that (Clemence).
An article that I found that went really well with love in South Africa was called “Parting shot: We must all forgive and unite to save safa” This article talks about the soccer organization in South Africa and how many people are starting contention within it. Nematandani states in the article “Honesty, ethics, hard work and integrity. They are critical to restoring lost trust.” This showed me that a part of the country was brought together by love, not only of soccer, but of one another (Nematandani).
I hope that many other people have been able to realize how important love is from reading this book. This novel is a great source to seek after if you are in search of looking for a a feel good book that has great meanings behind it. I am very happy that I was able to do the section on love because it really has opened my eyes. I need to love more and learn that even when times are hard, love is the right thing and will always prevail in the end.
A recurring thought that I’d like to end with is wise words from the Beatles, “Love is all you need.” and with that, I hope you enjoyed learning about the connections I made with love, Cry, The Beloved Country, and South Africa.
Both James Jarvis and Stephen Kumalo had a big connection in the book. Both of them were in search of their sons and both were very humble and compassionate and brought together by the death of theirs sons. The great thing about their connection is how they came from different backgrounds. Kumalo was a religious man who saw different races the same, while James Jarvis was a wealthy white man who looked down upon blacks until he saw and understood the writings of his son Arthur. A great example of love in real life is Nelson Mandela. He was a Christian, and looking back at his death many people are understanding that his Christian base was a great reason why he tried hard to help other people and the country as a whole (Gradesaver). A great example from the book that shows this christian love is when James Jarvis gave Stephen Kumalo money to give to his charity. They had both been through a whole bunch and the forgiveness and love that James showed here was amazing.
Desmond Tutu, the archbishop of Cape Town and a Nobel Peace Prize winner said this about Mandela concerning his death, "I believe he was saintly because he inspired others powerfully and revealed his character, transparently, and many of God's attributes of goodness: compassion, concern for others, desire for peace, forgiveness and reconciliation." If you take a look at those attributes and connect them back to Stephen Kumalo and James Jarvis, you can see that great leaders have similar characteristics and these three men all fall under that (Clemence).
An article that I found that went really well with love in South Africa was called “Parting shot: We must all forgive and unite to save safa” This article talks about the soccer organization in South Africa and how many people are starting contention within it. Nematandani states in the article “Honesty, ethics, hard work and integrity. They are critical to restoring lost trust.” This showed me that a part of the country was brought together by love, not only of soccer, but of one another (Nematandani).
I hope that many other people have been able to realize how important love is from reading this book. This novel is a great source to seek after if you are in search of looking for a a feel good book that has great meanings behind it. I am very happy that I was able to do the section on love because it really has opened my eyes. I need to love more and learn that even when times are hard, love is the right thing and will always prevail in the end.
A recurring thought that I’d like to end with is wise words from the Beatles, “Love is all you need.” and with that, I hope you enjoyed learning about the connections I made with love, Cry, The Beloved Country, and South Africa.
The Cycle of Inequality/Injustice (William LaBounty)
South African Crime:
Johannesburg is the epicenter of all the injustice and inequality that occurs in the novel. From the beginning when Kumalo enters the city and is pick pocketed, to the end when Absalom is sentenced to death after committing murder.
The city is also full of white on black crime and Arthur dedicates his life to explaining this tragedy. He also makes an attempt at fixing the societal problem by creating a boys home. Gertrude, Kumalo’s sister, is a victim of these injustices as well. She is plagued by the never ending cycle of prostitution and the alcohol trade.
The city is plagued with poverty, inequality, and crime throughout the course of the book. Crime in South Africa is still extremely prevalent in today’s world, especially in Johannesburg. This is similar in many aspects to the book, considering that the majority of the novel occurs in Johannesburg.
South Africa’s News 24 is plastered with stories of violence following New Years day. The Institute for Security Studies (ISS) and Africa Check just released data regarding crime statistics in South Africa. The studies show an increase in violent crime in the year of 2013. Murder increased by 4.2% and attempted murder increased by 6.5% (ISS). The murder rate was 31.3% per 100,000 people, which happens to be four and a half times greater than the global average of 6.9 per 100,000 (Africa Check). Robberies in almost every sub-category listed by Africa Check and News 24 increased in frequency as well.
The South Africa and Johannesburg that is portrayed in the book is very real today. They are both rattled in crime and injustice, especially dealing with robbery. Robbery and theft is one of the most common crimes committed in South Africa and the frequency of them is on the rise (Africa Check). On average for the year of 2012-mid 2013, there were 166 street robberies per day (Africa Check). On average for the same time period, there were 49 household robberies per day where people were attacked, mostly by gangs (Africa Check).
