Cry The Beloved Country Themes

When Paton produces the historical novel “Cry, the Beloved Country”, the main theme, Kumalo goes on a journey to rescue others, can pre-set anticipations and predictions the reader will make while reading the novel. This theme means the hero put aside his needs to save family and others on the way. Throughout Kumalo’s journey, there are times perseverance and heroism needs to come in play with his sense of desire to complete his journey and rescue his family. On the contrary, in Homer’s epic poem “The Odyssey”, Odysseus, could learn a little from Kumalo as to Odysseus’ leadership, loyalty, faithfulness, and decisions weren’t always on par.

But the theme, Odysseus does not learn from his mistakes and it costs the lives of others, like mentioned above, can pre-set anticipations and predictions the reader can assume will happen throughout the poem. This theme means what it says, some people don’t have the potential to be a hero. Even though in different time periods and settings, “Cry, the Beloved Country” being in 1940’s South Africa and “The Odyssey” said to be set in mainland Greece around 700 B.

C.E, the two ideas conjoin to show how a hero is born, and how a person’s attitude toward a decision, can make a team go downhill. In Paton’s novel, you can sense the power and determination dramatically enlightened in the character Stephen Kumalo. Antithetical to Paton’s theme, although Odysseus has his strong points, he let’s his cowardice reasons get in the way of his mission, resulting in havoc and eventually loss of his crew.

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Essay Example on Cry The Beloved Country Themes

After receiving a letter from an unknown priest, Theophilus Msimangu, consisting information about Kumalo’s sister, Gertrude. Gertrude was mentioned to be sick, and Kumalo was asked to save her. Kumalo has to make his first decision. Gertrude, as well as Kumalo’s son Absolam, and his brother John, have all disappeared into the jungle of Johannesburg. Said earlier in the novel “w…