lack of control is more dangerous thing for a young boy or girl who lives alone in very big city with its complicated business. Communication
becomes more and more essential if there are some members of a family who live in other places, or they separate from their family because of any
certain purposes, such as for working.
B. Stephen Kumalo’s Struggles to Solve His Family Problems
Based on some cases that are considered problems by Stephen Kumalo in previous section, here are some struggles of Stephen Kumalo to
solve his family problems.
1. Rebuilding Good Relationship between White and Black
After Stephen Kumalo goes back to Ndotsheni from Johannesburg, he plans some positive things against the injustice system in South Africa.
He thinks that the tribal system that has been destroyed must be built again. The destruction of social life has made his family destroyed too. He
does it with James Jarvis whose son is murdered by Absalom Kumalo. James Jarvis is a white man while Stephen Kumalo is a black man. They
learn from what happens to their family because of social segregation. In fact, they have the same opinion about how to build the society. They try
together to develop the village of Ndotsheni in many cases. They are pioneers in rebuilding good relationship between white and black people
in Ndotsheni. Starting with praying to Ndotsheni, Kumalo struggles to develop his village again.
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Kumalo began to pray regularly in his church for the restoration of Ndotsheni. But he knew that was not enough. Somewhere down
here upon the earth men must come together, think something, do something. And looking round the hills of his country he could
find only two men, the chief and the headmaster. Now the chief was a great stout man in riding-breeches, and he wore a fur cap
such as they wear in cold countries, and he rode about with counsellors, though what they counselled him to, it was
understand. The headmaster was a small smiling man in great round spectacles, and his office was filled with notices in blue and
red and green. For reasons of diplomacy Kumalo decided first to go to the chief Paton, 1948: 195.
They work hard to avoid injustice that has happened before they go to Johannesburg. The first, James Jarvis has an important role in
contributing milk for children in Ndotsheni. It is a good sample of kindness of whites to blacks. They also start to make an improvement in
farming system. Rebuilding good relationship between white and black people in social life is Stephen’s struggle to solve his family problem
because of racial discrimination.
2. Facing the Feeling of Shame Directly
The separation with his son, sister, and brother forces Kumalo take a decision to search them. His family members are the reason of this
search. The sorrow of thievery and murder also forces him to face and overcome some obstacles in his struggle. Fortunately, he is helped by
Theophilus Msimangu, a good priest from Sophiatown, Johannesburg. He is accompanied by Msimangu in his journey to solve his family problem.
After receiving a letter from Theophilus Msimangu about Gertrude’s sickness, he decides to look for his family members in Johannesburg. It
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seems that it will be difficult for his struggle if thinking about how the situation in great city like Johannesburg is. As a brother of a girl who is in
terrible situation, Stephen certainly cannot calm down facing this situation. As a father of a young boy in the same situation, he is also
anxious because there is no information about his son. As a father too, he must be able to give protect to his child or son. He is a man who has great
concern to his son and his young sister and brother. So he tries hard to look for them although he must take an uneasy and sorrowful journey. He
has ever been cheated when he wants to go by train in Carisbrooke. He also continuously asks many places in Johannesburg about Absalom with
Theophilus Msimangu but they are always late. Stephen Kumalo and his wife have tried anymore by sending a
letter again and again to know their family’s condition in Johannesburg. But it is not replied anymore. Communication becomes important in this
case. Noller and Fitzpatrick state in Communication in Family Relationships that once a problem has been identified, it is important for
the problem be communicated to the appropriate person. The person should be told that their behaviour is causing a problem for one or other
family members, but it is important that he or she be told in a way that maximizes the chance of their responding positively and being willing to
do something to resolve the situation 1993: 155. Stephen realizes that it is very important to meet Gertrude and Absalom directly because their
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business is very urgent. It is an appropriate decision and struggle to follow them to Johannesburg.
Every time Kumalo thinks of the city and its potential danger. There is only anxiety in their mind to read a letter from Msimangu. In his
effort to search for his son, sister, and brother, Stephen must overcome his anxiety first. Then he must take good decision too if there are some
obstacles in his struggle. A change of emotion happens to him in his journey to look for his son. He cannot deny it. He tells Father Vincent
about this thing at the .Mission House after a young man offered him to have a lawyer before.
