Cry, The Beloved Country Chapter 18-29

Cry, the Beloved Country Chapter 18-29

Chapter 18 Characters: James Jarvis, Arthur, Van Jaarsveld, Binnendyk, Summary: Standing on a ridge to look for rain clouds, Jarvis sees a police car approaching his home. Two policemen Van Jaarsveld and Binnedyk, come to him with shocking news that his son has been shot and killed. As Jarvis copes with the announcement, they offer to make arrangements to get him to Johannesburg as quickly as possible. He accepts their offer, and while one policemen call’s to arrange for the flight, Jarvis breaks the bad new to his wife, who then breaks down crying. Bracken: a tall fern with coarse lobed fronds that occurs worldwide and can cover large areas. Chapter 19 Characters: Mr. Jarvis, John Harrison, Mary, Summary: Mr. Jarvis and his wife fly to Johannesburg and are greeted by John Harrison, the brother of their son’s wife, Mary. Mr. Jarvis, his wife and Mary drive to the mortuary to make arrangements for the burial. After seeing Arthur’s body, the family return home Mr. Harrison tells Jarvis that Arthur was able to speak to Zulu and Afrikaans, and many people wanted him to run for parliament. Arthur believed that the truth is more important then money. Mr. Harrison calls Arthur a real crusader in his efforts for others. Jarvis goes to bed and shares the stories with his wife and expresses his regret that he did not know more about his son Arthur while he was alive. Jarvis is moved by the stories about the respect his son inspired and about his son’s courage. Afrikaner: An Afrikaans-speaking person in South Africa. Chapter 20 Characters: Jarvis, Summary: Jarvis sits in his son’s house and looks at all his son’s books and papers. He noticed that his son seems to have admired Abraham Lincoln. Javis finds an article where his son argues that it is unacceptable to keep black South Africans unskilled in order to provide labor for the mines, to break up African family life by housing only black workers. Permissible: permitted; allowed.

Chapter 21 Characters: Mr. Harrison, Jarvis, Summary: Arthur’s funeral was packed with people from every walk of life, and for the first time Jarvis sits in church with black people and shakes their hands. Mr. Harrison tells Jarvis he wants to now get revenge, Jarvis states it to early for this, Mr. Harrison shows Jarvis a manuscript that Arthur was working on the day he was killed. Arthur argues that those who say God created black people to be unskilled laborers are un-Christian because they wish to prevent a segment of the populations from developing their God-given abilities. Jarvis and his wife grieve that Arthur’s life was cut off before he could finish his writing and his life’s work. Indignation: anger or annoyance provoked by what is perceived as unfair treatment. Chapter 22 Characters: Absalom, Arthur, Matthew, Johannes Parfuri, Mrs, Mkize, Kumalo. Summary: Absalom is in court to give his testimony of the murder, Though he gets himself involved in a un-Christian act of robbery, Absalom prays for forgiveness after he buries the weapon, He accepts his guilt and even confesses, knowing that he has done wrong. Unlike Johannes and Matthew, who do everything they can to escape blame. Incorruptible: not susceptible to corruption. Chapter 23 Characters: Father Beresford,, Sir Ernest Oppenheimer, Summary: The discovery of gold in Odendaalsrust was the priority announcement in town and in front page. The news of these new gold mines completely eclipses news of the Arthur Jarvis murder trial. Demonstrating that white South Africa, in general, care much more about wealth than about its dire race problems, here they focus on the power of money. Lease: a contract by which one party conveys land, property, services, etc., to another for a specified time, usually in return for a periodic payment. Chapter24 Characters; Arthur, James Jarvis Summary: James Jarvis forces himself to read his son’s essay, and in doing so, he takes the first step in fulfilling his recent wish to know his

son better. While father and son often disagreed in life, Arthur’s writings offer his father some comfort from the grave.

Chapter 25 Characters: Jarvis, Barbara Smith, Unfundisi, Kumalo, Arthur, Mrs. Smith, Summary: Jarvis and his wife visit Barbara his niece, while the women go out Mr Jarvis stays and reads the paper on crime and the gold rush, later there is a knock at the door a man who states is there to check on a friend who did housework for him. Mr. Jarvis shares a memory of Arthur when he was young. Chapter 26 Characters: Kumalo, Dubula, Tomlinson, Msimangu, John, Summary: Kumalo addresses a crowd with his powerful voice. A police captain reports to his officer that John Kumalo is dangerous and comments on the power of his voice. Both officers feel if there will be a strike, if so it can be a nasty business. Later there was trouble at the mines, and three black miners are killed, but the strike that did start never spreaded. Chapter 27 Characters: Mrs. Lithebe, Gertrude, Kumalo. Summary: Gertrude blames Johannesburg for her corrupted lifestyle, she tells Absalom’s girlfriend that she’s thinking of being a nun, and when she does get to that point will she promise to take care of her son. Later a neighbor brings a paper that states there has been another murder during a break-in by a native. Lithebe worries that the news may hurt Absalom’s case, Lithebe decides to hide the paper from Kumalo till after dinner. Chapter28 Characters: Absaloms, Arthur, Johannes, Matthew, Mr. Carmichael, Summary: The judge delivers his verdict on Absalom’s crime, the judge declares Johannes and Matthew not guilty, and still hopes to find further investigation into their previous criminal activities. The judge turns all his attention to Absalom. He agrees with many of Mr. Carmichael’s arguments and Absalom’s remorse and honesty and his youth but finds Absaloms guilty due to Absalom taking a loaded revolver in to the house and the servant was struck with an iron bar

demonstrates an intention to kill. The judge finds no grounds for mercy, which means that Absalom is sentenced to hang. Chapter 29 Character: Father Vincent, Kumalo, Gertrude, Msimangu, Absalom, Absalom’s girlfriend, Jarvis, Mrs. Lithebe, John, Matthew, Harrison, Summary: Father Vincent, Kumalo, Gertrude, Msimangu, and Absalom’s girlfriend, and his father gather in a final meeting, Absaloms sends his last savings and possessions to help with the upkeep of his son. Kumalo is very upset and can’t forgive Matthew and Johannes for abandoning Absalom. Absalom and his girlfriend get married, Kumalo’s religion is as offensive to John as John’s politics are to Kumalo, both brothers thru this have hurt each other. Then Kumalo falls to his knees and decides to send John a letter to apologize for his actions.