Fear In Cry The Beloved Country

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Fear grips all societies and can take control of the mind if one is not careful with their own thoughts. In Cry, The Beloved Country, Alan Paton displays the major effects of fear through disputes between races, fear of the influence of Johannesburg, and fear of crime. Paton uses the effects of fear to show that it can be overcome by the power of love and faith. Throughout this essay I will explore the meaning and give evidence to the fear displayed in this novel, as well as give Paton’s answer to fear. When the title is finally said in the book, the word fear accompanies it. Paton exclaims, “Cry, the beloved country, for the unborn child that is the inheritor of our fear. Let him not love the earth too deeply… For fear will rob him of all …show more content…
Paton says, “The journey had begun. And now the fear back again, the fear of the unknown, the fear of the great city where boys were killed crossing the street, the fear of Gertrude's sickness… the fear for his son… the fear of a man who lives in a world not made for him” (44). In the article “Altruistic and Vicarious Fear of Crime by Karen A. Snedker, she explains, “This literature establishes fear of crime for others is an important motivating factor in people’s behaviors and sense of security” (164). To further explain, Kumalo’s fear of crime for his family is a huge influence on the way he reacts and acts as long as that fear is still in him. As Kumalo is overwhelmed with his fears, he turns to the one thing that he knows will help alleviate his anxious thoughts: The Holy Bible. While on the train, he pulls out his Bible and begins to read. Paton describes the Bible as, “It was this world alone that was certain” ( 44). What Paton is communicating here is that the Bible is a great source of alleviating fears. That is why Paton uses Christianity as one of the main theme throughout the book because it is the most powerful source to cure the constant fears happening on each page. The Bible has many passages that explain anxiety/fear and how we are to overcome it. To give evidence of this claim, Joshua 1:9 says, “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be …show more content…
The two men are an example of a character foil as well as a theme in the book. They both are fathers who originally are searching for their sons. On top of that, neither of them seem to know their son as well as they thought they did, which makes them fearful of the truth. But, towards the end the two are at peace with their sons, even though they both end up dying. Where the two contrast are each other's lifestyles. Kumalo is an African-American priest from a small village with little money. James Jarvis is a wealthy white man who comes from the city. Despite their differences, they form a bond that cannot be
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