Segregation of the South African Nation

​In the novel , “Cry the beloved Country”, Alan Paton displays many themes as he describes the nation of South Africa. He describes the nation as begin completely separated by many factors. These factors include: race, religion, and location. This separation is known as segregation. Of the three factors, race is the number one contributor to the division of the nation. Natives face much discrimination as they attempt to continue their daily lives. This discrimination included separate buses, bathrooms, and living quarters. For this reason, Alan Paton uses segregation as a theme to inform the reader about the separation, to explain why it should be stopped, and to provide methods of curing South Africa of the disease of segregation.

        Using this theme, Paton displays the affect of segregation on South Africa. An example of this is Paton’s description in which he writes, “Where you stand the grass is and matted, you cannot see the soil. But the rich green hills break down. They fall to the valley below, and falling, change their nature (pg.33).” This example is used to compare the lives of the whites to the natives by using metaphors of the land of South Africa. The rich land is the life of the whites while the lives of the natives are represented by the valley below. As the novel progresses, Paton’s description of segregation eventually evolves into reasons why it should be stopped.

​Paton continues his novel by providing the reader with reasons why it should be stopped. Evidence of this is when Paton writes, “I see only one hope for our country, and that is when white men and black men, desiring neither power nor money, but desiring only the good of their country, come together to work for it (pg. 71).” In this quotation, Paton describes how much better life would be if all people of South Africa came together for the good of the country other than personal achievement. This quotation is prime example of Paton's goal of ending the segregation that has separated South Africa. If whites did not rely on the labor of the natives, the productivity of the nation would rise greatly with an ethnic union of workers.

         Paton not only provides the reader with reasons why it should be stopped, he also provides methods for stopping segregation as well. He states, "Peace, plenty, and contentment reign throughout our borders, and our beloved country presents a sublime moral spectacle to the world (pg.163)." This expounds to the  reader that it is possible to end segregation by providing the land of South Africa with peace. If the white and black man can live together in harmony then the land will have a chance of survival. If this idea was followed by today's society the world would be a better place, and war would not exist. Conflict would never arise, and everyone would live peaceful lives. This theme is used to describe the ideal society, and to represent Paton's own sort of utopia. Paton not only writes this novel for the entertainment of others, he writes to spread the message that segregation in South Africa should be stopped.