Cry, the Beloved Country

John Harrison, Arthur’s brother-in-law, picks up James and Margaret at the airport. He drives them to the police station where the police explain the murder. James asks to see the essay that Arthur was writing before he died, which they promise to give to him. The couple return to their house, and Arthur’s father-in-law Harrison tells James that the funeral for Arthur is the next day, and that several Black organizations want to attend because of the work Arthur did for them.

James sits in Arthur’s study and stares at his books. He reads his writing, which argues white people need to take responsibility and fix the damage they did to South African people. Specifically, Arthur argued against the inhumane treatment of Black mine workers. His writing cuts off, and James sits thinking. He stands up and begins reading the Gettysburg Address from a book about Abraham Lincoln.

After Arthur’s funeral, James meets different people and realizes “it was the first time he had ever shaken hands with black people” (182). The next morning, Arthur’s father-in-law Harrison tells James that the police called, and that the Jarvises’ Black servant Mpiring recovered consciousness in the hospital. Mpiring recognized one of the three attackers by his eye twitch, a man who used to help Arthur’s wife with her garden. Harrison gives James the manuscript that Arthur was working on before he died. James reads the manuscript in the study: In it, Arthur argues against the type of thinking that “[credits] Almighty God with having created black men to hew wood and draw water for white men” (187). Arthur reprimands anyone who calls themselves a Christian but does not fight for equality. James sits contemplating his son’s words.

The next day, Absalom’s trial begins: The accused are Absalom, Matthew, and Johannes Pafuri. All three men plead not guilty. Absalom reveals that when they entered the Jarvis house, the servant Mpiring called out for Arthur, so Pafuri hit him over the head with an iron bar. Arthur appeared, and Absalom fired his gun out of fear. He claims he only wanted to frighten Mpiring, but that he carried a gun in general because Johannesburg is dangerous. He buried the gun and prayed over it, asking God for forgiveness. After court adjourns, Kumalo sees James exiting the courthouse, but does not meet his eyes.

Arthur’s murder stops making headlines because miners discover gold in Odendaalsrust. The gold is the richest ever seen, which makes stock prices go up. Many white South African citizens talk about building a second Johannesburg.

James returns to his son Arthur’s house and sits in his study. He reads another manuscript in his son’s desk about growing up in South Africa. In it, Arthur writes about the Jarvis farm and how he learned many things from his parents, but never about South Africa and the land. His words hurt James, and he stops reading, but pulls himself together and continues reading. Arthur writes that he forced himself to learn about South Africa and its people because education is the only way to restore the country.

James takes his wife Margaret to visit her niece when court is not in session. He answers the door and finds a Black man standing outside (Kumalo). He greets the man in Zulu, and the man suddenly sits as if sick. The man apologizes and tells James that a man named Sibeko in Ndotsheni sent him to ask about his daughter, a servant at the house. James asks why the man is afraid of him, and Kumalo reveals his identity as Absalom’s father. Kumalo grieves for James and Margaret, and James thanks him and summons the mistress of the house. James translates the mistress’s English to Zulu for Kumalo, not knowing that Kumalo speaks English. The mistress says Sibeko’s daughter started brewing her own liquor, and the police arrested her. When James asks where the girl is now, the mistress does not know and does not care. James omits the mistress’s disinterest from his translation. He walks Kumalo to the road and watches him leave, lost in thought.

Kumalo goes to hear his brother John speak at a public rally. There are police present, even though John never incites the crowd to action. He speaks about Black people getting a fair share of the new gold in South Africa. The crowd stirs at his words about justice, and the police stay alert. Afterwards, Kumalo tells Msimangu that he did not know his brother was such a powerful speaker. Elsewhere, James leaves with John Harrison after the speech. Meanwhile, there is discussion of a mine strike. The white citizens are nervous about this because they know they are dependent on Black labor. There are fights in certain areas, and the police kill a few Black miners. A few weeks later, the strike is over.

The next day, the newspaper headlines are about another murder of a white man by intruders—which will affect Absalom’s trial. That night, Gertrude tells Mrs. Lithebe that she wants to become a nun. Mrs. Lithebe tells her that she will pray for her, and that she should not tell her brother yet. Gertrude goes to bed next to Absalom’s partner. She shares her decision to become a nun and asks if the girl will care for her son in her stead. The girl promises.

The next day in court, the judge passes judgment. Due to unsatisfactory evidence, the judge discharges Matthew and Pafuri. He then moves on to Absalom. Absalom confessed to police, but the judge believes the intention of anyone entering a house with a weapon is to inflict harm. Therefore, he rules that Absalom is guilty of Arthur’s murder, sentencing him to death by hanging. As everyone leaves the courthouse, white attendees stay on one side and Black attendees on the other. However, the young white man from the reformatory sees Kumalo struggling to walk with only Msimangu supporting him, so he joins him.

Kumalo and Father Vincent bring Absalom’s partner to the prison to perform the couple’s marriage ceremony. After the ceremony, Kumalo tells Absalom that he is returning to Ndotsheni the next day. He admits he is having trouble forgiving Matthew and Pafuri for lying about their involvement in Arthur’s murder. Absalom sobs and falls to his knees, telling his father that he is afraid of dying. Kumalo kneels and comforts him, then tells him that he must go. He stands, but Absalom wraps his arms around his legs and begs him not to leave. He weeps, and two white wardens drag Absalom off his father. Kumalo leaves, devasted.

Kumalo walks to John’s shop and tells John that he worries about him because the police are watching him. Then, Kumalo lies that he heard one of John’s friends is an informant for the police. John becomes paranoid, and Kumalo tells him that his son Matthew had a friend who turned out to be an informant. John realizes he is talking about Matthew betraying Absalom, and yells at Kumalo to get out.

Msimangu gives Kumalo saved money as a parting gift. He tells Kumalo that Father Vincent asked for an appeal for Absalom, and that he will write to Kumalo with an answer. If mercy isn’t granted, Msimangu promises either him or Father Vincent will be with Absalom on the day of his execution. When Kumalo returns to Mrs. Lithebe’s house, he sees Msimangu gave him 33 pounds, far more money than he brought to Johannesburg. He resolves to apologize to John via letter when he returns to Ndotsheni. He then prays for Absalom. In the morning, Kumalo goes to wake Absalom’s wife. Then, he goes to Gertrude’s room and finds his nephew asleep, but Gertrude gone.