Patons Theme

       In, Cry, the Beloved Country, Paton discusses many themes over the course of Book I. Paton's theme can be interpreted as many different topics. Although secondary themes occur throughout the course of Book I, I believe the main theme is corruption and injustice. I believe this is the main theme of the book because in almost every scene of the book someone has either committed a crime or is facing injustice.
     
       Corruption is one of the main themes in Cry, the Beloved Country. There are many instances in Book I where once good people are committing crimes and indecencies. I believe that the only reason these people are committing such negative actions is because they have been corrupted. These formerly good hearted Natives are being corrupted and are having their Native heritage sucked out of them. These people are being changed by the city known as Johannesburg. As the book states, "All roads lead to Johannesburg," and ,"..once you go to Johannesburg, you do not come back." These are prime examples of how Natives are being corrupted of their Native ways by bad influences, the main one being the big city of Johannesburg.  Corruption is one of Alan Patons theme in Book I of his Cry , the Beloved Country.

      Injustice is another main theme in Book I of Cry, the Beloved Country. In Book I, injustice is just as common as corruption. In Johannesburg, Natives are always facing injustice from the Whites. Whites have been discriminating and oppressing the Natives for many years. At the start of the book an injustice is committed when Kumalo has just arrives in Johannesburg and a man steals his money. Johannesburg is well known for people to commit crimes and injustices all the time. Another example of an injustice in Book I is when Kumalos son, Absalom, murders Arthur Jarvis. Injustice is another main theme of Book I of Cry , the Beloved Country.
     
    The theme in Cry, the Beloved Country can be interpreted as many different things, but I believe that corruption and injustice are the main themes of Book I. Book I is full of instances were the preceding themes are apparent. I believe corruption and injustice are the main themes of Cry, the Beloved Country.