Robbery in the street and armed attempted robbery both occurred in the novel. Kumalo was robbed at the bus stop upon entering the city for a “buss pass”. Absalom was in the middle of robbing Arthur when things went south and he shot him. Both of these crimes are very real and are frequent, everyday occurrences in modern South Africa.
Gang Violence:
The novel indicates that Absalom’s gang, which consisted of Absalom, Matthew Kumalo, and Johannes Pafuri, was troublesome and burdened the community of Johannesburg. They were one of the many gangs of natives that Arthur Jarvis so dedicated his life to resolving. The boys lived a troubled life and lead a career of crime which promptly ended with the death of Jarvis and the execution of Absalom Kumalo. Gangs in South Africa are not only a problem in the book, but as well as in modern day South Africa.
“Many people, including innocent children and adults, have lost their lives in Manenberg due to gang violence this year,” stated Lauren Isaacs from iAfrica.com. The South African city of Manenberg has been a folly of gunfire preceding New Year’s day. Stray bullets from gang shootouts have hit innocent bystanders and a 31 year old man was shot dead (Isaacs).
In Pretoria, a school gang from Pretoria West School arrived at Langenhoven High School armed with axes, knives, machetes, and pangas (modified machete). The gang attacked three individuals, severing one of the boy’s ears off. Only one 15 year-old boy was arrested for the attacks (‘Gang Attack’).
Gang violence is very prevalent in South African society as it was in Cry, the Beloved Country. Arthur Jarvis’s ideas about the white’s prejudices against the natives could very well still be relevant to the reasoning behind all the violence the country sees presently. Gang violence will continue to ravage the country, as it did in the novel.
Johannesburg is the epicenter of all the injustice and inequality that occurs in the novel. From the beginning when Kumalo enters the city and is pick pocketed, to the end when Absalom is sentenced to death after committing murder.
The city is also full of white on black crime and Arthur dedicates his life to explaining this tragedy. He also makes an attempt at fixing the societal problem by creating a boys home. Gertrude, Kumalo’s sister, is a victim of these injustices as well. She is plagued by the never ending cycle of prostitution and the alcohol trade.
The city is plagued with poverty, inequality, and crime throughout the course of the book. Crime in South Africa is still extremely prevalent in today’s world, especially in Johannesburg. This is similar in many aspects to the book, considering that the majority of the novel occurs in Johannesburg.
South Africa’s News 24 is plastered with stories of violence following New Years day. The Institute for Security Studies (ISS) and Africa Check just released data regarding crime statistics in South Africa. The studies show an increase in violent crime in the year of 2013. Murder increased by 4.2% and attempted murder increased by 6.5% (ISS). The murder rate was 31.3% per 100,000 people, which happens to be four and a half times greater than the global average of 6.9 per 100,000 (Africa Check). Robberies in almost every sub-category listed by Africa Check and News 24 increased in frequency as well.
The South Africa and Johannesburg that is portrayed in the book is very real today. They are both rattled in crime and injustice, especially dealing with robbery. Robbery and theft is one of the most common crimes committed in South Africa and the frequency of them is on the rise (Africa Check). On average for the year of 2012-mid 2013, there were 166 street robberies per day (Africa Check). On average for the same time period, there were 49 household robberies per day where people were attacked, mostly by gangs (Africa Check).
Robbery in the street and armed attempted robbery both occurred in the novel. Kumalo was robbed at the bus stop upon entering the city for a “buss pass”. Absalom was in the middle of robbing Arthur when things went south and he shot him. Both of these crimes are very real and are frequent, everyday occurrences in modern South Africa.
Gang Violence:
The novel indicates that Absalom’s gang, which consisted of Absalom, Matthew Kumalo, and Johannes Pafuri, was troublesome and burdened the community of Johannesburg. They were one of the many gangs of natives that Arthur Jarvis so dedicated his life to resolving. The boys lived a troubled life and lead a career of crime which promptly ended with the death of Jarvis and the execution of Absalom Kumalo. Gangs in South Africa are not only a problem in the book, but as well as in modern day South Africa.
“Many people, including innocent children and adults, have lost their lives in Manenberg due to gang violence this year,” stated Lauren Isaacs from iAfrica.com. The South African city of Manenberg has been a folly of gunfire preceding New Year’s day. Stray bullets from gang shootouts have hit innocent bystanders and a 31 year old man was shot dead (Isaacs).
