Cry, the Beloved Country: post-colonial literary theoryBibliography with 4 sources Cry, the Beloved Country by Alan Paton is a perfect example of post-colonial literature. South Africa is a colonized country that, in many ways, still lives under oppression. Although they no longer live under apartheid, indigenous Africans are treated as a minority, as they were when Paton wrote the book. This novel provides the author's political vision in both subtle and obvious ways. Looking at the skeleton of the novel, it is extremely clear that the relationship between colonized and colonizers, in this case blacks versus whites, governs the plot. Each character's race is provided and is associated with their place in life. A black man kills a white man, so that black man must die. A black umfundisi lives in a desolate valley, while a white farmer lives high up on a rich plot of land. White men are taken to court for even the simple act of giving a black man a ride. This is not a subtle point, the reader is immediately struck by the diversity in the lives of South Africans. The finer details of the book are what can really be seen in terms of postcolonial theory. The fact that a native Zulu, Stephen Kumalo, is a priest of Christianity and speaks English, communicates how the colonized live. None of these practices are native to his land, but they are treated by everyone as if they were. Small phrases are woven into the plot to further this point, such as the recurring European greetings. Another emphasis is on the learned customs of the people. In court, when Kumalo learns that his son will be hanged, he is moved that a white man breaks custom to help him out. When the white boy raised his cap to Kumalo, he "felt a strange pride that it was so, and a strange humility that it was so, and a wonder that the little boy did not know the custom." (p. 234). The fact that this small courtesy was taken so heavily is damning from a postcolonial point of view. Kumalo is so accustomed to the ways of the land that he dares not think that he deserves even this respect. Napoleon Letsisi is the character who reveals the author's significant political conviction.