Cry, the Beloved Country, by Alan Paton

 

Cry, the Beloved Country
by 

Alan Paton

Clif Hostetler's review

Jul 06, 2026  ·  edit

liked it

bookshelves: historical-fiction

This book of historical fiction first published in 1948 portrays conditions in South Africa at a time shortly before the official enactment of the apartheid laws. This book is generally perceived to convey an anti-apartheid message. It explores the discrimination against Black South Africans as it outlines the experiences of an elderly black Reverend who travels from his country home to Johannesburg to help his sick sister. While in Johannesburg he discovers that his son has murdered a white man who was the son of a white farmer near the Reverend's village. As the novel's narrative progresses it explores emotions of grief, loss, and fear between racial groups, as well as forgiveness and hope for a better future.

Toward the end of the book, the white father of the murdered son institutes, at great personal expense, agricultural aid and resource assistance to the Black rural community. He does this in memory of his son who had been an advocate for the rights and welfare of the Black native populations. This obvious act of loving restitution after his son had been murdered by a young Black man from that same region has obvious Christ image symbolism. Furthermore, the language throughout the book is filled with almost Biblical style reflections on the human condition.

In the following quote, the author repeats the title of the novel to capture Black South African people mourning the loss of their culture. The quote calls for the people of South Africa to mourn this loss, especially since fear prevents otherwise good people from standing up to racism.

“Sadness and fear and hate, how they well up in the heart and mind, whenever one opens the pages of these messengers of doom. Cry for the broken tribe, for the law and the custom that is gone. Aye, and cry aloud for the man who is dead, for the woman and children bereaved. Cry, the beloved country, these things are not yet at an end. The sun pours down on the earth, on the lovely land that man cannot enjoy. He knows only the fear of his heart.” (Book 1, Chapter 11, Pages 104-105)

The book ends with the following lines which reveal the author's hope that South Africa will experience freedom from racism someday. But since the day of freedom is unknown the only thing to do is look toward it with hope rather than despair. 

“For it is the dawn that has come, as it has come for a thousand centuries, never failing. But when that dawn will come, of our emancipation, from the fear of bondage and the bondage of fear, why, that is a secret.” (Book 3, Chapter 36, Page 312)

Some Personal Observations:
At the time this book was first published I'm sure it was perceived to contain a progressive humanitarian and Christian message. However from the present post colonial view it clearly contains a white savior motif which was realistic for that time but is now not so politically correct.