Paton Essay, Research Paper

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.