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This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. Which of the following is NOT something Kumalo and his wife were saving money for?

2. Which of the following is NOT an excuse Absalom gives for shooting Jarvis?

3. What is the reformatory worker’s main concern about Absalom’s involvement in the murder?

4. Which of the following is John’s main political agenda?

5. When Kumalo et al. visit Absalom’s girl, how long has it been since she last saw Absalom?

Short Essay Questions

1. Explain the irony of the death of Arthur Jarvis at the hands of a black person.

2. Briefly discuss John’s hypocritical attitude towards both the church and tribal chiefs.

3. What are two ways Absalom seems to have been getting into trouble since moving to Johannesburg?

4. Describe two sides of the debate that whites have about “native crime” as indicated in the conversations in Chapter 12.

5. Describe Kumalo’s initial physical reaction when the white reformatory worker comes to apologize. Why does Kumalo behave this way? What effect does it have on the white reformer?

6. What unofficial title do most members of Ndotsheni bestow on Kumalo’s wife, and what does it signify?

7. What does Kumalo tell Father Vincent worries or saddens him about the way Absalom is handling his arrest?

8. What happens to Kumalo as soon as he arrives in Johannesburg? How does this reinforce his feelings about the city?

9. Briefly discuss all the places Kumalo and Msimangu visit in their search for Absalom.

10. What additional errand does a friend of Kumalo’s ask him to run while he is in the city? How does this reflect the themes of the novel?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Discuss the historical context of Cry, the Beloved Country. When was this novel written? What real-life experiences influenced the author in this work? How does the novel reflect upon the political and social atmosphere of South Africa?

Essay Topic 2

Analyze and discuss the character of Msimangu in Cry, the Beloved Country. Where does Msimangu live? What is his relationship to Kumalo? How would you describe Msimangu's perspective on life and the events in the novel?

Essay Topic 3

Who or what serves as the antagonist in Cry, the Beloved Country? What are examples of ways that this antagonist acts as an obstacle to the protagonist's objectives? What symbolism and themes are connected with this antagonist?

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