In Pretoria, a school gang from Pretoria West School arrived at Langenhoven High School armed with axes, knives, machetes, and pangas (modified machete). The gang attacked three individuals, severing one of the boy’s ears off. Only one 15 year-old boy was arrested for the attacks (‘Gang Attack’).
Gang violence is very prevalent in South African society as it was in Cry, the Beloved Country. Arthur Jarvis’s ideas about the white’s prejudices against the natives could very well still be relevant to the reasoning behind all the violence the country sees presently. Gang violence will continue to ravage the country, as it did in the novel.
South African gang members. Photo source: http://static.guim.co.uk/Guardian/culture/gallery/2008/sep/05/1/[email protected]
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The Effect of Fear (Jordan Taylor)
The effect of fear in my eyes was the most common theme in Cry, the Beloved Country, and the media sources that I read. Fear is what drives the story of Cry, the Beloved Country. The characters in the book are affected by fear in a lot of the decisions they make. The reason Stephen Kumalo even goes to Johannesburg is because he is afraid for his sisters life. He was also afraid that his son Absalom Kumalo was doing bad things and not living a good life. Absalom was doing bad things in his life because he was afraid and that resulted in a lot of stealing and killing Arthur Jarvis, because he killed Arthur Jarvis, Absalom was sentenced to hanging witch brought much fear to him and his family. Just normal citizens lived in fear every day because there is so much crime in Johannesburg. The people of the Ixopo, the village that Stephen Kumalo lives in, had to worry about food and water every day. Msimangu feared for South Africa all the time and feared that the white people and natives would never work together to form a better country.
“I have one great fear in my heart, that one day when they are turned to loving; they will find that we are turned to hating.” This is a quote from the book was said by Msimangu. He feared that someday the white people will start loving and accepting the natives, but the natives will start hating the white people. Msimangu really wanted peace between the white people and the natives and feared every day that this wouldn’t happen. He believed the nation would do a lot better if they worked together. The quote was very significant because it showed the fear of Msimangu and it was very important to South Africa at the time. Because native weren’t treated fairly it caused a lot of fear in the country.
Just like in the novel, fear is very common in present day South Africa. After Nelson Mandela’s death the country was mourning because there hero had just died. But some people had fear when he died people feared that South Africa will have racial tensions again. Despite reassurances from leaders and public figures that Mandela’s passing, while sad, would not halt South Africa’s advance away from its terrible past, some still expressed a sense of fear about the absence of a man famed as their peace maker. The country has now had growing protests against poor services, bloody labour unrest, poverty, and crime and unemployment and corruption scandals tainting Zumma’s rule (“Some fear social, racial tensions after Nelson Mandela’s death”).
After Mandela’s death many citizens were crushed and felt like they lost a big part of their lives. By what people have said on the news it is easy to see that the people fear what is going to happen. A secretary from Johannesburg, told reporters: “It’s not going to be a good, hey! I think it’s going to become a more racist country. People will turn on each other and chased foreigners away.” Another person said “Mandela was the only one who kept things together” (“South Africa Mourns Mandela Amid Racial Tensions Fear”). South Africa is in a state of fear. Fear for their families, fear for their rights, and fear for their future.
After Nelson Mandela died it brought a lot of fear just like Arthur Jarvis’s death. Kumalo and his family were afraid of what would happen to Absalom. Arthur’s family was afraid that their lives were in jeopardy and afraid because they had lost their husband and father. Arthur and Nelson were very similar. They both fought for the freedom of the natives. But because these two men did this courageous thing they caused a lot of fear to the people around them. At the time white people feared that the natives were going to gain power and the natives were afraid that they weren’t going to get the freedom they were seeking for.
Fear had such a big impact on the book and still has a huge impact in our world today.
“I have one great fear in my heart, that one day when they are turned to loving; they will find that we are turned to hating.” This is a quote from the book was said by Msimangu. He feared that someday the white people will start loving and accepting the natives, but the natives will start hating the white people. Msimangu really wanted peace between the white people and the natives and feared every day that this wouldn’t happen. He believed the nation would do a lot better if they worked together. The quote was very significant because it showed the fear of Msimangu and it was very important to South Africa at the time. Because native weren’t treated fairly it caused a lot of fear in the country.
