Cry, the Beloved Country- Absalom Bible vs. Novel

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The redemption story was repeated throughout the novel. It not only specifically alluded to the Bible, but it mirrored many stories in it as well. Kumalo originally went a great distance to tend to his "sick" sister. This is comparable to Jesus coming to Earth to heal the sick and offer redemption. When Kumalo came he found his mission was to help Gertrude out of the sinful life she was in. Gertrude was a lot like the disciples when Jesus was crucified. When it came time for her to take action with him, that is to say when they were moving back to Ndotsheni she was not to be found. Also Absalom was a lot like the character Absalom in the Bible. In the Bible story Absalom was a son of David. It was Solomon who was to get the thrown after King David, but Absalom wanted power. He rebelled against his father, the king, with his army. During the battle Absalom's hair got caught in a tree and as he hung there Joab killed him. “Now Absalom happened to meet David's men. He was riding his mule, and as the mule went under the thick branches of a large oak, Absalom's head got caught in the tree. He was left hanging in midair, while the mule he was riding kept on going.” (2 Samuel 18:9) Joab said, "I'm not going to wait like this for you." So he took three javelins in his hand and plunged them into Absalom's heart while Absalom was still alive in the oak tree.” (2 Samuel 18:14) King David grieved over his rebellious and wished that he had died instead. In Cry, the Beloved Country Absalom rebelled against his father. He was punished by others (the government) for his crimes and similarly to the Biblical Absalom he hung. Through it all the father was always merciful.

The Color Purple

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The first thing I thought of when I started this book was of Toni Morrison's Beloved. Both Sethe and Celie are oppressed black women who have been severely abused by men. They are both controlled by forces beyond them. They also live in an odd secluded community of women. In a way Sophia and Shug are as Beloved is to Sethe. Sophia and Shug are everything Celie is not. They have independence from men, and love and respect from them. They stand up for themselves and do what they think. They also find some joy in life. Celie is chronically joy deprived. She has used numbness as a defense mechanism, yet because of that she has never felt real happiness. Her happiness only comes as she finds people that care about her. So far it has only been Sophia and Shug who have shown any hinting of affection. Even the church attendants don't show love. They can't accept her for who she is and how she is. Just like Sethe she has been socially quarantined.

More on the Beloved Country- the mountain

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The ultimate redemption story of the many found in Cry, the Beloved Country was that of Old Jarvis and Stephen Kumalo. I really like how Patton took a break from the story line that followed Kumalo and Absalom and at the beginning of Book II he focused solely on the Jarvis's side of the tragedy. This way it makes the reader even more sympathetic toward the Jarvis's just as the reader begins to really sympathize and root for Absalom. It is yet another way Patton shows how situations are complicated and can't be oversimplified. There is not always a right or wrong answer. Also by showing how the murder hurt Kumalo so deeply comparing him to the apathetic John Kumalo it makes the story of Jarvis and Kumalo even more touching. Patton really carves out the character of each person in the novel by using foils; John and Stephen, Harrison and Old Jarvis, Gertrude and Absalom's wife, Mrs. Lithebe and Mrs.Kumalo. Each person is compared to the other to establish how they could react and how they do. When Old Jarvis is compared to Harrison it is clear how he could be bitter and negatively react to Kumalo. The young Jarvis is compared to Jesus and to Abraham Lincoln, his death facilitated the possible coming together of Old Jarvis and Kumalo. When Old Jarvis helped the people of Ndotsheni with the milk, the land expert, and the new church he models his actions after his own son. Through the short communication that Kumalo and Jarvis have they establish a very profound relationship. Kumalo and the community mourn with Jarvis, Jarvis mourns with Kumalo. In the most memorable quote of the book, "Is there mercy?" Jarvis shows mercy and empathy. At the end of the novel the two were at the mountain together. The mountain is a symbol of being in the presence of God (allusion to Moses going to the mountain to be in the presence of God, and then receiving the Ten Commandments). Together they have experienced redemption and end together at the mountainside.

