Cry The Beloved Country Essay

Choose a book you recently read that addresses a culture other than your own. Without summarizing the book, explain how this work of fiction or nonfiction transformed your understanding of that culture and your own.

I recently read "Cry, the Beloved Country". This novel gave me a in depth look into the culture of both the blacks and whites in Africa, and how that compares to my culture. I can honestly say that I do not experience the clash between African Americans and Whites in my every day life. I do however whiteness much discrimination against Hispanics every day. This discrimination is similar that of the whites belief in the falsehoods of a black mans word and integrity in the novel. Before I read this enlightening novel I never seemed to notice this obvious prejudice around me. Today I see it done to my friends, and I even catch myself doing it. I see now that this is not only wrong and unfair, it also closes windows of opportunity. If you decide not to associate with, or trust some one due to their color, you could miss out on knowing a great person.

"Cry, the Beloved Country" doesn't just show the negative side of the old African culture, but also some good. The characters in the novel came to the same conclusion that I did. If you don't give someone a chance, they can't surprise you. A black man, Stephen Kumalo, takes a chance and trusts a man, and pours his heart out. In the end the man, James Jarvis, surprises him in the best way. By helping not only Stephen, but all the people around him. Enlightening me once again in the idea that race and color can be overlooked and should be.

Please offer any additional thoughts you wish to have considered by the Honors Program selection committee. In particular, what in your background or future plans draw you to this program?

My background has been filled with good grades, imence amounts of extra curricular activities, hour upon hour of community service and lost of success. But this is not why I am drawing to this particular program. I am drawn to this program because I enjoy working hard, I love new experiences and am always seeking a challenge. I believe this is the program for me. It will push me to my limits, it will allow experience I could never dream of and it will the standard I seek to achieve.