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Knowing Stephen Kumalo

As I have read Cry, The Beloved Country, I have gotten to learn and know so much about Stephen Kumalo. Stephen Kumalo can be described as both a round and dynamic character. He is known to be this because he encounters an indefinite amount of conflict with his family and Johannesburg, and he is changed by it throughout the whole book.

            What makes Stephen Kumalo realistic is the way that I can relate people in my life to his experiences in his life. I know some parents who go ballistic because their child starts experiencing the big world and it starts getting them into the trouble that it causes. They feel as though they have failed their children, but in reality they have to learn that their children have to grow up at some point. They also have to learn that their children are responsible for their own actions. They have to learn on their own from those actions, so they will know better. Kumalo put all the blame for his family’s failures on himself just like typical people in society do today. There are many reasons that people feel like something is their fault. The simplest reason comes from just assuming.

            At the beginning of Cry, The Beloved Country, Kumalo was a very passionate and trustworthy person as he was leaving Ndotsheni, his hometown. He set the example of a humble man that had full faith in God. His was basically devoted to God because he became a priest. As Kumalo stayed in Johannesburg his personality began to change. He said, “It seems God has turned from me.” The more he went through, the more he started losing his faith in God. As he lost his faith, Kumalo’s personality grew into a very tired and empty person.

            Stephen Kumalo encountered a substantial amount of encounters with his family in Johannesburg. On Kumalo’s journey he had no idea that there would be so much disappointment and pain caused by his family. I believe this attribute is what makes up Kumalo’s personality after he left his home. It changes his way of life and the way he sees his life. For one, his sister has been selling liquor, been in prison multiple times and has become a prostitute. As high classed as Kumalo is, he was ashamed of his sister and the image she was giving off to him. John Kumalo, Stephen’s brother, also disappointed him. John betrayed his brother when Absalom, Stephen’s son, was charged with murder. Absalom claimed he was not the only one in the house when the man was killed. He said John’s son was with him. “He seems to think, then he says to his brother, you see, my brother, there is no proof that my son or this other young man was there at all. Yes, John Kumalo smiles at that, he seems quite recovered. –Not there at all? But my son- Yes, yes John interrupts him, and smiles at him. Who will believe your son?” These words from John reveal who he is as a person and as an untrue family member. Instead of being there comforting Stephen, John is being selfish and thinking of a scheme to keep his son from doing any prison time.

            This experience has had a humongous effect on Stephen Kumalo. It has made him realize he cannot blame himself for his son’s actions because everyone is accountable for their own actions. Absalom chose the path he wanted to go down in life and he had to deal with consequences. Kumalo may not know, but he was a great father although the outcome for Absalom showed otherwise. It also changed him by seeing that your family is not always loyal or real even though you expect them to be.

Shrimp Fettuccine Alfredo

Ingredients:

· 1 lb. fettuccini pasta
· 1 tbs. butter
· 1 lb. cooked shrimp
· 4 cloves garlic
· 1 cup half & half
· 6 tbs. grated parmesan cheese
· 1 tbs. chopped fresh parsley

Preparation:

 

In a large pot, bring salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain. In a large skillet, cook and stir shrimp and garlic in the butter for about one minute. Pour in half and half; stir. Sprinkle Parmesan cheese in one tablespoon at a time, stirring constantly. After all Parmesan is added, mix in parsley and salt. Stir frequently making sure it does not boil. Sauce will take a while to thicken. When sauce has thickened, combine with cooked pasta noodles; serve hot.

While helping my grandmother prepare the pasta, she would tell me some of her fascinating stories. The best thing about the stories was that they were not the same story every time. They would get better and better each time she told me a different one. I loved all her stories even if they weren't always true. Spending time with her was what I really loved the most.

She once told me a story about her great grandmother Pearl. Pearl was very smart. She was too smart for her age. She would know more than all the adults. She never went to school to learn anything. Although, she never went to school she wanted to continue to be smart. A gardener that lived across the street taught her everything he knew. It could have been the simplest things to learn, and she learned it.

One day, a man named Mr. Burton caught the gardener giving Pearl lessons. He got into a terrific amount of trouble. He lost his job as a gardener and could no longer give Pearl lessons. It broke Pearls heart. People assumed that the gardener was sexually harassing pearl, but that was far from his intentions. She did not give up on learning though. She remembered everything the gardener taught her and never forgot it. Pearl missed the gardener and the lessons he would give. She did not care what anyone thought of the gardener.

Pearl searched for the gardener, but he was nowhere to be found. It saddened Pearl to not be able to see him anymore. Pearl's father brought home a newspaper. He was furious with what he was reading and seeing. The newspaper read that a man had been beaten and drowned. Pearl was so anxious to read it. Once she did, she saw that it was the Gardner, her dear friend. She cried and cried until she was all out of tears. I found myself crying as my grandmother finished up her story. Whether the story was true or not, I could the heartbreak of Pearl.

The Handsomest Drowned Man In The World

       The story "The Handsomest Drowned Man In The World" by Gabriel Garcia Marquez is a story that relates with the world today. It talks about a man who is judged and unaccepted by many people. Today, that is all our world does. No matter what, someone will always find something to judge you about. No one wants to be, but we all are judged.

       It talked about how Esteban didn't fit in. He didn't fit in mostly because of his outer character; such as, how he looked. No one in other towns appreciated Esteban only until after his death.That's how it is today. People neglect and hate you all your life, then try and care about you after it's too late. People today "hate" on others appearance. Looking deeper within a person than looking at how: big, small, tall, short, light, or dark a person is will make this world so much better.

       A lot of people can relate to Esteban because of  how neglected he was. I myself have been neglected so many times before. The thing is you just have to ignore it and move on with your life because life waits for no one. Life actually does go on with or without you.

       The author of this story taught me that there will always be someone jealous of you. You could be the nicest, sweetest person on earth, but someone will still find something about you to unlike you for. I don't quite know why, but that is just how it is. Regardless of Esteban's outer character, he was still a person just like everyone else. That's what we all have to understand. We are all equal no matter the height, weight, color, or size.

thINK

Who is George Zimmerman and Why Did He Shoot Trayvon Martin

An article on "The Christian Science Monitor" talks about if George Zimmerman was a vigilante or a good dude in the killing of Trayvon Martin. There are so many reasons that no one but God and Zimmerman know why Martin was killed. Racial issues and self-defense are both the main reasons whether Zimmerman was guilty or not guilty. No one will truly know the truth.

No doubt, race is a very big issue still today. To some people, the color of a person's skin makes them an outsider from everyone else. Some people think Zimmerman killed Martin simply because of the profile Martin had. Zimmerman saw Martin as a black teenager wearing a hoodie walking through a gated neighborhood. Other people disagree with the fact that Martin was African American. Those people feel since Zimmerman is Mexican that the racial issue has nothing to do with it.

On the other hand, self-defense is talked about in the article. In my opinion I didn't see the "self-defense." Trayvon Martin is a teenager that wasn't carrying any weapons. He had a bag of skittles and a can of Amazon tea. Just because he was wearing a hoodie doesn't mean he was doing any harm. What harm could he do with the items he had with him? If anyone was giving self-defense, it was Trayvon Martin. George Zimmerman had a gun on him. Harassing Martin just because of the profile he was going by isn’t right at all.

Annotation

        Reading expands my imagination and knowledge.

Writing expresses my thoughts and feelings.

I'm an athletic, dedicated, determined girl.