The Symbolic Lands

In the story, Cry, the Beloved Country, the main character, Stephen Kumalo, goes into great detail to explain how the land is the most beautiful and life changing. In the story he tries to show how over time the land can become corrupted, as he says many times in the book.  The author, Alan Paton’s overall message was to show how people can go from being one of the greatest to one of the worst.  He show's how racism made everything harder for black Africans. For example: it was hard for them to find job’s and a place to stay which meant they had no money to spend except on the things they absolutely had to have to live.

            In the first chapter of the book it says “There is a lovely road that runs from Ixopo into the hills.  These hills are grass-covered and rolling, and they are lovely beyond any singing of it.  The road climbs seven miles into them, to Carisbrooke; and from there, if there is no mist; you look down on one of the fairest valleys of Africa.  About you there is grass and bracken and you may hear the forlorn crying of the titihoya, one of the birds of the veld.”  This shows that Stephen Kumalo is very fond of his home and the place he is used to.  He really doesn’t want to have to picture a place different than a place he where he was born and raised.   So to Paton this is a place that he is very used to and doesn’t want to change.

            Another Part of Paton’s overall message to the reader is that the land is what makes people act the way they do.  For instance, the land is dead and gloomy, so by the land being the way it is the people who live on horrifying and decaying soil will act like they have no control of what they do.  Also, the population will have a major crime increase and get into trouble more often than if they were at a place that had an amazing and beautiful atmosphere.  In the story he compares the two cities, he describes Johannesburg as a land that is cold, empty and unusual.  Then there is Ixopo which is the most non-selfish, respectful and a place to be proud of. Paton also shows that Johannesburg is a place to go when people have no job or place to stay, he also says that “black people go to Alexandra or Sophiatown or Orlando.”  This shows that when people separate them self’s by ethnicity they treat each other different.

            So in the story Cry, the Beloved Country, the overall message is to be hopeful and to love.  You should also have courage and endurance. He also tries to show that you should treat people with dignity and respect no matter who they are or where they come from. We are all children of God and nothing should change that, not the color of your skin or where you live or have lived.  The last thing is the Stephen Kumalo is very adamant of the fact the no black man should have to live under a white man’s law.