In the story Cry, the Beloved Country, Alan Paton uses setting to parallel the life of the main character in the story, Stephen Kumalo. This can by following Kumalo through various, relevant points in the story. Before Stephen leaves his home, the land is said to have hills that are “lovely beyond any singing of it.” (34) However though, as we follow Stephen throughout his journey, the land changes as parts of his life do. Like when Stephen first leaves his home to travel to Johannesburg to find his son and Gertrude, he is feeling adventurous, perspective, and nervous to travel to such an unfamiliar and perplexing city. At a parallel moment, the land is being introduced as a place where “others like it, and find in it mystery and fascination, and prelude to adventure, and an intimidation of the unknown.” (41) Although these are just 2 examples of how his life is paralleled with setting, it appears many times throughout the book.
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