Bolshevik Revolution

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Theme Interpretation of Book I

    Cry, the Beloved Country is about a priest who reconciles with his family (the broken tribe). There are many challenges the priest, Stephen Kumalo, faces including situations with his family. In the book, Alan Paton reveals countless prominent themes. Three illustrations of Paton's pronounced themes are, caring for family, protecting culture, and inequality and injustice. Alan Paton highlights these three themes because he wants us to take a glimpse at what the average family may struggle upon.

    During Kumalo's journey in Johannesburg, he has a major conflict with his family. Family is a primary theme in the book; Paton shows Stephen Kumalo's acceptance of his family (John Kumalo, Gertrude, and Absalom) and their lifestyles. Stephen Kumalo may not agree with his families choices in life, but he will still support and care for them. ''His eyes fill with tears, his deep gentleness returns to him. He goes to her and lifts her from the floor to the chair. Inarticulately he strokes her face, his heart filled with pity." (41) This quote is when Stephen Kumalo confronts Gertrude and feels betrayed for what she has done. ''I have searched in every place for you.'' (132) This text evidence describes Kumalo and Abaslom meeting again; it shows how compassionate his tireless journey has been to find his son, only to be disappointed by Absalom's reactions. Regardless the fact, you may not pick your family, but you still love and care for them...

    Stephen Kumalo encounters numerous situations having to deal with his family, but one of the more prominent reasons as to why he is in Johannesburg is to repair the broken tribe. Not only is Reverend Kumalo there to find his family and make sure they are doing well, but he is also there to protect the culture of the family. Once he passes away, the family tradition will be in need of a family member to help continue the culture along until the next generation. Kumalo contemplates whether his broken family is religiously prepared to carry on the family culture, after what he hears and sees, his decision is rather skeptical. ''I hope I shall not hurt you further. Your brother has no use for the Church any more. He says what God has not done for South Africa, man must do.'' (55) ''You have shamed us, in a low voice, not wishing to make it known to the world. A liquor seller, a prostitute, with a child and you do not know where it is?'' (61) It is questionable if the Kumalo family is ready or has the culture changed, and will the broken tribe ever be repaired?

     As Stephen Kumalo and Msimangu prepare to get on the bus, they are stopped and told they cannot get on because of the boycott. Reverend Kumalo struggles with countless situations, including segregation and crime; shortly after Kumalo arrives in Johannesburg, he encounters native crime and is robbed of his money. Native crime and segregation are huge issues in Johannesburg, and that is what makes the life of a black African difficult to live his or her life in peace. ''Shall I get your ticket for you, umfundisi. Have you your money for the ticket?'' Where is the ticket office, my friend?" ''You have been cheated, umfundisi." (48-49) "It is a long way, umfundisi. Eleven miles." "That is a long way, for an old man." "Men as old as you are doing it every day, unfundisi. And women, and some that are sick, and some crippled, and children." (74) It is not only unfair for the black people to live, but it is the fact that the white people do not think it is fair as well.

   Cry, the Beloved Country reveals many themes in the book that show what might the average family household may be dealing with. This book contains a widespread amount of different themes that can all relate to family; all themes trace back to family one way or another. Family issues can be viewed in this book, including, a predominantly religious family, but a few family members who are not; a family who does not communicate or see one another anymore; and a family who is unsure of what decisions should be made and where go to from that point. All family types can be seen in this book at one point in their lives because whether your family is doing well or not so well, all families have their downfalls in life. Stephen Kumalo's main role in this book is to bring his family out of their downfall and repair the broken tribe so the family can be a whole again.

I Believe...

A belief is an opinion or conviction; it is what you believe is true and what you hold strong
emotions for. I believe that what comes around goes around. I do not necessarily consider I
believe in karma; I do believe that what you have done to one person will come and get you
either positively or negatively. What you do to people, should be done to you; treat others
the same way you want to be treated.