Just like in the novel, fear is very common in present day South Africa. After Nelson Mandela’s death the country was mourning because there hero had just died. But some people had fear when he died people feared that South Africa will have racial tensions again. Despite reassurances from leaders and public figures that Mandela’s passing, while sad, would not halt South Africa’s advance away from its terrible past, some still expressed a sense of fear about the absence of a man famed as their peace maker. The country has now had growing protests against poor services, bloody labour unrest, poverty, and crime and unemployment and corruption scandals tainting Zumma’s rule (“Some fear social, racial tensions after Nelson Mandela’s death”).
After Mandela’s death many citizens were crushed and felt like they lost a big part of their lives. By what people have said on the news it is easy to see that the people fear what is going to happen. A secretary from Johannesburg, told reporters: “It’s not going to be a good, hey! I think it’s going to become a more racist country. People will turn on each other and chased foreigners away.” Another person said “Mandela was the only one who kept things together” (“South Africa Mourns Mandela Amid Racial Tensions Fear”). South Africa is in a state of fear. Fear for their families, fear for their rights, and fear for their future.
After Nelson Mandela died it brought a lot of fear just like Arthur Jarvis’s death. Kumalo and his family were afraid of what would happen to Absalom. Arthur’s family was afraid that their lives were in jeopardy and afraid because they had lost their husband and father. Arthur and Nelson were very similar. They both fought for the freedom of the natives. But because these two men did this courageous thing they caused a lot of fear to the people around them. At the time white people feared that the natives were going to gain power and the natives were afraid that they weren’t going to get the freedom they were seeking for.
Fear had such a big impact on the book and still has a huge impact in our world today.
Bibliography
Clemence, Sam. "Mandela's faith made him a worldwide leader of peace." The Examiner. N.p., 07 Dec 2013. Web. 5 Jan 2014.
"FACTSHEET: SA's 2012/13 crime statistics." News24. 24.com, 20 Sep 2013. Web. 2 Jan 2014.
"FACTSHEET South Africa: Official crime statistics for 2012/13." Africa Check-Sorting Fact from Fiction. Africa Check. Web. 2 Jan 2014. <http://africacheck.org/factsheets/factsheet-south-africas-official-crime-statistics-for-201213/>.
GradeSaver. "similarities and differences between jarvis and kumalo - Cry, the Beloved Country Questions". GradeSaver, 11 08:22:14 May 2011 Web. 5 January 2014.
Isaacs, Lauren. "Manenberg Gang Violence Rages On." iAfrica.com. Primedia Online, 13 Dec 2013. Web. 3 Jan 2014.
Nematandani, Kirsten. "Parting Shot: We must all forgive and unite to save Safa." City Press 20 Sept 2013, Web. 31 Dec. 2013.
Paton, Alan. Cry, the Beloved Country. New York: Scribner's Sons, 1948.
"Schoolboy’s Ear Cut Off in 'Gang Attack'." News24. 24.com, 11 Oct 2013. Web. 3 Jan 2014.
"Some fear social, racial tensions after Nelson Mandela's death." FirstPost Politics. N.p., 6 Dec 2013. Web. 5 Jan 2014.
"South Africa mourns Mandela amid racial tensions fear." Euronews.N.p., 6 Dec 2013. Web. 5 Jan 2014.
"FACTSHEET: SA's 2012/13 crime statistics." News24. 24.com, 20 Sep 2013. Web. 2 Jan 2014.
"FACTSHEET South Africa: Official crime statistics for 2012/13." Africa Check-Sorting Fact from Fiction. Africa Check. Web. 2 Jan 2014. <http://africacheck.org/factsheets/factsheet-south-africas-official-crime-statistics-for-201213/>.
GradeSaver. "similarities and differences between jarvis and kumalo - Cry, the Beloved Country Questions". GradeSaver, 11 08:22:14 May 2011 Web. 5 January 2014.
Isaacs, Lauren. "Manenberg Gang Violence Rages On." iAfrica.com. Primedia Online, 13 Dec 2013. Web. 3 Jan 2014.
Nematandani, Kirsten. "Parting Shot: We must all forgive and unite to save Safa." City Press 20 Sept 2013, Web. 31 Dec. 2013.
Paton, Alan. Cry, the Beloved Country. New York: Scribner's Sons, 1948.
"Schoolboy’s Ear Cut Off in 'Gang Attack'." News24. 24.com, 11 Oct 2013. Web. 3 Jan 2014.
"Some fear social, racial tensions after Nelson Mandela's death." FirstPost Politics. N.p., 6 Dec 2013. Web. 5 Jan 2014.
"South Africa mourns Mandela amid racial tensions fear." Euronews.N.p., 6 Dec 2013. Web. 5 Jan 2014.