Fear In Cry, The Beloved Country

In today’s world, people can do limitless things and reach huge achievements in their lifetimes. However, there seems to be a constant hindrance to these doings, essentially keeping them in check and preventing limitless power. Fear works like disease, seemingly harmless at first until it consumes a body, preventing activity and happiness from the sick person. In most cases and given a severe enough sickness, the afflicted is not able to get better without outside intervention through medical aid from a hospital or doctor. Such is the same for fear, where it can grow to be unbeatable, consuming an entire person. Fear plays a large part as an oppressive and consistent force, shown in Alan Paton’s Cry, The Beloved Country, which can entirely

Absalom’s fear and paranoia cause him to do many foolish things, essentially pushing himself deeper and deeper into the pit of fear with each action. Through multiple crimes Absalom commits, he becomes more and more fearful of the police and is essentially constantly running and hiding. Absalom says, “I was afraid, I was afraid. I never meant to shoot him” (Paton 195). Absalom overreacts when he sees the owner to the house he breaks into, and shoots Arthur because of fear of the outcome of the event. His fear spirals out of control with each wrong action he commits, and he eventually is penalized with the death sentence. Consistent fear and guilt drive Absalom into more fear and his eventual demise because of a few simple wrongdoings.
Although grieved from unintentional murder of a white man, Absalom is able to accept his outcome because of compassion from his father, Stephen Kumalo. Stephen persists on finding his son before his death, and Absalom feels wholesome after Stephen forgives Absalom for his actions. Absalom dies knowing that although the punishment is harsh, it is his fault and can remember the few pleasures in his life, namely his wife, child, and Stephen. Through Stephen, Absalom is able to die with little fear and be put to rest