Paton Went On To Teaching

Alan Paton was a South African writer and the president of the South African Liberal Party, opposing apartheid (2). Alan Paton was the epitome success; he did much to help out the African Americans who were affected in apartheid (3). Paton at an early age witnessed the increase of white power over the rights of the African American majority (2). He was a well educated young boy, and loved the works of literature (1). paton was a Christian as much as he was a liberal he supported the rights of many and racial equality to all (2).

Alan Paton, the anti- apartheid activist and great literary success, accomplished many life changing experiences throughout his life (3).Alan Stewart Paton was born in the year of 1903, in Pietermaritzburg, now known as the providence of Kwa-Zulu- Natal (2). Alan Paton grew up with both of his parents (2). His father was used to beat Paton and his brothers, which brought much harm to him as a young child and growing up (3).

The actions of his father later shaped the way Paton thought about punishment to people (1). Neither of Paton's parents was highly educated, but he loved literature (2). At an early age, Alan Paton began reading brilliant classics such as; Walter Scott, Charles Dickens and Rupert Brooke (1).

Many of Alan Paton's astonishing writers were influenced by the Christian faith his parents brought about in their home (2). Alan Paton loved the magic of literature, and sustained a love for writing, throughout his life (1).Alan Paton was educated at the Maritz Burg College as well as the Natal University College in South Africa where only Whites were allowed to attend (1). At Maritz Burg College he enrolled to the school when he was twelve years old, it was a secondary school (2). He was very interactive in the dramatic and religious societies of the college (1). During Paton's senior year he won an award for winning the five- mile race (3).

With Paton's love for writing and literature he took many classes pertaining to his interests (2). One of Paton's poems was published in the University paper in the 1920's called, "To a Picture" (1). Paton later graduated with the studies in Physics and Science along with literature (2). Alan Paton was the president of the student body, and writing poetry got him through the many years of college.

In 1922, he received his teaching certificate, and diploma (3).After graduating from College, Alan Paton went on to teaching at the Ixopo Native School in 1925 (1). The high school is Ixopo was an institution for white males only (2). Later, he moved on to teaching at The Diepkloof Reformatory School for young troubled teens and young offenders, where he found the love of his life Doris Francis Lusted who also worked at the reform school (1). Doris Lusted was married at the time Paton fell in love with her, later on in life her husband died and she became widowed. Soon after she was widowed, they got married in the year 1928 (1).

Alan converted to Anglicanism soon after he married her (1). They had to sons after their marriage, Jonathan and David (3). In the year 1967, Doris died from Emphysema, which he later denoted in one of his later books he wrote (2).

After writing an excerpt in a book about his wife's death, he later married his secretary, Anne Hopkins (1).Paton held the job at the reformatory school for thirteen years and then introduced controversial progressive reforms (1). These reforms were undone after his reassignment, from the school (1). Alan Paton later became extremely concerned in his political activism and went on a tour visiting many reformatories and prisons in Norway, North America, and Sweden (2). While traveling and visiting most of these locations, Paton began to work on a great piece of literature he was soon to produce (3). He began to write his first novel in 1948 soon to be the all time best known novel, Cry, the Beloved Country (1).

Alan Paton finished the writing of this book in Trondheim, Norway. Cry, the Beloved Country was later finished on Christmas Eve in San Francisco. His book was later published and an extremely popular hit also, well known by many (2). The Former President Nelson Mandela of South Africa had great appreciation towards Paton's most famous literary work (2). He quotes, "Cry, the Beloved Country, however, is also a monument to future.

One of South Africa's leading humanists, Alan Paton, vividly captured his eloquent faith in the essential goodness of people in his epic work." (Nelson Mandela, former president of South Africa.)(1). Paton's work Cry, the beloved country was well appreciated by many in South Africa including Nelson Mandela and other niches (2).Among the times after Alan Patron traveled to many different places he became more and more attentive to the voices of racial equality in South Africa (3). During this time in South Africa, apartheid was taking its heights (3). The moderate middle class, and well financed whites were pushing the blacks out of their homes and moving them to shanty towns in the worst vicinities of real estate and basically taking over (3).

Alan Paton was not one for racial discrimination and took action with the formation of the Liberal Party (2). Paton created the Liberal Party in the year of 1953, vivaciously opposing apartheid (2). The formation of the Liberal Party was first a secret society act between him and a former colleague that he wrote with; Laurens Van Der Post (1). Van Der Post was also against the South African Apartheid.

Post moved away t England in the 1930'a before the Liberal Party was formed, which helped the Liberal Party's formation in many ways (1). With Post being for away from Paton during the 1950's Post wired money into Paton, the street police were aware, but it could not be stopped by any legal procedures (1). In 1960, in Paton's return New York City, he had his passport confiscated and that was the end of the Liberal Party, it became disbanded (2). Paton had to wait until 1970 to receive his passport back.

For Paton's great achievements and bravery he was later awarded with the annual Freedom Award (1).Alan Paton was in serious opposition of the apartheid movement taking hold in South Africa during the 1950's (3). Paton tried everything he could to help the African Americans and anyone who was being affected by apartheid (2).Within the times of apartheid the National party held the flag for the country (2). Paton formed the South African Liberal Party (SALP) and remained the president of the congregation until the 1960's when it was disclosed (3). After the abolishment of the Liberal Party Paton continued to help how as much as he could (2).

Paton himself had affirmed many peace marches in opposition to apartheid (3). Paton was mostly at pacifist at heart, and decided to take a peaceful approach to the National Party, by forming his peace marches (1). Most of the South African Liberals in the party, wanted nothing to do with peace so decided to take a more violent way to end apartheid, leaving the Liberal Party with a bad name (2).

For Paton's great support and help in opposing apartheid he is still honored in the Hall of Freedom for Liberal International Organization (3).Alan Paton was well admired for his lyrical language and closeness to his home country alongside the moral purpose of life itself (3). Most of Alan Paton's writings are broadly about South Africa and the realism problems that go on in the world (3). Even though it is considered fiction, most of his writing are based upon historic events or events that did take place in his life.

Paton's awareness for his country is well appreciated by many through the honesty and voices of humanity though his perspective (2). Alan Paton's first novel that he wrote was Cry, the Beloved Country, and also the best that he has written (2). Paton had the most profound power within his books showing the moral problems through people's lives in Johannesburg during apartheid. Paton wrote Cry, the Beloved County after he read the great literary work of John Steinbeck, The Grapes of Wrath published in 1939 (2). Cry, the Beloved Country was written from the aspects of how Alan Paton saw apartheid through his own eyes (2).

Paton brought out the imprisonment of the tortured human spirit in this novel, symbolizing it as a cry for freedom, hence the title of the novel (2). Many of the novels that Paton wrote depict a sense of racially equality through his own eyes (3). In Too Late the Phalarope, Paton writes about how much damage that was brought about by the whites, in South Africa (2).

Paton wrote many poems along the while through the development of his novels (2). The last novel that Paton wrote was; Ah, but Your Land Is Beautiful, which was the least conversed and read by critics and a wide population of people leaving Cry, the Beloved Country, the best novel written by Alan Paton (2).Alan Paton's literary success continued on with the two autobiographies he wrote, Towards the mountain in 1980 and Journey Continued in 1988 (1). Both of these Autobiographies were completed before he retired.

Paton decided to retire from writing literature in the late 1960's (1). He retired to his home in Botha's Hill, by where he grew up in Durban, Natal (1). Alan Paton died on April 12, 1988 in his home (2). Paton will always be remembered for his great literary success and activism during apartheid.

Alan Paton spoke the voice of freedom and humanity (1).

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