Read chapters 15-17 (end of Book I) of Alan Paton's Cry, the Beloved Country and write/post a journal: Choose one of the female characters and explain the motives for her actions.

-- Anonymous, February 23, 2005

Answers

I chose Absalom's girlfriend (hereafter known in post as Absala), but I'm also comparing her to Gertrude, so... may as well have chosen both. Anyways:

Absala's decision to come live with him shows a great contrast to Gertrude's character, though different circumstances are present. About character: Absala is much more responsible and in particular optimistic, while Gertrude is irresponsible and has no faith. About circumstances: In the beginning of her life, Absala grew up with a family that was falling apart, and ran away to what she believed was a better life. Gertrude on the other hand grew up decently, and went from there to the life of prostitution. Somehow, both end up in the same realm because of a certain mix of their character and circumstances. I'm having trouble understanding exactly why Absala became the promiscuous person she did though. Feels like it's right under my nose, but I can't quite think of it...

-- Anonymous, February 23, 2005

Think I got it! What Absala desires most is a loving relationship. I suppose most people would... and most people get this from parents and family. Absala did not. Thus, why she did what she did. The end conclusion: Absala begins life in shadowy circumstances but will soon live with Kumalo with a much better lifestyle, and her character in general is moral. Gertrude begins life brought up well but went to prostitution (I don't think she'll come back either). Her character is immoral. A sign that the end result of our lives is based on our character? Or is that too much of a generalization?

-- Anonymous, February 23, 2005

I chose Mrs. Lithebe, because she is very interesting. I think that hse decided to take in the child because she never was able to have children, and this girl is kind of like a child that she never had. She has a chance to raise the child, and although it is not a long period of time, it comforts her yearning for a child.

-- Anonymous, February 23, 2005

I chose Gertrude, in her present state (living with Mrs. Lithebe), she is quiet and reserved. She should be rejoicing that she is going to leave thte slums that she used to live in, and secure a better future for her child. She probably wants not to mess up her life again, and therefore follows Mrs. Lithebe's advice about not laughing to much (which was invariably given to her on her arrival, as it was to Absalom's girlfriend) to the letter. She's had a lot of hardships during her life in Johannesburg, and I think they have taught her to think about the risks and consequences of every action before she acts. If it could cause the least bit of emotional or physical pain, she probably won't do it without thinking through it very carefully first.

-- Anonymous, February 23, 2005

I choose Absalom’s girlfriend .Her actions are very interesting. It is almost as if she does not know what she wants. When Kumalo suggests that she marry his son, she said ‘yes, if you want’. But then he altered the questions ever so slightly, and got her thinking that she didn’t want to come. And then even later he got her to say that she wanted to come back to his country and live with his family.

Her actions are easily altered because she is just a child. A child of only 16 is easily influenced by older, respectable people. If you remember the child in one of the first chapters that felt unworthy to be in the unfundisi’s house, you could compare these two girls. A young mind is easily molded by older superior ones, and she is just trying to please the unfundisi.

-- Anonymous, February 23, 2005

Gertrude, after living a good life, goes into a life of prostitution...not really by choice. During this time, she feels sorry for herself, and doesn't have much self worth. What kind of prostitute has much self worth? Anyway, when Kumalo and Mrs. Lithebe take her in, she's really thankful, and does her best to change the way she acts to please Mrs. Lithebe. She doesn't have much faith in herself or the tribe, but she tries to better herself.

-- Anonymous, February 23, 2005

I think that Absaloms girlfriend, while at first shy, conserved, and slightly scared, loosens up when Kumalo takes her in. Her reasons for hooking up with Absalom are the same for her last three husbands; she is in love, but mabye not real love. However, once she is confronted by Kumalo, something that he says knocks it into her head that she has to grow up and stop being scared. This is not a surprise, such as when Father Vincent is telling him to pray for "those who do justice, and those who would do justice if they were not afraid." Fear has gripped the land, and it is starting to affect everyone in one way or another.

