In the novel that my class has been reading, “Cry, The
Beloved Country” we have become fond of many characters. For example, Absalom
father, Stephen Kumalo is a unique character from the rest. We would describe
him as a round or dynamic character. What is a round or dynamic character you
may ask? A round character is described as, “a
character in fiction
whose personality, background, motives, and
other features are
fully delineated by
the author”. Then a dynamic character is
described as,” a literary or
dramatic character who undergoes an
important inner change,
as a change
in personality or
attitude”. {Dictionary.com (both definitions)}.He has defiantly
had an inner personality change and the rest of the description of round or
dynamic character.
He
can be described as a realistic character. In book one here we are seeing
Stephen in chapter six as a religious figure in Johannesburg the “city of
destruction”, he talks with his sister about her wrong doing and he tells her,”
God forgives us, he says. Who am I not to forgive? Let us pray.(pg.61)” Then
later in book one on page 105 it starts to talk about how this religious imaged
man starts to question his faith. Soon to find out that’s not the only thing he
starts to question as he reaches his inner conflict. It’s like reality hits
him. This is because of he himself has been sheltered and yet he wants to help.
This
way of life has brought him good and bad attributes that can be described by
how he is reacting to all the things he has faced. Then, as it gets worse he
questions things. Then just when it seems that things have almost recovered he
goes back to the same questioning phase. He is just on a repetitive role
through book one and spilling into book two. Then later in chapter thirteen he
realizes what he is doing. In my opinion it is very ironic how they display it.
When we arrive to chapter thirteen he comes to a place on how they describe it
as “a wonderful place, this Ezenzeleni. For here the blind” (pg.121). Then once
again he has that emotion being pulled out to question things. This is a bad
attribute for Stephen Kumalo.
This
experience over book one has changed him very much so. He was a very strong
religious man in the beginning. Not only was he a religious man but a trusting
man. On his way to Johannesburg he had an experience with a young man, “Where
is the ticket office, my friend? What ticket office, umfundisi. For the ticket
for the bus. You get your ticket on the bus. There is not ticket office… You
have been cheated. (pg.49)” This shows the part when he loses sense of trust
towards just anyone. Then once again he is QUESTIONING everything. It started
off with faith then went more throughout everything.
Life
for Stephen Kumalo has been greatly influenced on this journey to Johannesburg.
He is a very dynamic character. He undergoes many things in this book. In my
opinion it is a book that shows a life changing experience to not only the
character but then to pull that same feeling to the reader. This book strongly
influences anyone who reads it. Alan Paton uses many details and symbolizes
numerous things to change the way we think about the way of some people’s life.
