Read chapters 1-6 of Alan Paton's Cry, the Beloved Country and write/post a journal: Identify and explain an example of fear that occurs in these chapters. (Try to find an example that hasn't already been chosen.)

-- Anonymous, February 11, 2005

Answers

The most noticeable example of fear is the fear of the unknown. Kumalo doesn't know what lies ahead of him at the end of the train. He is scared of the city of which he knows nothing. He doesn't know how to get around, how to communicate in Afrikaans, or, most of all, if he will be accepted in this new place by residents in such away that he will be able to get done what he needs to do. There are too many variables, too many opportunities for something to go wrong and everything to be lost. He has travelled too far to be thwarted by the darkness and fog that lie ahead of him.

-- Anonymous, February 12, 2005

The example of fear that I have chosen is expressed clearly in a couple of places, though not said out loud. It is the fear of the 'tribe' falling apart, and the fear of the future (yes, I guess that would be two fears, but they go hand in hand). Stephen Kumalo is afraid of not only the tribe falling apart in the future, but that maybe the tribe already has fallen apart. This is intensified by the fact that much of his family has gone to Johannesburg, and they have neither come back nor written. He is also afraid of what the future might bring. Much of the human race is, and has been in the past; he is in an unknown place, though, were he doesn't fit in at all and knows nothing of how to act. This makes the future incredibly unpredictable to him, and it scares him.

-- Anonymous, February 13, 2005

Oh, I forgot to add...Stephen Kumalo is not the only one that is afraid of the future. It seems, just from the first 6 chapters, that everyone is afraid of the future, but mostly the native South Africans. They are afraid of what is going to happen to them in the future, to their whole race in the future, and to their country as a whole.

-- Anonymous, February 13, 2005

The thoughts of Stephen Kumalo at the end of Chapter 3 stood out to me. His intuition that he lives in a world that is not like what he knows (I'd put that in quotes, but I forgot the exact text :P ). This sort of connects to the tribal system in that it is a nagging fear that his world and system of living is outdated, and will do him little good in the rest of the world.

Also notable is him finding comfort in his religion. I wonder if that will be something that happens many times in this book. Maybe religion will be a central part of his change in character throughout the book (as one can usually assume that the main character is a dynamic one).

-- Anonymous, February 14, 2005

I found that a fear present in the chapters was technology. Kumulo has little knowledge of the ways of the big city and fears some of the things that he sees. First, when he is entering the city and sees all of the lights on the buildings, it frightens him. Then, the darkness of the subway system makes him edgy not to bump into people. Finally, because of what happened to the lady's son, when he tries to cross the street and nearly gets hit by the bus, he is shocked and backs up against the wall, not knowing what to do. In general, a lack of experience and knowledge of his surroundings create a sense of fear in Kumulo.

-- Anonymous, February 14, 2005

About the fears of the big city--if this is during the apartheid reign, I think Kumalo is scared of the city because it wasn't made for him. I would be scared too if Richmond were made for frogs.

Anyhoo, Kumalo is also afraid of what has happened and what is going to happen to his family. He's left his wife, visited his sisted (alleviating much of the fear), and is looking for his son...kind of in an apprehensive situation.

-- Anonymous, February 14, 2005

The most noticeable form of fear in this story was fear of new things. For exapmle, Kumalo has never been to Johannesburg, and he is afraid. He is also scared of the future and to know how is sister is. People also seem to have a fear of power. For instance, the young girl is fearful of the umfundasi. He is a symbol of power in her society. Kumalo's sister is afraid of him and his power over her. He even feels fear when he enters the city at its great sizem and obvious power over him. All in all, fear is abundant in this society, and it is experienced when people come in touch with what lies ahead and power.

-- Anonymous, February 14, 2005

An example of fear that stood out to my was the fear in his sister's eyes upon seeing her brother, a priest, at the door. She is afraid that he will condemn her becuase of the sins she has committed. She first tries to denies wrong but sonn realizes that this will only dig a deeper hole and, upon direct confrontation, confess to her wrongs. This confession prompts her brother to pray with her and to do the godly think and forgive her.

-- Anonymous, February 14, 2005

I think that a good example of fear shown is the fear that Gertrude shows when Kumalo suggests that she return home with her. She is afraid of what the people back home will think when they find out what she had become when she went to Johnnesberg.

-- Anonymous, February 14, 2005

A fear, as stated in the book, was the fear of what happened to Stephen's son. "And the great fear too--the greatest fear since it was so seldom spoken. Where was their son? Why did he not write anymore?" (42) This fear is the basis for his whole journey to Johannesburg.

-- Anonymous, February 14, 2005

I know it has been said over and over agian, but i must agree, the biggest fear is that of teh city. it says many times that everyone who goes to the city doesnt come back. Its not as much the fear of teh city itself, but eh fear that he may not return. he does not know if there is somthing that will make him get stuck there too or not. He has family back in his home village and he doesnt want to leave tghem forever. He is afraid that in his journey to reunite with his family, he will beome even more distant from them.

-- Anonymous, February 14, 2005

First off, I would like to note my concurrence with the idea of a major fear being that of the big city, but in the interest of providing variety, I offer another possibility. I think a notable example of fear in the first section, is fear of getting answers. Kumalo had so many questions with subconscious answers he had created to fill the void, but a possible change to this had immense possibilities whether good or bad. Kumalo, as a reverend, may have figured them dead, instead of a truth which may harder on him because of his religious standing.

-- Anonymous, February 15, 2005

I believe a prevalent source of fear for the reverend was that he did not know what to expect when it came to what was to be found of his son and sister. Of course here he was expecting his sister to have AID's or Cancer or somthing, which was found to be nothing of the sort at all. Although we do not yet know what is to come of his son, Kumalo is most likly glad that he found his sister in good enough healthy shape. Near the ebginning Kumalo talks of what would happen if his son was dead or if he had to bring back his sisterr which would cost more money. Basically he doesn't know what to expect when he gets to Johannesburg and it scares the living daylights outta him!

-- Anonymous, February 15, 2005

One thing that he finds out in traveling to johanesburg is the knowledge of his son. His sister tells him that his brather's son knows him and know where he could find him. This is very important because now he dosn't worry as much and is somewhat relieved.

-- Anonymous, February 15, 2005

One fear in the first 6 chapters is the fear of crossing the street. Usually, it's no big deal. But in this case, people die because they aren't careful. A story is told about how a woman witnessed her sons death because he walked out into the street with out his mom. Although this is not a main fear portrayed in the story, Kumalo certainly kept it in the back of his mind as he trotted across the road.

-- Anonymous, February 15, 2005

I think one of the major fears in the first 6 chapters for Kumalo is the fear for what is happening to his family. He is definitely afraid of learning the fate of Gertrude, John, and Absalom. While he is afraid of the answers, the fear I'm mentioning is thwe fear for what is happening to his family as a unit, as a whole. He is afraid that his family is falling apart.

-- Anonymous, February 15, 2005