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      Your study work guide

      The purpose of this study work guide is to guide you in making meaning of the novel and to write what it means to you in your own words; it should deepen your own understanding of the novel’s message. When you do the pre-reading, reading and post-reading activities, you will gain confidence in forming and communicating your understanding and interpretation of its message. You will also discover and appreciate how the author uses the art of novel-writing to communicate the central ideas of his message.

      This study work guide uses explanatory notes, activities and questions to sharpen your reasoning, reading and writing skills. When you do the activities, please practise your writing skills by writing your answers in full sentences. Write your thoughts in clear sentences so that your communication makes perfect sense. Reread your answers to check whether they make sense to you. If they do not, edit your writing so that the meaning of the sentences is clearer. Also check your spelling and punctuation.

      Your study work guide is divided into four main sections: A, B, C and D. Section A guides your understanding of the whole text of Cry, the Beloved Country, its purpose and structure. It helps you to see the “big picture”.

      Section B guides your in-depth reading of Books One, Two and Three in the novel. This section will help you to trace connections (links) between the novel’s big picture outlined in Section A and the supporting detail in the text. The contextual questions guide your thinking in, about and beyond the text.

      Section C asks you to explain and reflect on what the novel Cry, the Beloved Country means to you. This section provides three examples of examination questions; one per book.

      Section D provides suggestions for enrichment activities. It is important to note that because Cry, the Beloved Country is a work of art, there is not only one “correct” way of interpreting and understanding its message. The interpretation offered in this study work guide is based on an intensive reading of the text and on extensive reading about the text.

      The author and publisher

      Section A: Making meaning of the novel as a whole

      1. Pre-reading activities

      1.1 Taking your first glance at the novel

      When you have received your copy of the novel, don’t begin reading the text straight away! First do the following activities in your study work guide.

      To do:

      Quickly read (skim) information about the novel provided on its cover, in the introductory section of your copy of the novel and in your study work guide. Use this information and the activities in your study work guide to build your own understanding of the message in Cry, the Beloved Country.

      Use the list below to check whether you have read all the information that you need. Find the item on the checklist and tick ✓ after you have read it. To help you find an item easily, indications of where you can find an item in your copy of the novel and in your study work guide appear in brackets after the item. Follow the steps in this checklist to get an overall impression of any novel you plan to read in order to decide whether you want to read it or not.

      My information checklist

      Notes and questions

      1.Cover page: every picture tells a story!

      The photograph on your novel’s front cover shows a black and a white man facing in opposite directions. Both are elderly. The clothing of the black man shows that he is a parson. He is leaning on a walking stick, which tells you that he uses it to support him on his journey. The white man is dressed plainly. The body language of the two people suggests that they could be suffering and that they could find it difficult to communicate with each other. This could be an issue that would need attention in the novel. However, they are sharing the same beautiful landscape. The way in which the title is printed on the front cover highlights the word “Cry”.

      This word also tells you that the novel will be about suffering. The name of the author, Alan Paton, appears below the title on the front cover.

      What does the front cover of your copy of the novel tell you?

      2.The title page: more about the title

      Read the title Cry, the Beloved Country and the subtitle “A story of comfort in desolation” together because the subtitle explains more about the author’s message in the novel. You can usually predict what the novel is all about by interpreting its title from clues that you find when you have a quick look at its front cover and its title page. For example, the word “Cry” in the title suggests pain and suffering. The phrase “the Beloved Country” tells you that Paton loves the country, South Africa. The word “story” in the subtitle tells you that the author chose to write about issues that cause pain and suffering in South Africa in the format of a story and not in the format of a historical record or a report. The story is about “comfort in desolation”. These words suggest that the author believes in the need for acts of caring to comfort and restore those who are suffering.

      Do you agree with this interpretation of the author’s message? Write why you agree or disagree. Write your own interpretation of the title and subtitle to predict the message of Cry, the Beloved Country.

      I agree/disagree _________________________________.

      Why?

      My own interpretation of what the message of Cry, the Beloved Country could be:

      3.About the novel

      The message of the novel is summarised on the back cover (the blurb). The purpose of this summary is to advertise

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