Study Guide, Cry the Beloved Country, Chapters 21-32

Study Guide, Cry the Beloved Country

Chapter 1 1. Between the hills above and the valley below, which of the two locations sounds more pleasant? 2. Who are we told cannot be kept by the soil? What do you understand this to mean?

Chapter 2 1. What does Paton use the dash to signify? 2. Why are we told Reverend Kumalo is reluctant to open this letter? Explain? 3. Why does Mrs. Kumalo say Absalom will never go to St. Chad’s? 4. What clues do we have that there is a stubbornness about Reverend Kumalo? 5. Paton compares black women to voiceless oxen. A woman being voiceless is reminiscent of what other author and book?

Chapter 3 1. Why is it okay if the small toy train leaves you? 2. What favor is asked of Reverend Kumalo? 3. How does Reverend Kumalo misrepresent himself? 4. We are told the Reverend Kumalo has a deep down fear for his son. Name and explain the other deep down fear Reverend Kumalo has. 5. From what the class had read so far, has Reverend Kumalo stood out for being humble, or is humility a new trait for his character?

Chapter 4 1. How does Paton’s style of writing convey the confusion Rev. Stephen Kumalo encounters in Johannesburg? You may want to focus your attention of the large paragraph at the bottom of page 47. 2. What unfortunate occurrence befalls Reverend Kumalo while he is waiting for the bus?

Chapter 5 1. As Americans, we usually discuss Africa as if it were a country. Taking into account that Africa is indeed a continent, and that South Africa is a country, what is the difference between a Msutu, a Zulu, and a Xosa (p. 48) 2. In addition to speaking of the sickness of the land, the broken tribe, and the broken house, what else does the priest talk about? 3. What causes fear in the white citizens of Johannesburg? 4. Why did Rev. Kumalo’s sister Gertrude come to Johannesburg? 5. Initially, Rev. Msimangu says that Gertrude has no husband now. What exactly does Reverend Msimangu mean when he corrects himself and says that she has many husbands? 6. What bad news does Rev. Kumalo receive about his brother? Keep in mind that Stephen Kumalo is a man of God. 7. Who does Rev. Msimangu blame for the breaking of the tribe? 8. What are we told are the results of the house being broken?

Chapter 6 1. What has Gertrude Kumalo been doing that has shamed her family? 2. What clues do we have that Gertrude has been lacking as a mother? 3. Why are we told Rev. Kumalo is “light-hearted and gay like a boy” upon returning to Mrs. Lithebe’s house?

Chapter 7 1. When the reverend enters John Kumalo’s carpentry shop, how does Paton describe the way in which John Kumalo is sitting? 2. Who are we told John Kumalo is talking to as he speaks about his new status in Johannesburg? 3. According to John Kumalo, upon what substance do “they” say South Africa is built? 4. Upon what does John Kumalo feel the mines are really built? 5. Many poker players have a “call” some manner of verbal or physical giveaway that signals when they are bluffing or nervous. John Kumalo has a call of his own that signals when he is about to equivocate or dodge the truth. What is John Kumalo’s call? 6. What answer does John Kumalo give when asked why his wife, Esther left him? 7. Why does Msimangu suggest that Esther might have left? What do you understand Msimangu to be implying about John Kumalo’s behavior? 8. What does John Kumalo fail to do when the woman enters with the tea? 9. In the view of Msimangu, what does John Kumalo lack that prevents him from making men mad and from being sent to prison? 10. According to Msimangu, corrupt desire does what to men of power? 11. What does Msimangu say is the only hope for South Africa? 12. What is the one great fear that Msimangu confesses to having? 13. What example of foreshadowing do we see in the reverends’ visit to Mrs. Ndela’s house.

Chapter 8 1. Why are Reverends Kumalo and Msimangu asked not to use the buses going to Johannesburg? 2. How does Msimangu describe the partnership among Tomlinson, John Kumalo, and Dubula? 3. Why are we told the government is afraid of Debula. 4. Why did Dubula and his wife leave the church? 5. What happens on the way to Alexandra that causes Msimangu to marvel?

Chapter 9 1. We are told there is a shortage of what for Africans in Orlando? 2. What is the alternative for those Africans who want to stay in Orlando, but can’t afford to wait for a room or house to rent? 3. On page 89, the mother has made a change in the traditional Christian Holy Trinity. What has been added and what is the implication of this addition. 4. Why is Dubula described as clever for the way in which he leads in Shantytown?