-- Anonymous, February 23, 2005

I chose Mrs. Lithebe. In the story she shelters Steven Kumalo, Gertrude and ends up sheltering, Absalon’s girlfriend. I believe she does this for two reasons. One of which is because she worships god and Kumalo is an Umfundisi. The second reason I believe is that she pities Kumalo for his son has gone to jail, so she is willing to take in the girl.

-- Anonymous, February 23, 2005

Gertrude seems to have quite interesting motives behind her actions. She came to the city in order to find her husband but after not finding him she must find a source of income to help her pay for lifes necessities. She then becomes a prostitute to support herself. She probably took on this occupation thinking it was temporary but after having a kid she needed even more money and had to keep doing what she was doing. We know this was not her ideal life because she was so open to returning to her old life.

-- Anonymous, February 23, 2005

Absalom's girlfriend seems to be motivated by self-interest until Rev. Kumalo decides to take her in. Her harsh childhood likely didn't teach her much of caring for others. Beyond that, she needs a means to support herself financially, living alone she couldn't likely support herself and a child which explains why she said what she did to Kumalo when he came by. Finally, she discovered Kumalo's family could provide a stability she never had in her own.

-- Anonymous, February 23, 2005

I think that Mrs. Lithebe did many things in these chapters out of compassion for Kumalo. One thing that she did was allowing Kumalo's future daughter in law to stay at her house. Another thing that she did was to give the girl advice about "that kind of laughter" and told her that there was no place for it in the house of a priest. i think that she did all these things because she saw how much pain Kumalo endure on this journey and wanted there to be no more suffering on his end.

-- Anonymous, February 23, 2005

Absolam's girlfriend (though we haven't learned her name yet)seems to have only one motivation behind what she does, and that is the desire to keep living, and the fact that she knows no other way. She was raised in Johhanesburg (not a great place for anyone to be raised, much less a little South African girl), and didn't really have much of a family life. When she, at a young age, met Absolam and got together with him, she didn't realize she was doing anything wrong. She learned she was PG (pregnant for those of you that don't know what PG means) and didn't marry Absolam right away; it was not necessarily what she would have known to do. She says she is perfectly willing to marry Absolam, and wants to...only after Stephen says that that is what would be best. She tries to do the best she can (in life in general I think), but doesn't always know what that is because of her background.

-- Anonymous, February 23, 2005

Absalom's future wife seems at first to be continuing a trend in her life of husbands going to jail. After Stephen continues talking with her however, she appears to have settled down and wants a quiet life with Absalom. I believe her childhood and more recent past cause her to make these decisions. Most women (guys too) would rather have mutual monogomy than multiple spouces that never last long. Absalom's girlfriend is no exception. She is even so persistant that when she hears of Absalom's actions, she doesn't let that change her feelings for him.

-- Anonymous, February 23, 2005

Wrong button.

-- Anonymous, February 23, 2005

Throughout the novel you hear bits and pieces of Mrs. Lithebe's kindness and gentelness she shows towards everybody. At first you just looked at her a nice lady that was letting the Umfundisi stay in her house. As you go on you find she is in fact a lot more than that. She comforts Gertrude as one of her own daughter's and her son as her grandson. She almost one of the those classic grandmas you think about...comforting, warm, bakes cookies, and gives you helpful advice. After a while she takes in Absolom's g-friend mainly becuase she has pity on Kumalo because he has to deal with so much. WHo knows, she might have even had her own children at one time and lost them. Therefore taking in and helping these people is her way of fulfilling that old pleasure.

-- Anonymous, February 24, 2005

I beleive a female character with noble motives in these chapters was Gertrude. She went from being a shameful prostitute with no reguard with for her son to trying to reshape her life. Between Kumalo's appearance and living with Ms. Lithibe (sorry for misspelling) she tries to change her shameful ways to live for the good purpose of her son. The motive that is would be to help the life of her son. I think her motives are the most obvious and well defined of many woman in the novel.

-- Anonymous, February 24, 2005