“At first it was a search. I was anxious at first, but as the search went on, step by step, so did the anxiety turn to fear, and this fear
grew deeper step by step. It was at Alexandra that I first grew afraid, but it was here in your House, when he heard of the murder,
that my fear grew into something too great to be borne Paton, 1948: 94.”
So, direct communication is very important. In this case, Stephen must overcome the feeling of shame to meet Gertrude and Absalom
directly. By eliminating all of his shame to meet Gertrude, Stephen has saved his family. He must speak with them about their problem. In the
novel, it is written that Stephen struggles hard to meet them directly although he is always tired because of his old age. Facing the feeling of
shame directly is very essential for Stephen to help his family members who are in trouble. So he can do better for Gertrude’s small family by
taking back her son to his village although Gertrude is finally lost.
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Directly meeting with his “lost” family members is Kumalo’s big expectation. It is successful for Gertrude’s case although is very difficult
in Absalom’s case. It is rather different with quick finding of Gertrude. Looking for Absalom is more difficult because he always moves from one
to other places. But his fatherhood appears in this case although he feels that he has made failure in teaching his son to live in social life. He also
leaves one place with making sorrow and anxiety for person whom he leaves. So communication is very essential for Stephen and his “lost”
family members. Directly communication enables a better solution for a problem. It is very effective if is talked to the person or family member
who is in a bad situation by a certain problem. Stephen’s struggle to communicate with all his family members shows how the social control
function of a family is applied. To confront the cause of the shame directly is one of Stephen’s
ways to remove his shame. So directly facing needs good communication too. Besides his anger to his sister and son, Stephen also gives a good
influence for them because of his kindness. So they can regret and apologize. Gertrude’s intend to come back to Ndotsheni is Stephen’s first
success for his family problems.
3. Reuniting and Rebuilding His Family
The feeling of failure to educate family members, forces Kumalo to reunite and rebuild his family again. Reuniting and rebuilding his
family members in Johannesburg are Stephen’s struggles to pay his failure
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in educating family members. So he struggles hard to take Gertrude and her son to Ndotsheni. He focuses on how to build a better family life in
future. If he cannot take Gertrude and Absalom back to Ndotsheni, he prepares good condition in his village to their children.
As the leader of the family, Stephen Kumalo is responsible to rebuild his family. His large expectation for an amendment in life both for
Gertrude and Absalom Kumalo is an important thing that portrays his fatherhood. His willingness to take his nephew, Gertrude’s child, to
Ndotsheni is his great concern to give the child better life in comfortable situation in Ndotsheni. He also wants the child to be in school. Paton
writes in the novel that if he cannot save the mother, he cannot save the baby. When he is successful to take Gertrude and her child to Mrs.
Lithebe’s house, Kumalo cares about their condition by buying them better clothes.
Gertrude’s dress, for all that she might once have been rich, was dirty, and the black greasy knitted cap that she wore on her head
made him ashamed. Although his money was little, he bought her a red dress and a white thing that they called a turban for her head.
Also a shirt, a pair of short trousers, and a jersey for the boy; and a couple of stout handkerchiefs for his mother to use on his nose
Paton, 1948: 31.
Another example of rebuilding the family is how he tries to search a priest to marry his son and the pregnant girl, although his son still in
prison. Because of his great concern to the family, he wants the pregnant girl to be his daughter-in-law. So the unborn child will be he and his
wife’s first grandchild. They certainly will be happy of it. The child will
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be born in a descent and quiet place in Ndotsheni, not in a noisy city of Johannesburg. Preparing a better future to the child and the unborn baby is
a good plan from Stephen Kumalo. Ensuring a good future for the two children is his obligation as the head of their big family besides the
mothers of the children. The idea of rebuilding the family is a proof of his care to the family.
He turned with relief to the thought of rebuilding, to the home that they would fashion, he and his wife, in the evening of their lives,
for Gertrude and her son, and for his son and the girl and the child. After seeing Johannesburg he would return with a deeper
understanding to Ndotsheni. Yes, and with a greater humility, for had his own sister not been a prostitute? And his son a thief? And
might not he himself be grandfather to a child that would have no name? This he thought without bitterness, thought with pain. One
could go back knowing better the things that one fought against, knowing better the kind of thing that one must build. He would go
back with a new and quickened interest in the school, not as a place where children learned to read and write and count only, but
as a place where they must be prepared for life in any place to which they might go. Oh for education for his people, foe schools
up and down the land, where something might be built that would serve them when they went away to the towns, something that
would take the place of the tribal law and custom. For a moment he was caught up in a vision, as man so often is when he sits in a
place of ashes and destruction Paton, 1948: 79.
