Presentation on "The Twelve"

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Cry, the Beloved Country

"Who knows for what we live, and struggle, and die?” “Wise men write many books, in words to hard to understand but this, the purpose of our lives, the end of all our stuggle, is beyond all human wisdom.”

There are three different themes in this novel, Cry, The Beloved Country like Reconciliation between father and son, The Barbarous Chain of Inequality, and Corruption in Christianity. They all are prominent themes at this point of the novel.

The Reconciliation between father and son is an awesome theme to begin wth. In Cry, The Beloved Country it begins as a search of a father for his son in a town where no one returns. For Kumalo, the search is a physical search. He takes money from his savings and he takes time from his life to search for his son Absalom in Johannesburg. Most of Kumalo’s stops yields to the craziest indications to where Absalom has been. These indications show a blueprint of what Absalom has become since he has moved to Johannesburg. As Kumalo goes from door to door searching for his son he finds out that his son has alternated from factory worker to a burglar, then from a shinning young man to a killer. When Kumalo is finally reunited with his son, they are basically strangers. On the other hand the trial and the bad things going on bring them closer together like father and son should be.

The Barbarous Chain of Inequality is also a prominent theme in Cry, The Beloved Country. As Kumalo searches for his son Johannesburg has been going through a colossal phase of inequality. The blacks in South Africa are not allowed to own land, their crops on their land is taxed greatly. Johannesburg has lead Gertrude and Absalom into the wrong direction, since this has happened they both turn to the life of delinquency. In need of money the blacks begin to rob the white people’s homes, “couple robbed and beaten in lonely house, four native arrested.” When the blacks act in such a way the whites need to help the blacks fade away. As a result to this the blacks find themselves exposed to more injustice. The blacks and whites say their actions are only cause of the violence’s that has begun to occur. There is no understanding from the blacks or whites so inequality and injustice will never end.

The last theme for Cry, The Beloved Country is Corrpution in Christianity.In the awful adversity that Kumalo encounter, his only consolation comes from his belief and faith in god. As he finds out about his son his belief and faith is tested, so he seeks help from his priest. Kumalo spends time praying for all the souls lost in Johannesburg and the damaged civilization of his village. According to Msimangu, religion is Africa’s only way of bypassing the explosions of Africa’s racial tensions. Corruption is the agony of the people, the crying of the land, the discord of society, and the mourning of the individual. As Absalom stops having faith it seems like the only way to survive is to turn to the life of crime, instead of praying and hoping things get better. Without faith the people of Johannesburg think they will never get anything unless they rob or kill for it. Alan Paton, the author, suggests that an effective way to rid the land of this terrible disease would be to dispose of the infected parts or aspects and rebuild them completely without any contaminated attributes. In the end of it all without faith and beliefs there will always be corruption.

"I have one great fear in my heart, that one day when they are turned to loving, they will find we are turned to hating." Reconciliation between father and son, The Barbarous Chain of Inequality and Corruption in Christianity are themes at this point but there is more to come in this amazing novel Cry, the Beloved Country.

Iman Turner

19November 2012

Ms. Harmon

Pre-AP English 10

Summer

            “Oh wow the first day of summer time for some excitement.”

I am jumping with joy wondering what fun is waiting for me this summer .as I am getting ready for some excitement my dad announces that we are going to Texas again to visit my over powering grandmother.

Trying to sound happy I say “yes I am ready for the fun not really” I whisper softly.

Remembering the awful summer in Texas last year, I began to get a flashback picking and eating greens all summer long not able to go outside or talk on the phone. Jumping at that awful flashback I say

“Are you serious not this year please no” with a smile my dad replies “I am going to Texas you guys can go to North Carolina with yawls uncle or go to Texas with me.”

Without hesitation I say North Carolina of course my brother and sister say Texas some real suck ups I’ll say. As I pack my bags my phone rings. I look at the caller ID and I see China I answer the phone and we talk until my uncle comes and pick me up. China tells me that her dog died and she is really sick, wondering why she called to tell me this I say I’ll text you later and I’m sorry for you’re lost.

