Read chapters 1-6 of Alan Paton's Cry, the Beloved Country and write/post a journal: Identify and explain an example of fear that occurs in these chapters. (Try to find an example that hasn't already been chosen.)

-- Anonymous, February 11, 2005

Answers

Well, it seems i dont have to worry about picking something that hasn't been chosen yet. I don't think anyone else would use this one anyway...

"...and a modern lavatory too. When you were finished, you pressed a little rod, and the water rushed in as though something was broken. It would have frightened you if you had not heard of such things before."

This isn't an instance of direct fear, but sort of an indirect one. It gives one example of a broad idea: Some things or concepts that may seem simple, even humorous, to many people, may scare the snot out of somebody who isn't used to the things or concepts in question.

I was going to go into detail, then i decided that the idea above pretty much sums up what i was going to say.

-- Anonymous, February 12, 2005

“A young man came to him, and …… He was grateful for this kindness, but half of him was afraid.”

The minister was not sure whom if anyone, he could trust. When the young man walked up to him, he was fearful that he would rob him. In the end he was robbed, but he had shown trust in the young man, to guide him. The minister was fearful of his surroundings, and the cause for fear was confirmed with the theft of the minister’s pound.

-- Anonymous, February 12, 2005

I think a main example of fear in this story was the overall fear of Kumalo that he was going to Johannesburg, where he had never gone before, and he knew many people who had gone there and never returned. Also, he had a fear for his sister, that she and her child would be in bad connditions, which they were.

-- Anonymous, February 13, 2005

An example of fear in the novel is not only of the unknown, but more specifically of foreign technology. For example, Joey's fine example of latrine falls under this category, as does the sign with a bottle pouring water into a glass, then refilling (page 47). Bear in mind that the Rev. Kumalo is not just some country hobo running around the streets of a metropolis: he is a man on a mission, looking for several members of his family. He is in Johannesburg only because he absolutely has to, and it is fairly obvious that he would not be in the city if it weren't for his family. So far, the text has been about overcoming fear, and we shall see if this holds up for the rest of the novel.

-- Anonymous, February 13, 2005

Another example of fear is when Kumalo is in the Mission house and the guy with the newspaper shows him the article called "Old couple robbed and beaten in lonely house. Four natives arrested" and the guy with the paper says that it is not only the Europeans that are afraid, but that "We are also afraid, right here in Sophiatown". It is an example of how the crime and violence in Africa is messing up everybodies life.

-- Anonymous, February 13, 2005

"With trembling hands she took the tin and opened it." This example of fear describes the wife of Kumalo opening the tin of money they had been saving to send their only son to college. She is afraid of using the near sacred money that they had worked so hard to save. She is probably also afraid for her husband, who is venturing into the unknown, for her son, who Kumalo will try to find while he is away, and for Gertrude, who is ill.

-- Anonymous, February 14, 2005

"The young man took the pound and walked a short distance to the corner. As he turned it, Kumalo was afraid." This shows Kumalo's fear of the man stealing his money. Though he is greatful for the help of the stranger, he still doesn't trust him. He is afraid that he was betraying him and that he will never come back. It turns out his fear is justified because the man does not return.

-- Anonymous, February 14, 2005

I think an example in these chapters is the fear Revernd Kumalo has for what state his brother, sister, son and nephew are in. He hasn't heard from all of them in quite some time, and it is known to him and his wife that Johannesburg is a dangerous place. The book already told us of someone's death caused by just crossing the street. So he has no inkling (haha vocab word) what to expect, and the unexpected is always frightening.

-- Anonymous, February 14, 2005

Ok...I'm finally well enough to get out of bed...and I have to do homework:(

At the very beginning Kumalo's wife talks about their family: "They were silent, and she said, How we desire such a letter, and when it comes, we fear to open it." This shows that Kumalo and his wife are scared to know what has happened to their son, Kumalo's brother and sister.

