HAH! im a superhero =)
im bored
bored superhero...
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if u even add .00000000001 to that, it becomes infinity =D lol
and yes im superkool =D
and melissa shud blog more
and do essay comments
=D
I Feel Like Blogging Right Now
14 years ago
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Melissa Yam April 14, 2008
English II H Essay
Ndotsheni Verses Johannesburg
In the celebrated children’s fable, Country Mouse, City Mouse, the country mouse realizes how different the city is from his rural home during his visit to his urban brother. Not only does the country mouse realize that city life differs from country life in regards to setting and atmosphere, but also, he realizes that values are also contrary between the two homes. As the country mouse comes to fully understand his brother’s city lifestyle, the country mouse also learns to be content with his own home in the country. Likewise, in Cry the Beloved Country, Alan Paton heavily accents the contrasting situations and characteristics of Ndotsheni and Johannesburg in order to bring out the problems in both areas and the solutions needed to solve them.
Although Ndotsheni and Johannesburg both exhibit a multitude of issues, whereas Ndotsheni’s problems stem from a lack of physical provisions, Johannesburg’s problems are a result of spiritual deprivation. The tribal people of Ndotsheni lack food, while the inhabitants of Johannesburg lack morals. “The titihoya does not cry” in Ndotsheni anymore, and the people are starving and dying, for “the maize hardly reaches the height of a man” (34). In fact, when Arthur Jarvis’ small, bright son asks Stephen Kumalo what happens to the babies who cannot afford to drink milk, Kumalo answers, “They die, my child. Some of them are dying now” (270). Ndotsheni’s inhabitants can hardly support themselves; they are dreadfully poor, sickly, weak, and tired. These people lose hope and become desperate, therefore, they leave Ndotsheni for Johannesburg in order to suppress their hunger. In leaving for Johannesburg, more problems arise, for not only is the tribe broken because the people leaving do not return, but also, in the city, the native people come face to face with temptation, sin, and immorality. For example, when Gertrude, an initially righteous, married woman, arrives in Johannesburg and fails to find her husband, she turns to prostitution and other unscrupulous activities to support herself. Through these means, she is fed, clothed, and sheltered; Gertrude is able to provide for herself better than had she stayed in Ndotsheni. However, she is “sick,” not physically sick, but “a worse kind of sickness” (53). She is unwell spiritually, for Johannesburg had trapped her into leading a life of immorality. From this kind and other kinds of immoral activities that Johannesburg offers, crimes, trespasses, and other problems escalate, throwing the city into a place of chaotic turmoil. Thus, Ndotsheni is a desolate village hungering for food, while Johannesburg is a tumultuous city in need of spiritual revival.
Furthermore, although industrialized Johannesburg is a land of job opportunities for many unemployed, desperate natives from Ndotsheni, many times, these very work situations in Johannesburg prove disappointing. Ndotsheni is indeed a rural place, an agricultural land plagued by drought and famine. The land “is not kept, or guarded, or cared for, it no longer keeps men, guards men, cares for men” (34). Unable to make a living off the land, the men and women leave Ndotsheni for Johannesburg in hopes to find new work. Johannesburg contrasts distinctly with the agricultural ruins of Ndotsheni. The city symbolizes industrialization, a “great place with all its tunnels under the ground… cars and buses one behind the other…lights [changing] from green to red” (47). Hope is emulated through the picture of industrialization, for people expect to find work in this land of opportunity. However, as much as the natives experience hope for better circumstances, they experience disappointment, for Johannesburg is a deceptive city. The natives are exploited, being used as cheap labor in mines, and although they might be better off compared to living in Ndotsheni, the natives are still desperately trying to support themselves in Johannesburg. Because of this, riots, boycotts, and criminal activities stemming from the natives ensue in Johannesburg. More job opportunities might be available in industrialized Johannesburg as compared to Ndotsheni; however, issues regarding work situations are demonstrated on both sides.
Taking into consideration the different traits and issues of Ndotsheni and Johannesburg, the problems of the two places can be solved. Because the most apparent issue in Ndotsheni is the lack of resources, certain measures to boost Ndotsheni’s economy should take place. This is already observed when James Jarvis attempts to help the natives repair their land by creating a dam and offering them the services of an agricultural demonstrator. Furthermore, as complicated as the problems of Johannesburg are, spiritual revivals are needed to overcome most of Johannesburg’s problems. However, the solutions to the issues in the two contrasting areas would not be known unless one takes the time to take a look at the bigger picture of the situations of both Ndotsheni and Johannesburg.
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