Loving his family is a reason for Kumalo to solve his family problem. He also wants them not to be in trouble situation. It is the biggest
hope for all parents to teach their children in order that they might be accepted in a society later. They always want the best for their children
because of love. Love, affection and intimacy are basic things in building a good situation in family life. The relationship among members of a
family should be based on those three things. Almost each member of a
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family wants to be in a warm or intimate relationship. It is related to the function of the family about socialization of children, social controls over
members, and maintenance of motivation and morale through love Zimmerman, 1988; Vanier Institute of the Family, 1994. So the
communication is very important to support the functions of the family. Struggle for reconciliation with Gertrude and Absalom is a mission
of Stephen Kumalo. He has a responsibility as a father and older brother. Reconciliation by good and effective communication can help solving the
family problems. Stephen’s success to take Gertrude and her child to Mrs. Lithebe’s house is the success of his struggle to overcome his feeling of
shame. It is a good start of his effort to maintain his family. He works hard to save his family. His promise to provide a better future for Gertrude’s
and Absalom’s child is an obligation for whoever person that is considered a head of a family to do. Effort to marry Absalom and his girl is also
another example of Stephen’s struggle to reunite and rebuild his family that has broken.
The problem comes to Gertrude and Absalom forces Stephen to take an appropriate decision in solving it. Love in each family member can
maintain the family life. How one member pays attention much to another, or how they care each other, makes the family happy. By this love,
Stephen decides to look for his family members in Johannesburg. Taking a difficult and expensive journey to Johannesburg must be done by Stephen.
In his travel, his big fear and anxiety always come in his mind. Bad
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experience of being cheated also happens to him. He is suffering because he cannot find his son easily, but his friend Theophilus Msimangu works
hard too to help him. Msimangu has an intention to help Kumalo from his heart. They do the search together. They also face some difficulties
together too. They ask many places to get information about Absalom. Stephen does it with afraid and anxious. As a father, he certainly wants to
find Absalom as soon as possible. He always thinks of the crime in Johannesburg, the native troublemaker, and the fear of white people to the
crime. His son’s involvement in the crime is his big suspicion. As a father, Stephen Kumalo has shown his influence to his family
and his care about the problems of family members. Randal Collins in Sociology of Marriage and the Family states that fatherhood is a central
feature of every family system, linking every child to a male parent. The mother-child relationship is not enough to constitute a family 1941: 52.
So most part of the novel tells how Stephen, as a father of a boy, takes a big responsibility and important role in looking for his son. His wife is
told only in the first part of the novel. So he is the leader in their family and an important figure to solve his family problem in such a condition
that Gertrude and Absalom experience. The first intention for Stephen Kumalo to go to Johannesburg is to
search his family members whom he and his wife consider lost in Johannesburg. Whatever their problems in Johannesburg, Stephen Kumalo
has a responsibility to solve it. His way to take a difficult and expensive
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journey to Johannesburg describes his big hope to love his “lost” family members although he must experiences some difficult things, such as
being cheated and being tired of asking and walking to look for his son in many places. An uneasy journey in his very old age shows his care to his
family. It is an urgent thing for him to do. It is his struggle to reunite his family. It is known by his willingness to take them back to Ndotsheni.
Stephen Kumalo has proven how he struggles to save his family. He also plans to avoid his family members from some problems in a big
city like Johannesburg, such as crime and social illness. He wants to take them back to Ndotsheni and promise a better life and work for them in
Ndotsheni. His way to speak with Gertrude when they meet first in Johannesburg shows that he is a wise man and a forgiver. He does not give
a punishment for his young sister who has made him ashamed. By his kindness, he is successful to take Gertrude and her child out of the
dirtiness and shabbiness of a slum of Claremont.
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70
CHAPTER V CONCLUSIONS AND SUGGESTIONS