As I get into the car and prepare for the long drive to North Carolina. While in the car I am reminiscing about last summer remembering that I will miss the fun games and laughs with my grandmother but I won’t miss the cooking and eating greens every day. Feeling bad about abandoning my grandmother I call her and tell her I am sorry but I will see you this next year.

Forgetting about the sad moment I get happy again because we stop for lunch at Applebee’s. I just love their wings.

As we make it to my uncle house he pulls up in his drive way and wakes me up saying “we are here get up sleepy head.” I jump out the car ready for the fun, as I get comfortable my uncle introduces me to his new girlfriend Shan and she has a son name Chris.

Chris says “do you remember me I use to go to school with you in the 2^nd grade.” Looking confused I say “don’t remember sorry.”

Why didn’t I remember him? The question puzzled me all day until I went to bed, the thought woke me up then I remembered. It was like a light bulb had sparked in my head. Around the 2nd grade my mother died and i chose to stop remembering everyone even my best friends. I cried every night after she died thinking why her she was a good person? The thought of my mother death sparked the soft side of me that I try to avoid. Sitting up in the dark room crying.

Chris walks in and asks "why are you crying?"

I reply with "I remember why I didn’t remember you."

I explained the situation and he said "it’s cool but try to get some sleep you are in for some fun tomorrow."

As I wake up the next morning we eat some amazing breakfast. Thinking to myself no greens today yeah!

Getting to know Chris again was fun him telling me old stories about when we were young, he also told me he had a crush on me in the 2nd grade. Thinking how could you have feelings that young?

 After Chris and I relived the past he asked me did i want to go to the movies tomorrow "of course" I replied.

Later that day we went to the beach and made some sand castles and laugh at the women and men with bathing suits to small for them.

Chris wanted me to come in the water but I couldn’t swim. So he promised to teach me and I was all up for learning new things so what bad could happen. Swimming is like riding a bike right I thought to myself silently. As I get in the water Chris pulls me out and lets me go.

Yelling for help he says "kick your legs and swim to me that’s how I learned to swim."

Thinking this is life or death I do what I am told and I was swimming not very good but i was swimming. I make it back to the shore and everyone is jumping with joy happy with what i have accomplished. We get back in the car and go home and cook some hot wings and French fries. At the dinner table we enjoy some laughs at some old pictures of my dad when he was young it was too funny. After dinner we go to bed until the next day.

I slowly wake up to and amazing smell my uncle’s girlfriend was cooking some blueberry muffins they smell like heaven.

As we eat breakfast Chris and i got ready for some more excitement before the movies. We went to a water park and got on all the water slides now that I kind of knew how to swim i loved it now. It was my first water park it was a very great experience.

Done with the water park we go home and get ready for the movies. Then ten minutes later I get a call it’s from my dad telling me that my grandmother had a heart attack and i need to come home the doctors think it may be the last time we get to see her and all the family should be present." At that moment I didn’t know what to do first my mother now my grandmother what wrong with me everyone I love has to die why? I tell my uncle the bad news and we leave for the hospital immediately. Of course it took us a long time to make it to the hospital.

Finally we arrive at the hospital all i could think was its all my fault for not coming to visiting her. I walk into her room and she is talking but not very good.

I tell her “I am sorry for not coming this is my entire fault."

"It’s na your faulk hun."

She could not speak right but I understood what she was saying it’s not my fault honey.

I smile and tell her "it going to be alright you will make it through this grandma don’t die on me now."

The rest of my family walks in and my grandmother speaks her last words.

"It’s my time to go honey and i will miss you all and Iman take good care of my dog feed her every day I love you."

That was it she just lays their eyes close not a breath of air coming out of her and the doctors rush in trying to revive her but it was too late. The doctor slowly pulls the cover over her face and i quickly give her a kiss and whispered,

"I will never forget you grandma."

