Writing Techniques in Cry, the Beloved Country

Cry, the Beloved Country Techniques

Cry, the Beloved Country's style is distinctive and unique. The diction, the symbolism, the imagery fit in perfectly with the Biblical language in which the novel has been written. The diction is simple, with noncomplex sentences, and is heavily Biblical since the protagonist, Stephen Kumalo, is a simple village parson. Kumalo is not a deeply philosophical figure. He has been educated in a missionary school where emphasis is laid on the Bible and on the three R's. Paton also uses Zulu and Afrikaans-based words to reflect the South African setting of the novel. The author himself has provided a glossary of non-English words used in the text.

The dialogue in Cry, the Beloved Country is very realistic, typographically distinct, and mirrors the linguistic and sociological realities of the various ethnic groups in the novel. Whenever any character, especially Kumalo, deals with questions of an imponderable nature or with...
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