Chapter 10 1. What sense do we have of the relationship between Stephen Kumalo and his sister Gertrude? 2. What signs do we have that maybe Gertrude does indeed want to return to Ndotsheni and house and the tribe? 3. Where does the mother tell the reverend that Absalom has been sent? 4. What is Rev. Kumalo referring to when he says he remembers when Rev. Msimangu “first became afraid?” 5. What lie did Absalom tell the reformatory about his family background? 6. How is Absalom Kumalo regarded at the reformatory? What does the staff think about Absalom and his future? 7. What does Paton tell us about the tone of the young woman from Pimville? 8. What are we told is the only thing that will come from the young woman from Pimville? 9. How does Rev. Msimangu react to the girl? 10. Why does Msimangu say Stephen Kumalo can do nothing for her? 11. Why does Rev. Msimangu say that sometimes he thinks he is not fit to be a priest? 12. What was the source of Rev. Msimangu’s frustration?

Chapter 11 1. What news do the reverends receive from the Evening Star? 2. What is Rev. Kumalo’s connection to the Jarvis Family? 3. What was Arthur Jarvis writing about at the time of his death? 4. Given Jarvis’ efforts in the African community and the manuscript he was writing, how is the death of Arthur Jarvis both tragic and ironic? 5. What/who are we told to cry for at the end of chapter 11? 6. Rev. Msimangu thinks to himself at times, it seems as if God seems no more to be about the world. What does this thought suggest about the state of mind of this holy man.

Chapter 12 1. What is said to be the danger in better-paid labor? 2. If in order to be safe from native crime, the lives of whites in South Africa must shrink, what, at least, is the conciliation for whites in South Africa? 3. Why should the unborn child not love, laugh, or give too deeply? 4. What is Paton referring to when he writes of “the unborn child”? 5. What does the expression “now, now” mean? 6. In addition to the reverends, who else is vigorously looking for Absalom Kumalo?

Chapter 13 1. What are we told Rev. Kumalo has already begun to fear? 2. What does Rev. Kumalo hope he and his wife can provide for the unborn grandchild? 3. According to Rev. Kumalo, what do vagabonds do? 4. Besides education, what does Rev. Kumalo hope the schools in Ndotsheni will provide? 5. While sitting in the place of ashes, what does Rev. Kumalo finally admit to himself? 6. When Paton tells us that Rev. Kumalo knows what blind man Rev. Msimangu is preaching to, who is it?

Chapter 14 1. Who are we told fired the shot that killed Arthur Jarvis? 2. Who else is involved in the incident? 3. What biblical story does John Kumalo mock? 4. Of what moral idea does John Kumalo make fun? 5. Why is the murder of a white man more shocking than murder by itself? 6. When John Kumalo receives shocking news, to whom or what does he turn? (Hint: your glossary or words at the back of your book may prove helpful) 7. Where does John Kumalo want to go after leaving the prison?

Chapter 15 1. What are the two reasons for which the young white man says it is important to get a lawyer? 2. What does the metaphor of Rev. Kumalo comparing himself to the sleeping man in the grass who is lying in the path of an oncoming storm imply? 3. Why does Father Vincent say sorrow is better than fear? 4. How does Father Vincent use Rev. Kumalo’s analogy to make this point? 5. Why does Rev. Kumalo take issue with his son Absalom’s tears?

Chapter 16 1. What happened to the young girl from Pimville’s first two husbands? 2. What cruel thing does Rev. Kumalo do to the girl from Pimville that causes him shame? 3. What does Rev. Kumalo offer the girl from Pimville which delights her? 4. What is the promise that Rev. Kumalo asks the girl from Pimville to make?

Chapter 17 1. What are Mrs. Lithebe’s two complaints about Gertrude? 2. How are we told that the girl from Pimville is unlike Gertrude? 3. What does it mean when it is said that Mr. Carmichael will be taking Absalom’s case “pro deo”?

Chapter 18 1. What are we told is slowly spreading from the valley to hills? 2. How do James Jarvis’ travel plans differ from those of Stephen Kumalo? 3. What division does there seem to be between the whites in South Africa?

