Cry, the Beloved Country: Book I, Chapter 7 Summary & Analysis

Stephen buys Gertrude some new, respectable clothes for herself and her child. He inwardly mulls about the expenses of things, and worries about his own of money. He wonders how Gertrude was able to save so little, given her recent profession.

It’s a beautiful day, and Stephen is writing a letter to his wife about his adventures in Johannesburg, and how successful the endeavor has been so far. He tells her that this day, the day he is writing, is the day when he will look for his son. He pauses as Msimangu comes to collect him for their search.

The two men locate John’s carpentry shop. Though he is fatter than when they last saw each other, Stephen recognizes his brother, though not the men with him. John does not recognize Stephen at first, but after Stephen reveals his identity, John welcomes him and Msimangu and offers them some tea.

Stephen inquires after John’s wife Esther, but John says that he hasn’t been married to Esther for ten years. Stephen soon learns that John has a relationship with a woman to whom he is not properly married. Stephen asks John why he didn’t write a letter to tell him about any of this, and John says that Stephen and his community do not understand how life is in Johannesburg, and to write with such details would bring about “unnecessary trouble.” When Stephen presses him to explain how things are different here, John asks to switch to English, and Stephen obliges.

In English, John begins to explain that in Ixopo, things are run by the chief, who knows nothing about anything. But in Johannesburg, he says, he can advance himself, make a great deal of money, and have some power and influence. It’s not perfect, and there are other masters, but at least the chief does not control him. The breaking apart of the tribes in inevitable, but Johannesburg is a new and different kind of tribe. Then, he compares the Church to the ignorant chief—not evil, but not making anything better.

John raises his voice, and seems to be addressing a crowd that is not there. He tells Msimangu and Stephen that the mines are where all of the money is coming from, but the black men who dig it up are paid too little money, have to leave their families to do so, and become sick. And the more gold that is found, the more the mine’s white owners receive, not the men who dig. South Africa is not built on the mines, he concludes, but their people’s backs and labor. Then he falls quiet. Stephen and Msimangu feel compelled to also be quiet, and Stephen hardly recognizes this man before him. John says, finally, that the Church is part of the problem, too – the white priests receive more money, and the bishop is very wealthy. He concludes that hypocrisy is why he no longer attends church.

Stephen asks John why his wife left. John is vague about the reason, but Msimangu interprets it as her wishing for faithfulness, and him being unwilling to provide it. Because they are still speaking in English, John does not understand the word. He does seem to understand the implication, though, and begins to get angry. Stephen intervenes. They switch back to Zulu as the tea comes.

Stephen explains that he has come to fetch Gertrude and to take her back with him to Ixopo. John agrees that Johannesburg is not a good place for a single woman, and that this is a wise idea. Then, Stephen asks if John knows where Absalom might be. John says that Absalom and his own son were friendly with one another, and both went off to get work together at a factory. He goes to the telephone book to find the name of the place, and Stephen feels a twinge of pride to know someone with a telephone. John gets him the information for a textile factory. As they leave, Msimangu gives John a small lecture about how it is better to seek love than power.

They are unsuccessful locating Absalom at the factory, and trace him to a house in Sophiatown. He is not there, but a woman gives them a forwarding address for Absalom. After Stephen has stepped outside, the woman reveals to Msimangu that Absalom was running with a bad crowd. Msimangu does not tell this to Stephen, and they head home.