I remember it like it was yesterday. I was at school, and this girl passed me in the hallway. I always thought she was stuck up and snooty, or like she was always judging me. Whether
she liked me or not, I would smile at her because it never hurts to smile at others . The next
day, we passed each other and she said "hey", which quite frankly took me by surprise. Not only did she say hey, but she asked me where I lived, which was not creepy at all.

Once I told her my address, which I was being cautious and questionable as to why
she wants it.  She tells me that  I am the only person each day that she is excited to see,
because I always smile at her everyday.  It shocked me that my simple smile can make
someone's day a hundred times better.  After I gave her my address, I headed to class.  When I got there, I ask my friends about the girl.  They said she has been dealing with the death of her father, the person she was the closet to.  I immediately realized why she said what she said and it meant the world that someone has shown a light in her darkest days.

That afternoon, she came over to my house and we talked and laughed until we cried. I could see it in her eyes and by the way she talked about her father that she truly missed him. Her father was her best friend and she told anything and everything to him. Now that he is gone, she does not have anyone there to comfort her. As we were talking about her father, she mentioned to me how she appreciated me being there for her in her darkest days. I honestly can say that I have never been moved in such a way as I was in this situation. From that point on, I decided that I would never judge anyone based on first impressions.

It turned out that the girl I thought was stuck up and judgmental just needed a friend to
talk to. We are now the best of friends. So remember, do not judge a book by its cover, and get to know the person first. My belief is that what goes around, comes around, thankfully. I can be someone's light and happiness during their darkest days. My simple smile changed her whole  perspective on life. I came into her life at her time of need.

Aunt Kay's Sour Cream Pound Cake

Ingredients:

• 1 box of Duncan Hines yellow, batter cake
• 4 eggs
• 1-8 ounce carton of sour cream
• 3/4 cup of Wesson oil
• 1/2 cup of sugar

Preparation:

Get out one box of Duncan Hines yellow, batter cake. In a large mixing bowl, crack four eggs and mix the eggs into the mixing bowl.

Aunt Kay was always in her kitchen making all sorts of food, either it was her famous chicken enchiladas or her delicious sour cream pound cake. The oven was always heated to 350 degrees to place all the varieties of food she was making at that moment in the oven. Even if it was a holiday or just a get-together, Aunt Kay had a meal prepared for an army, so to speak.

Scoop out of the tub and place one to eight ounces of sour cream into the mixing bowl. Then, pour three-fourths cup of Wesson oil, and also a half cup of sugar. Once all the ingredients have been placed into the bowl, mix and stir until all the clumps have disappeared.

I can hear my cousins Andrew and Nathan zooming through the house playing with their mini toy cars. I heard my Uncle Steve yelling:

"Be quiet! I'm trying to watch the Arkansas football game!"

"Yes sir."- says the boys.

After being yelled at, Andrew and Nathan stop running with their cars and fighting with each other, and they go back to my cousin John's old room to play with their toy cars without being yelled at.

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.

"Brissa!"- the searching and worrisome Avery shouts my name to come and watch "Dora the Exployer" with her.

Subsequently, I go to my cousin's John's old room to see what all her fuss is. I sat down and watched "Dora the Exployer" with her. Fifteen minutes into watching the show, me and Avery hear giggles and laughter. So, we look under the bed, and out pops Andrew and Nathan. They crawled out from under the bed and dash out of the room like the house was on fire.

Get out a bunt cake pan and spray the pan evenly, either with Pam or Baker's Joy, both will do the same.

I follow not far behind the boys to see where they are running to. We eventually run into my Uncle Steve's office where my brother Phillip and cousin Nicholson are. Asking them what they are playing, I am cut short with the answer of:

"Call of Duty!"- sharply replies Phillip.

Teasing, I ask:

"Can I play?" 

"Sure"- says Nicholson.

"You don't even know how to work the remote control!"- rudely comments Phillip.

"True!"- I reply.

After all the teasing from my attempt to shoot figures on a video game, I head into the kitchen where the adults are doing their annual gossiping to one another. Exaggerating from the starvation of hunger, I ask when is the cake going to be ready.

"About ten more minutes"- replies Aunt Kay.