Chapter 19 1. Over what topic did James Jarvis not see eye to eye with his son? 2. What languages are we told Arthur Jarvis knows/is learning that suggest that James Jarvis didn’t know his son very well? 3. Who are we told Arthur Jarvis blamed for native crime? 4. What term does the senior Mr. Harrison use for Arthur Jarvis that strikes his father as strange? 5. What does James Jarvis remember about the mission back home in Ndotsheni?

Chapter 20 1. What are two of the three practices Arthur Jarvis considered not permissible when writing about the way labor was used in South Africa? 2. What did Arthur Jarvis view as not permissible in the destruction of the tribal system? 3. What are the positive and negative descriptions that Arthur Jarvis gives to the old tribal system? 4. According to Arthur Jarvis, what is the duty of the white civilization in South Africa? 5. What man are we told exercised much influence over Arthur Jarvis?

Chapter 21 1. With whom does Jarvis have the debate about the natives after his son’s funeral? 2. What is the point of view of the debater regarding the natives? 3. What does Jarvis realize about his son and Abraham Lincoln? 4. What does Jarvis ask Margaret to do? Why? Chapter 22 1. What is Absalom’s explanation for firing the revolver? 2. What does Absalom do with the revolver? 3. Who does Stephen Kumalo see after the trial? 4. What thoughts are running through his mind at the time?

Chapter 23 1. What occurs in greater South Africa during the trial? 2. What does Sir Ernest Oppenheimer propose during this time?

Chapter 24 1. What hurts Jarvis upon his return to his son’s house? 2. What does he realize after reading further?

Chapter 25 1. Who visits Jarvis? 2. What does Jarvis recognize about his visitor? 3. What does the visitor relay to Jarvis?

Chapter 26 1. How is John Kumalo’s voice described? 2. What does John ask his people to do? 3. What is the significance of the last paragraph on page 224?

Chapter 27 1. What does Mrs. Lithebe tell Gertrude? 2. What does Gertrude decide she might want to do?

Chapter 28 1. What does the judge say about the witness Baby Mkize? 2. What is the judge’s verdict? 3. What does the judge ask Absalom? 4. How does Absalom respond? 5. What custom is broken at the end of this chapter?

Chapter 29 1. What occurs between Absalom and the girl? Why? 2. What does Stephen promise Absalom? 3. How does Absalom react when his father leaves? 4. Stephen expresses a concern to his brother John: what is it? 5. What is the inference of Stephen’s comment of “deceit from a friend” and John’s reaction to the comment? 6. What does Jarvis give Harrison? 7. What happens to Gertrude at the end of this chapter?

Chapter 30 1. What is the condition of the land in Ndotsheni upon Kumalo’s return? 2. Who accompanies Kumalo back to his village? 3. Who is Tixo? 4. For what does Kumalo ask Tixo? 5. What does Kumalo think can pay for pain and suffering? 6. What does Stephen tell his wife about Msimangu?

Chapter 31 1. For what does Kumalo ask the inkosi? 2. Who visits Kumalo at his church? 3. What questions does he ask Kumalo? 4. What is delivered to Kumalo that evening?

Chapter 32 1. From whom does Stephen receive letters? 2. Who visits the village from the car and the horse? 3. What were the visitors there to do? 4. What happens when the storm arrives? 5. Predict what will happen with the sticks.

Chapter 33 1. Who is the small boy who once again visits Kumalo? 2. What is the significance of his learning Zulu? 3. Why does Mr. Letsitsi come to Ndotsheni? 4. How does Kumalo refer of the small boy to Letsitsi?

Chapter 34 1. Who died? 2. What is Kumalo’s reaction? 3. What does the Bishop suggest to Kumalo? 4. What occurs that forestalls this decision? 5. What do the people of St. Mark’s Church do?

Chapter 35 1. What can be said about the nature of change having read this chapter? 2. How does the rain serve as a metaphor? 3. What does Kumalo suggest to Letsitsi about the nature of power? 4. What advice does Kumalo give to Letsitsi?

Chapter 36 1. What does Kumalo suggest about the small boy to Jarvis? 2. What does Kumalo do on the night of the 14th day? 3. What occurs on the 15th day? 4. Discuss the implication of the closing paragraph.