Cry, the Beloved Country Essay

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City vs. Tribal Most siblings have disagreements. In the story Cry, the Beloved Country, two brothers, Stephen and John Kumalo, have different views on culture and residence. Stephen likes the small town, Ndotsheni. John likes the big city, Johannesburg. Who do you agree with? I would like to keep traditional and cultural values, but also have my own values. John Kumalo sees things differently in Johannesburg. He says, “Down in Ndotsheni I am nobody, even as you are my brother. I am a man of some importance, of some influence” (66). John feels like he matters in Johannesburg. He is not anything in Ndotsheni. He explains to Stephen that Johannesburg is changing every day. He even has his own business. “Here in Johannesburg it is the mines” (69). John brags about Johannesburg having big buildings and having the biggest hospital south of the equator. Everything is built with gold from the mines. Overall, John really loves Johannesburg. The city is not very religious though. Stephen Kumalo hates the city of Johannesburg. It is too much for him. He is used to his town, Ndotsheni. Johannesburg doesn't have much religion, which is an important factor to him. “After seeing Johannesburg he would return with a deeper understanding to Ndotsheni” (120). He knows that Johannesburg is no good for his family and him. His sister is a prostitute. His son is a thief and murderer, and he is going to have a grandchild with no name. “The tribe was broken, and would be mended no more” (120). He knows the tribe is gone and will never be together again. Johannesburg has torn his family apart. I would prefer to live in a big city with some traditional and cultural values and having my own values than to live in a small town. There are pros and cons to both. The pros of living in a big city are more money, better care, and more job opportunities. The cons of living in a big city are more

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