Chracter Analysis

James Jarvis

His PRIVATE LIFE
· He accepts how his son felt about equal living
· The death of his son hits him hard but he does not fight back.
· Distributes milk because its right & for the benefit of his family eg. Grandson goes for lessons to Rev. Kumalo
· Gives hope to Kumalo
· He gives up feeling hatred & fear, acts in compassion
His PUBLIC LIFE
· He became very genorous. Eg.distributes milk to children & starts a club
· Promotes Social justice.
PEOPLES PERCEPTIONS
· He is a very wealthy white man.
· He became generous




Absolem Kumalo
His PRIVATE LIFE
· From a respected family .eg. father is a priest
· Finds no success except for mining.
· He turns to crime. Eg. Robs & kills Arthur Jarvis
· accepts blame for the crime and repents
· Abandons the women he got pregnant
· comes to terms with execution
His PUBLIC LIFE
· steals from people
· friends abandon him
PEOPLES PERCEPTIONS
· he is seen as a criminal
· not charged and seen as a victim
· he shamed his father

Theophilus Msimangu

HIS PRIVATE LIFE
· he is compassionate
· he has a wider understanding of the changes in S.A.
· he gives up all his worldly good for a simple life. Eg. Gives Kumalo life savings
· he is humble, generous and wise. Eg . how he looks after Rev Kumalo and helps others

· not so good, admits god gave him a gift

HIS PUBLIC LIFE
· he offers help to Rev. Kumalo
· explains to Rev.Kumalo everything of the city. Eg. Politics of the bus boycotts
· He sometimes believes peoples motives are bad and shows it by sneering at them. Eg. He sneers at John

PEOPLES PERCEPTIONS
· seen as a respected priest


John Kumalo


HIS PRIVATE LIFE
· left his wife
· believes only in politics & corrupt so he can gain power
· has a gift of public speech
· he frees his son from jail while his nephew is executed
· orsaken the church
· living an immoral life
· loves money& power
· against the men of the cloth



HIS PUBLIC LIFE
· gains respect and power in community
· he is the voice of the politic man who are opposing the government
· speaks out for justice for the poor black people.
· works to educate people

PEOPLES PERCEPTIONS
· he is respected and seen as a man with power
· he is seen as the voice of all the poor people








Reverend Kumalo


HIS PRIVATE LIFE
· he goes to Jo’burg to find his sister and son
· he loves and cares about his family.
· encounters doubt but then overcomes it with hope
· he cannot connect his morality with the moral repugnance he finds his sister in
· realizes joburg is a place of problems
· finds comfort in desolation later with problems
· realizes the nation is lost & lost their morals
· he doest make himself rejected even if people rejected him
· changes throughout because of so many experiences
· wants to gain peace in the world & create resolution in his family

HIS PUBLIC LIFE
· wants to understand the world
· people look up to him & go to him for help
· becomes an activist for social justice


PEOPLES PERCEPTIONS
· seen as a respected man in his community
· he is a kind gentle man who is challenged by the cruelty of the world around him



Gertrude Kumalo


HIS PRIVATE LIFE
· left home and became a prostitute
· she becomes ill
· on some level she wants to be good but doesn’t know how to do this
· reverend Khumalo saves her
· in the end the call of the city is to strong
· she ran away leaving her son behind


HIS PUBLIC LIFE
· she beame a prostitute
· she started selling liquor


PEOPLES PERCEPTIONS
· seen as a sister of a priest but lost all her morals


Mrs. Lithebe

HIS PRIVATE LIFE
· Kind and sympathetic to Stephen
· creates a home and heart for those needing to be natured
· refuses to believe she’s doing good
· patient and upright




HIS PUBLIC LIFE
· she takes in borders
· helps people who ned to be natured


PEOPLES PERCEPTIONS
· a lady who takes in borders even though she has money
· a kind hearted ans caring person