Summary:
In Cry the Beloved Country James Jarvis had a change of heart about the native people of South Africa. After he realized what his son was trying to do for them and began to help Stephen Kumalo's village.
James Jarvis, in Cry, the Beloved Country, hadn't ever concerned himself with the native people of South Africa during his entire life. However, when his son, Arthur, was killed by a native, Absalom Kumalo, he made an attempt to comprehend his son's efforts to bring justice to South Africa and end apartheid. Jarvis began to understand the problems between blacks and whites, which lead him to be sympathetic towards Stephen Kumalo, Absalom's father, and help his village.
When Stephen told James Jarvis that Absalom killed his son, James was compassionate and understanding. For example, when Stephen Kumalo first tells James about his connection to Arthur's death, he wasn't angry, in fact, he was sensitive towards him. James saw that Stephen was torn apart by this event and felt deeply moved. James had respect for Stephen and knew what he was going through since Stephen was about to lose his son, as well. Furthermore, after Stephen found out what he had originally come for he began to leave when James walked him out and said goodbye, in the traditional way. James had begun to interact on a more equal level with the natives. He was doing his best to change his ways in order to honor his son. James Jarvis uncharacteristically altered his behavior to be considerate to the natives, especially Stephen Kumalo.
James Jarvis returned to the High Place as a changed man and wanted to help the village below, Ndotsheni. For example, James paid for an agricultural demonstrator to go to the village and to teach the people to work the land successfully. James knew that the native people had a disadvantage to white people since they weren't able to get a proper education, which, in turn, affected their land. He cared about what happened to the valley and all of South Africa. In addition, when James' grandson finds out that the entire population of natives in Ndotsheni doesn't have milk, he runs to tell his grandpa, and sure enough, there was milk as a gift from James to the small children of the village. James was worried about what might have happened to the natives if he didn't help them. He wanted the rest of the village to prosper and continue to live there. James Jarvis helped the village a great deal more than any other white man in their history.
Arthur's death led James Jarvis to appreciate what his son was trying to do to rid the world of inequity. Out of respect for his son, James did so much for Stephen Kumalo and his village. James finally grasped the problem between blacks and whites and did something about it.
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