Cry, the Beloved Country

Discussion questions: 1. To what extent does tribal society influence life for people of South Africa? 2. What parallels do you find between the landscape and the conditions of life in South Africa? 3. Explain Arthur Jarvis's arguments against his society? (You may include his father's reactions as part of this.) 4. What signs of hope do you find toward the end of the novel?

Some Internet sources: the Alan Paton Centre  brief biography  a chronology of Paton's life discussion questions from simonsays  a student activity by Elizabeth Larkin a good links page for Alan Paton information site for the Miramax film and two reviews of it

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Created by Stan Galloway, Bridgewater College, 11 March 1999. Last modified 15 January 2002. Contact me at sgallowa@bridgewater.edu