Cry, the Beloved Country

 

 

 

Stephen Kumalo

 

Mr. Kumalo played the center of the book but yet he became the story. He went into  Johannnesburg with desire and hope to find his son,Absalom. Johannesburg was a place that was referred as a "dark  hole", which is where people left their home and never came back. But the ambitious priest and well rooted religious man got sucked into the hard not life of Johannesburg. He had became one of the lost souls that had once had dreams and new and big changes but was yet to be betrayed of the horrible life style it had became. He had face his fear of losing his faith in his religion after all the deaths, betrayal, and dishonesty. Kumalo was down at his breaking point of himself and his family and religion.

 

Kumalo who is not perfect bet yet does not live in a world of perfection he is faced upon a fear which is so great he is losing himself and is now facing that world of imperfection. He is clear of the difference between wrong and right. By village standards, Kumalo and his wife are middle class, living in a house with several rooms. They struggle, however, to save money for their son’s education. Kumalo is not perfect, and he occasionally explodes in anger and tells lies. Praying and repenting helps him from the temptation of wrong and his untruthful ways. He is filled with fear by the life style of the city, against his standardized background. But the search of his son, Absalom still lives with in him.

 

He is weak of old age but is beyond tired by grief. Kumalo is at a point of time where his children should be caring for him and carrying on his teachings as holy man. The battle with time and strength is put into his search which grows on him physically and mentally, drags him into a tiresome body. Kumalo seek help of a friend, along the way, he encourages him and pushes his hope in the mist of the city of Johannesburg. Kumalo is trapped in between a destroyed county and his faith of God. He has unreasoned him self and is faced with lost hope and untouchable dreams of getting his family back united.

 

As many stories has been told, Johannesburg is not the place to live a good life, the priest has became one of the stories. Kumalo may not have been lost in Joannesburg physically but he has lost him self and the teaching of his tradition and what he believes in.Which was thought to carry him through any thing of destruction. His loyalty and faith is challenged.