Cry The Beloved Country

Through literature, many authors have attempted to represent the societies in which they live and what they think society may become in the future if things continue to be looked over such as political corruption. This is clear in F. Scott Fitzgerald’s novel ‘The Great Gatsby’. Fitzgerald tries to encapsulate the corruption that lay beneath the extravagance of society in the roaring twenties. In contrast, Burgess’s novel, ‘A Clockwork Orange’, depicts a futuristic society in which the novelist fears about mankind’s capacity for corruption are explored.

As much as we citizens want to deny it, government corruption exists everywhere, whether it be a small group of greedy politicians or the system entirely. Is it shouted at the top of the mountains? Of course not, because it defeats the whole purpose of being corrupt, which is to quietly sweep away one’s imperfections and present themselves as honourable people. An appalling level of corruption and political power is described in the book 1984 written by George Orwell. Ingsoc, a political party, runs a totalitarian society, and with no resistance from their citizens, the government deceives them by changing the past and announcing fake news. Ultimately, they limit the thoughts and emotions of their citizens. Although 1984 tells a fictional

George Orwell’s political parable, 1984, portrays an oppressive and dictatorial government, which thereby presents to the reader a palpable sense of danger and malevolence born out of the creation of a counter utopic totalitarian regime. Orwell’s nihilistic creation of Oceania, presents a world wherein every aspect of private and public life is abhorrently regimented and regulated by the autocratic ‘Big Brother’. The whole population at large is forced to conform to the ideals and beliefs of the tyrannical ‘party’ as a means of not only survival but also a means of being able to live an unabated existence. The party opposes all forms of individuality and

South Africa was plagued with problems of poverty, apartheid, and crime. Kumalo realizes that in order to find some solution people must forgive each other for what has already happened and make a joint effort to provide a new life to the country. Mourning about the past helps nobody, it's a better future that peoples should strive for. James Jarvis's son had been murdered by Absalom. Still, he forgave Kumalo and worked to improve the dismal life of the black people in his valley.

Cry, the Beloved Country is a novel written by Alan Paton; the novel is filled with biblical allusions referring to II Samuel. Cry, the Beloved Country was first published in 1948 and stands as the single most important novel in twentieth-century South African literature. Cry, the Beloved Country; a work of blazing artistry, is the intensely moving story of the Zulu pastor Stephen Kumalo and his son Absalom, and how they were set against the background of a land and a people divided by racial injustice. Cry, the Beloved Country is a classic work of love and hope, courage and endurance, born of the dignity of man. The author, Alan Paton parallels II Samuel and Cry, the Beloved Country which heightens the understanding of the novel.

I have chosen to explore the theme of “Government control.” This theme is evident in the novels The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins, Divergent by Veronica Roth, The Giver by Lois lowry and in the film Minority Report directed by Steven Spielberg.

Injustice is demonstrated in the article from National Geographic when Victoria, a teenager who is abducted by Serbian men and is forced to do things against her will for years, doesn’t receive any help until she takes matters into her own hands and escapes. In the text it says, “They led her on foot into Serbia and raped her, telling her that she would be killed if she resisted… was bought and sold by different brothel owners ten times over.” When speaking of her journey, Victoria says, “Banja Luka, was the worst- all the customers were cops” (Cockburn 2). This happens for years until she finally has a chance to escape whilst being four months pregnant and can seek the help she needs. It’s clear that nobody bothered to help her, seeing as many of her customers were cops, the very people who are supposed to prevent things like this. A very similar thing happens in To Kill a Mockingbird, when Bob Ewell accuses Tom Robinson of raping his daughter Mayella, but Atticus proves that it was most likely Bob who did it. Bob Ewell, Mayella’s dad, the person who should be protecting her at all costs. The most common injustice in the novel appears when the kids find the case between Tom Robinson and the Ewell family to be unfair, highly illogical, and racist. When the verdict of guilty is revealed to the town, Jem becomes upset and says, “You just can’t convict a man on evidence like that- you can’t”

All governments lie. It is the duty of the individual to uncover the truth. George Orwell and Arthur Miller warn the readers of the dangers when a corrupt government lies to their citizens to preserve their power in their texts, 1984 and The Crucible. Through their characters, the authors portray the conflict between the State’s propensity to lie and the individual’s desire for truth. Orwell depicts Winston Smith fighting against the “lies” of the party through the use of literary techniques such as symbolism and imagery, while Miller shows John Proctor fighting for truth through his interactions and dialogue with the other characters. In the modern day, the authors provide crucial commentary on the dangers of tyrannical rule.

