In the heart of the passage is a series born from my love for books. Even though I feel I do not read enough, books bring me great joy. Reading draws you immensely into a story and its characters. The world and all its noise seem to shut off instantly. There are pages that tug at you more than others and they linger on long after you have finished reading the book. Here I will tell you a little about the passages I loved in a book and what made me grow to love them. Perhaps some of them are yours too.
Today I selected the classic – Cry, the Beloved Country-Alan Paton
[Highlighted Excerpts taken for reference from Cry, the Beloved Country-Alan Paton]
This passage resonates deeply with me mostly because it is so poetically and lyrically written. It conveys in many ways how attached you can be to your country. Sometimes a country maybe going through strife, you may feel there are not any opportunities or you may want to go away to greener pastures but the country it’s land, its waters and it’s people will always stay buried close to your heart.
The deep love for the country comes through here and even the anguish, the hurt and the fear that it brings with it is also beautifully entwined with the devotion for it. In life we often think we may not be moved by a sense of patriotism but it always shines through when you lend a helping hand to a neighbor or donate to a charity or cheer your country in a game. We grow connected to our roots and there is always a give and take between your land and you.
This passage reminds me of an inspiring quote from Harold McMillan. He gave a speech in South Africa about giving African people the right to govern themselves on 3rd February 1960.
The wind of change is blowing through this continent, and whether we like it or not, this growth of national consciousness is a political fact. We must all accept it as a fact, and our national policies must take account of it.
The book’s theme emphasizes brilliantly the need for this wind of change.
Another passage I really loved which brought a smile was when a small white boy came riding on a horse. I feel the entry of this character uplifts the book and brings with it positivity and hope. It talks of friendship and the faith in humanity. The belief that things change and there can be hope for better times.
The character is full of joy and light, almost magical and adorable at this point of the book. I really fell in love with the pages that followed right after ‘The Little Master’ came riding through.
It has been a while since I have read Cry the Beloved Country-Alan Paton, so incidents are hard to recollect but when I revisited it these pages immediately came back to me. You may remember little of a book but you will always remember the parts that moved you. It was a deep, intense, and beautiful book about a nation and its people and the rage, fear and love that depicted this bond.
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