Cry, The Beloved Country By Allan Paton

879 Words4 Pages
Rough Draft #1 Cry, The Beloved Country by Allan Paton shows the theme of “the broken tribe” (Paton 104) throughout the novel. Paton shows the brokenness through the travels of the main character, Kumalo. Kumalo’s trip to Johannesburg and back to Ndotsheni signifies the novel’s theme, the broken tribe. Paton uses a poetic writing style to give the reader an insight into the brokenness that Kumalo sees. The broken tribe ultimately refers to the brokenness in the individual, in the land, and in the community. The broken tribe on the smallest level refers to the brokenness of the individual. Kumalo, Jarvis, and Absalom are the prime examples of the individual brokenness in Cry, The Beloved Country. Kumalo’s brokenness shows through his struggle to pray and have faith. Kumalo tells Jarvis that “there is no prayer left in me. I am dumb here inside. I have no words at all” (Paton 105). Kumalo has no hope that his son is not the murderer. Kumalo loses all of his hope and all the hope turns to fear. Kumalo fears that his son is the murderer. Even though he fears that his son is the murderer, he knows that it is “foolish to fear that one thing in this great city, with its thousands and thousands of people” (Paton 105). Kumalo realizes that it is a very small chance that his son is the murderer since the city of Johannesburg is so big. Kumalo is broken because of his son’s actions. Jarvis’s brokenness shows through his sorrow because of his wife’s death. Jarvis is broken over the
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