Read chapters 18-23 of Alan Paton's Cry, the Beloved Country and write/post a journal: Identify and explain something James Jarvis learns about his son.

-- Anonymous, February 23, 2005

Answers

James Jarvis realizes how smart, cool, and devoted Arthur was when he visits his office. He looks around at all the books Arthur owned, mostly about South Africa, and he reads Arthur's unfinished manuscript. He leaves with a greater understanding of his son's thoughts, and an understanding that their civilization is "a tragic compound of great ideal and fearful practice, of loving charity and fearful clutching of possessions."

-- Anonymous, February 26, 2005

James Jarvis, while reading his son's papers, realizes that his son cares for the natives and once to help them. Jarvis, who has never had any real contact with them, is probably astounded that his son would devote his life to helping the peoples that are considered inferior to the white man. Jarvis' son also has a mindset like Msimangu. He believes that the tribe cannot be rebuilt, so something else has be made to replace it.

-- Anonymous, February 27, 2005

James Jarvis learns that his son was a very inspirational and respected citizen of Johannesburg. He finds all of the letters that the boy was sent in regard to attending special banquets and weddings. This shows that the community held him in high esteem. He also finds the letter that deals with becoming the president of the African Boys' Club again. This letter and all the others make James Jarvis proud of his fallen son.

-- Anonymous, February 28, 2005

James Jarvis learns that his son was righteous and that he was considered a missionary by some and that he served a noble cause in uniting all the people of South Africa under one government. He finds that his son is very different from himself, in the way he views other people of the state. He also finds it very ironic that his son would be killed, a person fighting for the rights of natives.

-- Anonymous, February 28, 2005

Jarvis learns how different from him his son had become. While he had stayed on the farm and almost totally removed from the volatile politics of the country, his son had been writing and speaking about black-white relations and making friends of all races.

Jarvis sees that his son has been actively participating in a worthy cause, one that he barely knew existed. I think that he is a little shamed by his son's ideals and achievements, but still very proud.

-- Anonymous, February 28, 2005

James Jarvis learns that his son is a well-respected man and a powerful speaker. While looking through his son thing he find many invitations to outings of every sort and he finds a letter. This letter happens to be his sons last and is not finished. This letter is inspiring and makes him feel both proud and sad that it was his son’s last le

-- Anonymous, February 28, 2005

Jarvis learned that his son had grown to be a very intellectual man since their seperation. He sees this when he visits his sons office and sees all the bookcases packed with books. He realizes why his son was such a powerful speaker by seeing how much his son has read on Abraham LIncoln and his fight for America's freedom.

-- Anonymous, February 28, 2005

The very firs thing that James Jarvis learns about his son is the fact that his son is dead. This is important because it causes him to go to Johannesberg and to go through his sons things. This allows him to make the more important discoveries about who his son is and the kind of person he is in Johannesberg.

-- Anonymous, February 28, 2005

Besides the obvious (shame on anyone who put it), James learns about how his son felt about the African Americans. On pages 178 and 179, his son outlines how what was permissible is now not, counting the fact that they have increased knowledge about how their actions are affecting the native peoples. Also, I think that it is very important on how James notes the two pictures on the wall: the picture of Christ being crucified, and one of Abraham Lincoln. The first is important because of how his son notes how people think that they are being good Christians by keeping the black man down, while the second is important after James finds the book on Abe and reads the Gettysburg Address and his Second Inauguration Speech (so that's why we read them). Overall, the details about his son's life that he either didn't know or disagreed with are what make the most difference in James's discoveries after his son's death.

-- Anonymous, February 28, 2005

Something James learns about his son is that although he is not a farmer like he wanted him to be, he is a great man. Many, many organizations want him to speak for them, and one organization even wants him to be their president. James realizes that his son was doing something great for the country. His son was one of the only voices crying out for reforms. He also realizes that his son got a great education, an incredible western education that exposed him to people like Abraham Lincoln. Reading his son’s writings really helped James to know his son better.

-- Anonymous, February 28, 2005

I'm not too sure that James Jarvis really knew his son before he traveled to Johannesburg. He learned so much about his son in so little time. Even just looking around his home provided him with an extreme amount of insight, which makes one wonder how much he knew in the start. From his peers in Johannesburg, James Jarvis learned how much his son was respected in the community, what he was doing with his life, and he got somewhat of a glimpse as to why.

-- Anonymous, February 28, 2005

One of the things that James Jarvis realizes about his son is just how much of a wonderful person he was, and just how much he did. He gets this from not only going through his son's belongings, but by finding out just how many people are grieving for his son. He wishes he was closer to his son, knowing that his wife was closer, and realizes that he never thought it would be important for him to be closer to his son. These findings are again shown in the church for the service, when the church is too small to fit everyone who wanted to come, and when it is filled with people of every race.

-- Anonymous, February 28, 2005

When James finds out that his son is dead, it causes him to go to Johannesburg to find out more about his life. he is astounded to find parts of his sons life he has never heard about. For instance there are papers and documents recording weddings and such of the Afrikaans. This is weird for him cus they are considered inferior the the white people.

-- Anonymous, March 01, 2005

Couple days late... sorry, got sick Monday night. I'm hoping the fact that I procrastinated till Monday doesn't make that excuse null. ^_^

James Jarvis learns about his son his ideas on racial equality. As I was reading, I noticed that he was surprised about a lot of things: his murder, his views, his accomplishments... but he seemed to be most struck and amazed by his views. To him, they seem so different and radical somehow, and yet they make so much sense. It seems to make James proud he had a son like that, and then during that thought he remembers... he doesn't have one anymore.

-- Anonymous, March 02, 2005