Cry, The Beloved Country

Although Cry, The Beloved Country displays many examples of symbolism, the symbolism of the land is used prominently in this novel to tie to the superior theme of family. In the beginning of book one, Stephen Kumalo begins with a meticulous description of how he views the land and what it means to him. In his portrayal he dexterously embeds foreshadowing and other literary devices. Also a description of the land was used in book two, when James Jarvis (Arthur Jarvis’s father) came to Johannesburg for his sons’ funeral. All in all, the description of the land sets the stage for how the duritation of the book will flow and his overall message of how sacred family is.

In book one Paton goes in to detail describing the land saying that “… the earth is torn away like flesh” foreshadowing how the families are being torn apart (pg. 34). The earth, as used in book one, is acting as if it were the people itself. Whatever happens to the land is what is truly happening to the people. An example of the earth being torn away like flesh is when Arthur Jarvis was torn away from his family when he was murdered by three blacks. His family showed great remorse when he passed by when they initiated, “Pain does not go away so quickly” (pg. 189). This is showing how the land tells the story as well as the story its self, reminding us how priceless family is.

 Paton also says “The men are away, the young men and the girls are away
“, denoting to how Stephen Kumalo’s family are away (pg.34). Stephen Kumalo cares greatly about his family. It says “She [Stephen Kumalo’s wife] mustered up her courage, and said, it is not from our son. [Stephen Kumalo said] No, he said. And he sighed” which indicates Stephens’ melancholy from the absence of conversation between him and his son. This gap is tearing away at Kumalo because he can literally feel the world tearing away his family destroying the sacred bond that should stand with a man and his son.

 Paton says “The soil cannot keep them anymore” implying how Stephen Kumalo’s child has gone to Johannesburg leaving the protection of the mother land (pg 34). Once he left, the land could no longer protect him anymore. Which entailed that the land could no further act as if it were his mother by feeding, clothing, sheltering, and fulfilling other duties by the fruits that it had bared. In leaving the protection of his land, he also strayed away from what Paton feels that is most essential, which is family.

All in all, the land by its self tells the sorry. It voices the account of how families were unraveled apart and how they were once whole. The book Cry, The Beloved Country would be incomplete without the descriptions of the land setting the platform for the book. Paton demonstrated astute skills by using the land as an icon for the people. Which only goes deeper in meaning to the true gist of family.