-- Anonymous, February 14, 2005

The biggest example of fear that i noticed in chapters 1-6 was the fear that Kumalo had when traveling to Johannesburg. The large buildings and masses of people made Kumalo feel far out of place. His fear continued to grow with the different languages of other people and getting cheated at the train station.

-- Anonymous, February 14, 2005

Ahh is it that time of the week when we must take time out of our busy schedule and post. Why yes it is!!!

"How can I use it he said. This money was to send Absalom to St. Chad's." This is an example of fear because Stepen doesn't want to believe that his son will never come back. Parents are the one most affected when some dies. If it was their child they are the one's most grieve stricken. The child is the only person who can carry down the family legacy.This is why its a fear.

This is PArtyboy and I approved this answer.

-- Anonymous, February 14, 2005

I believe that an example of fear that appears in chapters 1-6 of the book is found on pages 38 and 39. Stephen Kumalo's wife displays fear for him. She knows already (some sort of intuition) that Stephen will have to go to Johannesburg, and she also knows that "when people go to Johannesburg, they do not come back." This frightens her, as she has reason to believe that their son, Absalom, is no longer alive, which she hints at by saying: "Absolom will never go now to St. Chad's." in response to Stephen's statement that the money was meant to send Absalom to college. She is afraid of losing both her son and her husband.

-- Anonymous, February 14, 2005

An example of fear in this novel would have to be when Kumalo was on the train on the way to Johannesburg and all the thinking he did. For him, this is a big deal traveling to a big city(like the country boy in the big city type of thing). He did not know what to expect or how to find his way around. This fear may not be the most dominant fear of all but it definitely has an affect on Kumalo.

-- Anonymous, February 14, 2005

An example of fear in this book is the money-can scene. When it is pointed out that his son will probably not come back from Johannesburg and not go to St. Chad's. In one of his lines he says, "...Perhaps there are letter. Perhaps they have fallen under the counter, or been hidden amongst the food. Look there in the trees, perhaps they have been blown there by the wind." This line suggests that he is in denial, a hint of him being scared.

-- Anonymous, February 14, 2005

On pg. 44: “Deep down the fear of a man who lives in a world not made for him, whose own world is slipping away, dying, being destroyed, beyond any recall.”

To me, this describes our main character’s greatest underlying fear: his family is broken, his way of life is dying (tribal community), the people of the country are falling into corruption and poverty, and his homeland is being desecrated. He is desperately afraid that soon any remnant of a prosperous, beautiful Africa will be lost; the desire to change this fate is much of what brings him to Johannesburg.

-- Anonymous, February 14, 2005

An example of fear in this reading is when Kumalo recieves the letter from Johannesburg and is afriad to open it. This is because he fears it bears teirrble news about one of his family members who had moved there and had never written or come back. While he claims not to be afraid of what the letter says he makes his wife open it. This is my example of fear from the first six chapters.

-Zach

-- Anonymous, February 14, 2005

Page 44: "And now the fear came back again, the fear of the unknown, the fear of the great city where boys were killed crossing the street, the fear of Gertrude's sickness."

This is a quote of the fears that Kumalo has when he is on the train. He is obviously afraid of many things, and the only way he finds comfort is through prayer - "The humble man reached in his pocket for his sacred book, and began to read. It was this world alone that was certain."

So you could argue that Kumalo has many fears, particulary of the 'unknown' or 'uncertain,' and the only way he deals with them is by praying to God rather than facing them.

-- Anonymous, February 14, 2005

A perfect example of fear is when Stephan is talking about his lost relatives. He is afraid that the city has killed or polluted them. When he finds his sister he is fearful of her life style and decides to take her home in order to change her life. You could say that Stephan fears poverty like what his sister has endured.

-- Anonymous, February 15, 2005

Another moment of fear is on page 59, when Reverend Kumalo knocks on the door to find his sister. “Have no doubt, it is fear in her eyes.” She is not fearful of him, but fearful that he will know what she has been doing to survive

-- Anonymous, February 15, 2005