I thought my life was over and there was no point in living. Soon i realized everyone has to die some time we all cry and grieve but sooner or later we have to move on and forget about it.

As summer went on i tried to let it go and have fun but it was harder than learning how to swim. It was even hard for me to sit through her funeral and look at her lye there cold dark and in peace while each family member tells stories about her and pretend everything is all good. Everything is not good how could they smile and laugh at a time like this? After the funeral I go home and find this picture or her and hang it on my wall. School will be starting soon and I will need something to get me through the year after all I think I will be the most affected my death.

Still to this day the picture hangs and I look at it every once in a while her big bright smile and her beautiful eyes that could tell if something bothered you. As I stare at the picture I can’t help but think if only I would have came to visit her she would still be alive. My dad always tells me not to blame myself its okay she is in a better place now."

Remembering her last words i call Angle my grandmother's dog and I feed her.

 I cherish that little dog because it’s the only thing i have to remember my grandmother by besides the picture of her.

Soon summer ends and school begins i put the past in the past but i still go back and relive it everyonce in a while because that what my grandmother would want me to do.

The Beginning of it all!!!!!!!!!

  

    

   

 

I never became interested in reading books, when I was a little child I hated reading and anyone who read. Books where like hard and soft biscuits with lots of rolls. I believe my dislike for reading began when my mother died she used to read to be but after she died I lost interest.    I got back to reading in the 4^th grade at Marion School. It was the first time I started back reading since my mother died. Reading in the 4^th grade was like a competition, the more books you read the more points you get and the smarter you are. I was all up for being the smartest. Since the 4^th grade I now love to read but it’s hard to find good books that I am interested in. I like all kinds of book, books about someone life and want they have done. One of the first books I read was Judy B Jones of course one of the greatest kids books of all times. As I grew older my reading skills have gotten better. Now I’m in the 10^th grade I enjoy reading a lot I am currently reading Maximum Ride. Besides that, my reading has improved greatly and I can read a paragraph without sounding like a complete idiot. I often read now for enjoyment; spending long nights cuddled up in bed dived into some kind of James Patterson book. It took me a while to get the hang of things but you could say I have reading pretty down packed.

I am a unique person

I am a unique person

I am a unique person
I wonder why children cry
I hear the waves in my ear
I see pig flying
I want to be a successful lawyer
I am a unique person

I pretend to laugh at unfunny thing
I feel invincible at times
I touch every soul I met
I worry about hungry dogs
I cry at the sight of poverty
I am a unique person

I understand why people cry
I say your special in a way
I dream of going far away
I try to learn new things
I hope to make it big someday
I am a unique person

Iman Turner

     The theory about Magic Realism. Magic Realism is how we recognize the world although now not only because we have emerged from a dream, we look on it with new eyes.     The story A Very Old Man with Enormous Wings the people only see him as old, wore out, and very dirty. The people only failed to see his enormous wings witch appears to be on his back. In our world today we judge to quick and don't realize the important thing in life. Once this summer an old dirty man walks up to me and ask did I have any money but I was too quick to judge him and what he was about. After i realized he was a very nice man i had no problem with giving him money. Most people are treated bad but little thing like saying hey can make a persons day.    After they realized the man they gave him a place to stay it was not comfortable or friendly place to sleep it was there shed. Why wouldn't they give him a nice place to stay? Well I think its because they thought he was different and didn't belong. Although he may have looked different or act different in there eyes, he was no more different than them. In fact he was a human being just like them and deserved to be treated with respect.    Why are people cruel? Well I can gracefully say people are cruel because I too have been cruel. In the story A Very Old Man with Enormous Wings the children are mean to the old man they play and throw thing with and at him but for what reason. Well they didn't care about him they thought he is not one of us so treat him any kind of way. They thought that it gave them the right to step all over them and treat them like crap, but that not how we should do things its mean and very spiteful. When I say I have been cruel once I mean, once I called a person a name and laugh at them then I soon  realized that's not the way of life. We should not treat others like the people treated the old man  we should love and care for one another and the world could be a better place.