Cry the Beloved Country dialectical journal
Cry, the Beloved Country
Dialectical Journals
Theme: Racial Inequality & Injustice
Quote
Response
“Kumalo climbed into the carriage for non-Europeans, already full of the humbler people of his race…” (43)
How there’s a carriage exclusively for non-Europeans is understandable at the time period that this novel is set in, but people who read this in the 21st century might think that this is odd how Europeans couldn’t stand to ride in the same carriage as non-Europeans.
“Black and white it says, black and white, though it is red and green. It is too much to understand.” (47)
The order it goes, black and white then red and green. It shows you that the whites are more superior because they are the sign to go, and the blacks have to stop and wait. The whites always get first word on things and blacks have to settle with that the whites left them.
“They talked of young criminal children and older and more dangerous criminals, of how white Johannesburg was afraid of black crime.” (52)
How it says “black crime” is just wrong. There is such thing as white crime too, but apparently the white people don’t think that white crime is just as dangerous as black crime. It shows how scared they were of people of different races and think that just because of your color you are prone to do more dangerous things.
“That is a pity, says Msimsngu. I am not a man for segregation, but it is a pity that we are not apart. They run trams from the centre of the city, and part is for Europeans and part for us. But we are often thrown off the trams by young hooligans. And our hooligans are ready for trouble too.” (58)
It’s sort of sad how this is a person who doesn’t believe in segregation, but feels the need to be apart from the other race. When someone is being hostile towards you it’s not a good feeling, so of course you wouldn’t want to be near that individual. I think in this setting and time it’s understandable that someone would feel this way about being separated.
Kumalo’s face wore the
Dialectical Journals
Theme: Racial Inequality & Injustice
Quote
Response
“Kumalo climbed into the carriage for non-Europeans, already full of the humbler people of his race…” (43)
How there’s a carriage exclusively for non-Europeans is understandable at the time period that this novel is set in, but people who read this in the 21st century might think that this is odd how Europeans couldn’t stand to ride in the same carriage as non-Europeans.
“Black and white it says, black and white, though it is red and green. It is too much to understand.” (47)
The order it goes, black and white then red and green. It shows you that the whites are more superior because they are the sign to go, and the blacks have to stop and wait. The whites always get first word on things and blacks have to settle with that the whites left them.
“They talked of young criminal children and older and more dangerous criminals, of how white Johannesburg was afraid of black crime.” (52)
How it says “black crime” is just wrong. There is such thing as white crime too, but apparently the white people don’t think that white crime is just as dangerous as black crime. It shows how scared they were of people of different races and think that just because of your color you are prone to do more dangerous things.
“That is a pity, says Msimsngu. I am not a man for segregation, but it is a pity that we are not apart. They run trams from the centre of the city, and part is for Europeans and part for us. But we are often thrown off the trams by young hooligans. And our hooligans are ready for trouble too.” (58)
It’s sort of sad how this is a person who doesn’t believe in segregation, but feels the need to be apart from the other race. When someone is being hostile towards you it’s not a good feeling, so of course you wouldn’t want to be near that individual. I think in this setting and time it’s understandable that someone would feel this way about being separated.
Kumalo’s face wore the