Alan Paton includes many themes throughout his novel Cry, The Beloved Country. To me, his most prominent theme in the book would have to be the conflict between father and son. Stephen Kumalo begins his journey in search of his son. For quite some time, he has not heard from or spoken to his son after he moved away from the tribe. The father and son have transformed from a strong bond to a pair of strangers in the matter of months. This has become a large contributor to the breakdown of the family. Conversely, James Jarvis begins the story knowing where his son is, but he will not be able to talk to him anytime soon. These two relationships are what drives the story forward.
The first example that displays the conflict between father and son is with Stephen and Absalom Kumalo. The search for Absalom reveals many astonishing things to Stephen Kumalo. Coming from a strong religious background, stealing and murder are the last things Stephen Kumalo was expecting to find out about his son. Absalom has steered away from the ways in which he was raised, which has caused a deep disappointment in his father. "...and was again moved to tears, this time by the dejection of his son..." (pg. 153). This quote proves that his father truly cares for his son, but he cannot help but feel disappointed as a result of his son's actions. I think that this conflict shows that even the strongest of bonds can break apart without communication between each other.
Another example of this theme would be the conflict between Arthur and James Jarvis, two other characters in the novel. This conflict is not so much related to disappointment between father and son, but the diminishing bond between the two. The quote, "But I wish now that I knew more of him", shows that the lack of communication between Arthur and James Jarvis deeply affects the bond between them. Without communication, there is no way of bringing the two closer together. You can tell that James Jarvis regrets not keeping in touch with his son. I believe that a strong bond is very important for a family. It is best to keep a strong bond with family, there is always the chance that they will never be seen again.
The conflict between father and son is one of the biggest themes in this book. The reader sees a constant battle within each family. Whether it be disappointment, a lack of communication, or a diminishing bond between father and son. This conflict is what drives the book forward. It keeps the anticipation running through the readers' minds.