Any government with total control is worth being feared and having a group of individuals who go against their government. With complete control, a government is capable of committing acts against their citizens, which can be perceived as “something good” from the government’s point of view. In 1984 by George Orwell, and “Harrison Bergeron”, by Kurt Vonnegut, the main characters, Winston and Harrison, feel oppressed by the government's acts and events, try to overthrow their government, and go through a realization of hopelessness and defeat.

Similarly to Napoleon’s training of the puppies, the Party trains children to follow their rules and report thoughtcriminals. Children fill parents with the dread that they shall be determined a thoughtcriminal and taken away to the Ministry of Love. Inner and Outer Party members therefore aim to obediently conform to Big Brother’s laws. Fright of rebellious acts’ punishment cause members to discard opposing thoughts, permitting tyrannical authority to continue controlling citizens. The Party slogans are another insightful factor to examine. “Ignorance is Strength,” “War is Peace,” and “Slavery is Freedom” all induce fear and control the populace of Oceania. Power is gained and sustained by citizen’s ignorance to government manipulation. Lack of knowledge is retained by enslaving the citizens to obey laws without questioning. Citizens’ ignorance causes them to accept the atmosphere of apprehension that war creates. Together, the regulations control citizen’s education and stimulate fear, both of which promote totalitarian government’s power. Each of George Orwell’s novels, Animal Farm and 1984, simulate societies in which the government uses the next generation and laws to

Almost every member of the black community in Maycomb County is admirable in their personalities and innocent in their nature, and this generalisation makes the crimes against the black community all the worse. Tom Robinson, a man discriminated and accused of a crime that he didn’t commit has come forth to the justice system. The color of his skin determines everything from his background too if he’s guilty or not. A black man’s life is unable to prove innocence because of his race. Poverty has affected many people back in the 1960’s but, if a black man or women were to experience this they would be put on the white

These lawyers conflict revealed once again how the society had a racist attitude. Rufus Buckley used a selection of detail to make the crime seem unimportant in comparison to Carl’s killing of the rapists. Our observation of Rufus was also presented with many high angles to make him seem inferior compared to Jake Brigance when he said his final debate. Jake begins to describe the crime in great detail to persuade the audience and says a series of important quotes which outline the society's racist attitudes towards African Americans. One of Jake’s quotes outlines how society is racist towards Carl; “And until we can see each other as equals, justice is never going to be even-handed. It will remain nothing more than a reflection of our own prejudices. “Another very effective quote is when he describes the girl then quotes; "now imagine she's white." This in itself highlights the way in which the spectators change their perspectives according to race.

In light of current events, society is more concerned than ever about just how much power the government has over people. Individuals are concerned that those in charge might implement policies that could deteriorate certain groups’ quality of living. To some, this may be foolish, but as is shown in some novels, this could happen, and when it does, it is hard to combat. In both George Orwell’s 1984 and Aldous Huxley’s Brave New World authors depict societies under strict government control. These instances display to readers the issues that arise when governments lead through excessive limitation and by demanding conformity.

While living under the tradition of parents and grandparents, individuals hold themselves to high standards appropriate for the traditional values they experience. Upon leaving the old ways, the individuals that leave their morals behind no longer hold themselves to the traditional standard. Paton uses the newspaper headlines of Johannesburg as a symbol to imply that the native South Africans who leave behind their values fall from grace, as the headlines remark on a “native housebreaker” who kills a “European householder”(226). The “native housebreaker” symbolizes not only a single native of South Africa, but also any member of any race who left behind their values. The “housebreakers” of any nation and any time period leave a moral vacuum in themselves, ready to pull in any values it finds, which often reek of corruptness.

Paulo Coelho, writer of The Devil and Miss Prym and Shirley Jackson, writer of “The Lottery”, both reiterate the idea that a democratic government can be very dangerous if wrong propositions are voted upon by a public. Likewise in both stories, wrong decisions are made by society, and bring conflict and chaos to a village. People are put in a life or death scenario, and little or nothing could be done because society chose to believe that doing wrong was justified morally.