Diana Bresson
English Period D
Cry, the Beloved Country Essay
11/25/00
The characters, Absalom and Stephen, are exact
opposites in the Bible. Absalom is a traitor to his father,
David. Stephen becomes the first martyr for the Christian
faith. Absalom was murdered because he turned the people
of Israel against king David. Stephen was killed because of
his faith, and his death was a symbol of the general
persecution of Christians.
I think Paton made his character Absalom Kumalo from
Absalom of the Bible, because Absalom Kumalo?s life
paralleled Absalom of the Bible. Absalom Kumalo was
sentenced to death for his wrong doings, as was Absalom
from the Bible. Although Kumalo and biblical Absalom have
done different evils, they were both punished equally. Their
deaths also brought sorrow to both of their fathers.
Also, I believe Stephen Kumalo paralleled Stephen of
the Bible, because they both were religious and fought for
the same cause. Both Stephens believe in God, and they
took religious matters as a way of life. Even though Stephen
Kumalo wasn?t murdered, he was still persecuted because of
his beliefs. Both their lives symbolized peace and
righteousness in a world filled with evil. Stephen Kumalo?s
world of evil was Johannesburg, and biblical Stephen?s
world of evil was the Grecians.
Paton seemed to have many parallel characters in his
novel, even he had a parallel in the story. Absalom and
Stephen were another pair of characters who were parallels
to real people, if you believe in the Bible. Obviously enough
Paton did believe in the Bible to model his fictional characters
from them. I think it?s very interesting that Paton used
parallel characters from the Bible.