Desperate of Absalom’s murder case
He and his wife have to decide to use the money they saved for Absalom. Because his wife thinks that when people go to Johannesburg they did not come back
anymore. He finally decided to use the money to go to Johannesburg. Kumalo’s conflicts begins when he thinks that his relatives has hurting him because they go and
did not give any news anymore. “-Hurting myself? Hurting myself? I do not hurt myself, it is they who are
hurting me. My own son, my own sister, my own brother. They go away and do not write anymore. Perhaps it does not seem to them that we suffer.
Perhaps they do not care for it. p. 11”
“His voice rose into loud and angry words. Go up and ask the white man, he said. Perhaps there are letters p. 11”
In a long way to Johannesburg, Kumalo still struggles with the fear he had. Having conflicts thinking the fear of Gertrude sickness, about his own son and about
the place where he goes. “The journey had begun. And now the fear back again, the fear of the
unknown, the fear of great city where boys were killed crossing the street, the fear of Gertrude’s sickness. Deep down the fear for his own son. Deep down
the fear of a man who lives in a world not made for him, whose own world is slipping away, dying, being destroyed, beyond any recall. p. 15”
But he finally cools himself down by reading his bible. Kumalo used to reads
his bible while he fells uncertain to what has happening. “The humble man reached in his pocket for his sacred book, and began to
read. It was this world alone that was certain. p. 16” PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
Another conflicts happens when he knows the meaning of Gertrude’s sickness is that Gertrude has become a prostitute, a liquor seller and live with her child in a
place that Kumalo thinks is not suitable for a child to live. “And that is her work, she makes and sells it. I shall hide nothing from you,
though it is painful for me. These women sleep with any man for their price. p. 23”
Kumalo is angry with Gertrude because he thinks Gertrude had shamed him and because he is a priest, that is why he is having conflicts.
“You have shamed us, he says in a low voice, not wishing to make it known to the world. A liquor seller, a prostitute, with a child and you do not know
where it is. Your brother a priest. p. 29” After his anger, Kumalo soon feels pity with Gertrude and he cries, he decides
to forgive her and pray for her. “His eyes fill with tears, his deep gentleness returns to him. He goes to her
from the floor to the chair. Inarticulately he strokes her face, his heart filled with pity. –God forgives us, he says. Who am I not to forgive? Let us pray. p.
30” While Kumalo was waiting for Msimangu to take him to Shanty town, he
spent the time with Getrude and her child. Kumalo begins to think what is actually saddened him and why that kind of things happen to Gertrude.
“For he had been a young man in the twenties when his sister was born, and there had never been great intimacy between them. After all he was a parson,
sober and rather dull no doubt, and his hair was turning white, and with him about the deep things that were here in Johannesburg; for it was amongst
these very things that saddened and perplexed him, that she had found her life and occupation. p. 55”
“Here were heavy things indeed, too heavy for a woman who had not gone beyond the fifth standard of her country school. She was respectful to him, as
it behoved her to be to an elder brother and a parson, and they exchanged PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
conventional conversation; but never again did they speak of the things that had made her fall on the floor with crying and weeping. p. 55 “