Alan Paton Essay

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BIOGRAPHY : ALAN PATON SCHEME OF WORK: 1. INTRODUCTION:- * Name of author / anti-apartheid activist - Alan Paton * Nasionality - South African 2. BODY:- PARAGRAPH 1: Paton was born in Pietermaritzburg, Natal Province (now Kwa Zulu-Natal), on 11 January 1903. Paton passed away on 12 April 1988 at the age of 85. PARAGRAPH 2: The author’s life story:- Early career After graduation, Paton worked as a teacher, first at the Ixopo High School and subsequently at a Maritzburg College. He served as the principal of Diepkloof Reformatory for young (African Black) offenders from 1935 to 1949, where he introduced controversial reforms of a progressive slant. Most notable among these were the open dormitory policy, the work permit policy, and the home visitation policy. Boys were initially housed in closed dorms. Once they had proven themselves trustworthy, they would be transferred to open dorms within the compound. Boys who showed high levels of trustworthiness would be permitted to work outside the compound. In some cases, boys were even permitted to reside outside the compound under the supervision of a care family. Interesting to note is that fewer than 1% of ten thousand boys given home leave, during Paton's years at Diepkloof, ever broke their trust by failing to return. After Publishing Paton volunteered for service during World War II, but was refused. After the war he took a trip, at his own expense, to tour correctional facilities across the world. He toured Scandinavia, England, continental Europe, and the United States of America. During his time in Norway, he began work on his seminal novel Cry, The Beloved Country, which he would complete over the course of his journey, finishing it on Christmas Eve in San Francisco in 1946. There, he met Aubrey and Marigold Burns, who read his manuscript and found a publisher to
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