Sneaking a chip with cheese dip on it, my hand is swatted by Uncle Steve's hand protecting his delicious sausage cheese dip he made. I shoved the chip into my mouth while my Uncle Steve is jokingly staring me down for taking some of his cheese dip.

Once the timer goes off for 325 degrees, place the cake pan filled with cake batter into the oven for forty-five to sixty minutes.

I walk around the house to see where all the commotion is going on, and I find my mom, Grandma, and Aunt Carolyn in the dining room where my mom is telling about when Nathan went to the dentist to get his cavity filled, and she mentioned how hysterical he was on the laughing gas, you could hear their laughter from China! I sat down to see what the uproar of laughter was all about.

Then, when forty-five minutes have past, open the oven and test the cake to make sure it is done, where there is no batter on the cake tester.

We are then joined by Aunt Kay. All of a sudden, out of nowhere, a paper airplane zooms over our heads and crashes into the kitchen. Five seconds later, two more come out of nowhere, and out yells Nathan:

"It's the Koreans!"

We die of laughter.

Then yells Andrew: "It's the Japanese!"

After we are covered in paper airplanes from the battle, we move into the kitchen to finish Nathan's dentist visit.

When the timer goes off for when the cake is ready, let it cool for a few minutes in the pan, then invert onto a cake plate. Once it has cooled down, sprinkle powdered sugar on the top of it, and enjoy!

Aunt Kay slices the pound cake like a pie into pieces so that everyone gets a slice, and hands out the plates filled with slices of pound cake. Before you know it, Andrew and Nathan come dashing back into the kitchen, asking for a second piece. Aunt Kay gives them another, and joins the rest of the group in the dining room where there is silence, it is so quiet you can hear a pin drop. No one is speaking because we are all enjoying the amazing sour cream pound cake that is always made by the one and only, Aunt Kay.

thINK assignment: Robin Roberts

“A Chat With The Most Trusted Woman On Television” In Reader’s Digest issue June 2013

                Trust is tricky business; the most important factor of a person is whether you can trust them. Robin Roberts is not only one of Good Morning America’s news anchors, but she is “The Most Trusted Woman On Television”. Robin Roberts has inspired and touched many lives with her story of overcoming Breast Cancer and a bone marrow transplant. She has given the real definition of trust, and what it symbolizes.

            In this interview with Editor-in-chief Liz Vaccariello and Robin Roberts, they sit down and talk about the real meaning of trustworthy. Trust is not something that can be earned right away, it takes time to earn trust from anyone. An example of how Roberts exhibits her trust is when she shared her story of struggle with America and allowed everyone to know what she went through. Anyone who gets up and shares her journey with the world is genuinely trustworthy, and shows she has a “real” personality. Another example of how being trusting allows you to impact others, is Roberts’ passion for her job. Roberts says: “The viewers really feel like they have a relationship with you. I truly want people to have a great day.” Since the viewers actually feel Robin cares for them, they will listen and be open-eared for anything she says because they have a trust connection with her.

            One of the most important virtues for a person to have is trust; without trust you cannot have a firm foundation with someone else. Roberts states: “All my mom and dad wanted was for us [her, her brother and sisters] to be trustworthy citizens. And there’s a responsibility that goes with that, and it’s not something I take lightly”. The respect that Roberts has for her parents cannot be affected by what anyone says to the contrary. Another example of building trust between someone is having respect for them. Roberts says: “Every time I would leave my house in high school, my mother would always say”, “Robin, you know right from wrong.” Roberts’ mother is correct in that statement. Do what you think is the better option and you should never be in a toss.

            Trusting someone is not always easy;  you don’t always  know who is the “fake” or “real” character. Your trust can sometimes be placed in misfortunate hands. Robin Roberts is “The Most Trusted Woman On Television” for a reason. Robin knows how to connect with people and let them know they are cared for. Trusting someone is very challenging at times, but all that matters is that there is a firm foundation that the trust is built on.

(Word count: 450)

18 words + 1 image = My Story