The Age of Innocence- May

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On the other hand I was initially disappointed with May. She was essentially an object- a perfect porcelain doll, cold, beautiful, and fake. She was supposed to be the example, the epitome of perfection, but she seemed to entirely lack any sort of sophistication. She seemed to lack any opinion. Edith Wharton brings up the question, "what is innocence?" May seems to be innocent. She does not know of the evil of the world, nor does she carry any guilt. Merriam-Webster (have I mentioned it's my favourite dictionary?) defines innocence as " freedom from guilt or sin through being unacquainted with evil: freedom from guile or cunning : simplicity (2) : lack of worldly experience or sophistication e : lack of knowledge." Is this really May? Going back to Little Women May is a lot like Meg. Underneath the quiet compliant girl, there is a strong woman. Both characters feel it's unattractive to reveal the strong woman side of them. Although May is innocent in many respects it is more of an appearance, and just as everyone else her innocence fades over time. Clearly May did know of evil as she was clearly aware of Newland Archer's last affair with the married woman. Also she cannot help but gain knowledge.

There is a fine line between innocence and ignorance and as we fully find out at the end of the novel she was aware. May spoke in code. She often spoke of Ellen and it was always kind and never accusatory. I thought perhaps she was just as oblivious as Charles Bovary and was encouraging the affair without knowing it. However, as revealed by Theodore after she died, she knew all along and she felt that she and Newland were speaking the same coded language. This was perhaps her way gaining some feeling of power in the relationship, whereas if she brought it up to Newland face to face she would only lose. If she were to speak to him bluntly she could cause a public disruption if their marriage fell apart. At least with keeping things hush-hush even she and Newland could pretend everything was alright. Also early in the novel May claimed that she could not be happy at another's expense. Yet, she goes to Newland to tell her that she is pregnant and before that goes to Ellen. She knew what she was asking, and although I don't think she was wrong to ask it, I bet she did feel guilt about it. Her going behind his back was also a little guileful.

The Age of Innocence- Ellen

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My feelings about Ellen Olenska and May Wellend/Archer in The Age of Innocence have changed throughout the novel. At first I distrusted Ellen because of her seemingly flirtatious nature. She was intriguing because of her daring to break from social norms. Ellen wears different fashions, speaks her opinion boldly (without encrypting it in the socially regulated language), and takes actions of her own choosing without being swayed by outside persuasion. It was disappointing to me when she claimed she wanted to fit in and be taught what to do. She seemed to blind to the trap she was welcoming. I wanted to yell, "No, Ellen, don't lose your mind to their world!" As there continued to be evidence of an affair with Beaufort I distrusted her more. Yet, her spark of individuality, and love of art won me back.

I've come to the opinion that her behavior that seemed flirtatious came from her culture of the arts she was used to in Europe. Before she came to New York she lived with the Count, around actors, writers, and painters. These people are concerned with the drama of what is said, and the effect of it. After a while being with these people (as I've somewhat experienced through Literary Festivals, Theatre productions, Speech performances, Choir, Band, and Art Festivals) one can't help but feel that one is always performing. Artsy people are intense, and always odd. They communicate dramatically, totally different than the Old New York way of putting one's opinion in the framework of the rules and regulations that have been set forth. Ellen reminds me of Jo from Louisa May Alcott's Little Woman. She is sometimes shocking, but has good intentions deep down inside. Therefore I don't take her flirtation as coquettishness. When Ellen and Archer recognized their love for each other she behaved admirably. She was self-sacrificial for the situation that was best for everyone. Her character was once again like Jo's when she cut her hair to get money that the family needed. The family was put before her desires. Like May I believe she didn't want her happiness to come from another's sadness. She ultimately showed this when she decided to move back to Europe when she found out about May's pregnancy.

Cry, the Beloved Country

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Cry, the Beloved Country has been my favorite book so far this year. It had a few obstacles while reading it though. For instance when people spoke there were no quotations. There were dash marks, but sometimes the speech was embedded in a paragraph. Also the native African languages made the reading of it more difficult, and more interesting as well. The story was one of redemption. It was beautifully written with language like poetry. Patton used repetition often as a way of reinforcing the importance of what was said. He also used it to be what I call an "echo" effect where the same phrase was repeated over and over. For instance when Stephen Kumalo came to visit his son, Absalom, at the prison he would say something to Absalom, and Absalom would weakly repeat it. It was as if he didn't know what was happening, that he like the echo was far away only distantly hearing what was said.

Cry, the Beloved Country is also similar to The Odyssey. Stephen Kumalo has to go on a long journey and as he is traveling he is constantly taken into a new direction. Before he even got on the train Sibeko, a person from Stephen's community, asks for him to look for his sister when he was in Johannesburg. Once in Johannesburg he was led astray by the boy who seemed to be helping him. Then once he found his sister and started looking for his son every time they got close to where he might be he was gone and they were lead to yet another destination. They meet many obstacles as they traveled such as the bus boycott and issues with white police authority.