Cry, the Beloved Country - Character Analysis

Absalom Kumalo:

Public life:
Has bad company (do nonsense)
Thief (steels a lot…as said)

Private life:
Nomad (moves from place to place)
Fearful person (kills Arthur due to fear)
Honest (confesses to the murder)
Brave at the end (gains maturity, enter death gracefully)

Peoples perceptions:
Murderer (kills Arthur Jarvis)
Person with great potential (reformatory)
Willing man (wants to get married and support family)
Cruel (deserted girl who he has made pregnant)

Arthur Jarvis:

Public life:
Interest in the people (especially black people)
Opponent of Apartheid

Personal life:
Family man
Hero known to be Abraham Lincoln
Exploring and interactive person (President of African Boy’s Club and spoke languages such as Zulu)

People’s perceptions:
Wealthy man
Strong character (stood out against Apartheid – wanted justice)
Disappointment due to his death
Father confused about him (never understood his work till after his death)
Disappointment due to his death

James Jarvis:

Public life:
Careless (in the sense he did not worry at first of the troubles in the country)
Later he develops relationship with the people of Ndotsheni
Helpful (In his area)

Personal life:
Reserved person
Under went many tragedies (son and wife’s death)
Family man (did not live in the city, spent most time on the farm)
Good man – though never bothered of politics and issues that were facing South Africa

Peoples perceptions:
Wasn’t much of a social person
Was respected in Ndotsheni (at the beginning of the movie, when the girl was passing him she waited)
After adopting some of his sons spirit he tries to correct his injustice
Great figure among the people of Ndotsheni (helped them develop area)

John Kumalo:

Public life:
Political activist

Personal life:
Successful man with a good business
Unhelpful to brother
Sly (supports his sons lies)
Loses all tribal ways (social-dislocation)

Peoples perceptions:
Believed to be corrupted by power (disliking to the church)
People of the church do not take a liking to him
Looked upon by some as a strong man (standing up for injustice)

Gertrude Kumalo:

Public life:
Crime and prostitution
Returns to such ways after running away from Ndotsheni

Personal life:
Afraid and wants to find her husband (therefore going to Johannesburg)
Bad company
Social- dislocation
Desires to be a nun at a certain time

Peoples perceptions:
Sick (coming from a good home and involved in such actions)


Theophilus Msimangu:

Public life:
Involved spiritually not politically

Personal life:
Preacher (priest of Mission House)
Strives for better

Peoples perceptions:
Noble and generous
Good personality (touch peoples hearts)
Intelligent man