Chapter 1

Characters:

Ixopo Hills

Detailed summary of main events:

Alan Paton talks about how the Xopo hills, and how one
is lavish and healthy, and the other isn’t healthy.

Vocabulary log (unknown words): Tithoya, and Veld

Word – Definition

Titihoya- one of the bird of the valley

Veld- open, uncultivated country or grassland in

southern Africa.

Chapter 2

Characters: Reverend Stephen Kumalo, small child,

mother, Theophilus Msimangu, Gertrude, and John.

Detailed summary of main events:

In this chapter a small girl, brings a letter to Rev

Stephen Kumalo. Stephan and his wife thinking that maybe
its their son who is away. To find out, the letter is for neither
of them, but instead it is a letter from Theophilus Msimangu
saying that Stephan’s sister who is sick.
 Vocabulary log (unknown words): umfundisi

Word – Definition

Umfundisi- (Zulu) meaning for Pastor, or peacemaker

Chapter 3

Characters: Rev Stephen Kumalo, parson, and a train

Detailed summary of main events: Rev Stephen is

waiting for the train to take him to Johannesburg, so he can
see his sick sister. While Rev Stephen was waiting for the
train a parson asked him to go to this place called Springs,
so he can see his friend Sibeko.

Vocabulary log (unknown words): inquire, parson

Word - Definition.

Inquire- ask information from someone.

Parson- a beneficed member of the clergy, rector, or a

vicar.

Chapter 4

Characters- Rev Stephen, a young man(robber), Mr.

Msimangu, Mr. Mafolo
Detailed Summary of main events-

- Rev Stephen arrives at the Johannesburg train station.

When Rev Stephen is walking around in the station a man
comes up to him and tells Rev Stephen that he can help him
get on the bus, if he pays him 1 pound of shillings. So the
man leaves with the money but never returns. Rev Stephen
finds another man and asked him where he can buy his
ticket to get on the bus. The man tells Stephen that he can
take him to Sophiatown where he can see his sister
Gertrude, at the Mission House. The man takes Rev Stephen
to The Mission house where he meets

Vocabulary log (unknown words): alighted, Anglican

Word Definition:

Alighted- descends from the air, and settle.

Anglican- relating to, or denoting the Church of England or

any church in communion with it

Chapter 5
Characters- Ms. Lithebe, Rev Stephen Kumalo, Msimangu
Detailed Summary: Rev Stephen finds out from Msimangu that his
sister has basically became a prostitute. Msimangu said that she lives
in Claremont, and it is one of the worst places in Johannesburg.

Vocabulary terms (unknown words): Donga

Word Definition:

Donga- an eroded ravine, a dry watercourse

Chapter 6

Characters: Rev Stephen, Gertrude, and Msimangu

Detailed Summary: Msimangu takes Rev Stephen to the

town where his sister is. When they arrive Stephen sees how
dirty the streets are. Stephen finds his sister and he is able
to talk to her about the wrong she is doing in her life. Rev
Stephen asks his sister if she wants to come home , she
agrees and Rev Stephen takes her and her child to the
Mission House.

Vocabulary Terms (unknown words): hooligans, inarticulately

Word Definition:
Hooligan- a violent young troublemaker, typically one of a
gang

Inarticulately- unable to speak distinctly or express oneself

clearly

Chapter 7

Characters: Gertrude, John, Rev Stephen, and Msimangu

Detailed Summary: Rev Stephen and Msimangu find

Stephen’s brother John. Stephen tries to convince him to
come back to Ndotsheni with him. But John refuses; because
he believes that he his treated better in Johannesburg. After
John tells Stephen that he is not going home, Rev Stephen
and Msimangu go to search for Absalom his son.

Vocabulary Terms (unknown words): fidelity

Word Definition
Fidelity- faithfulness to a person, cause, or belief,
demonstrated by continuing loyalty and support.

Chapter 8

Characters: Rev Stephen, Msimangu, Mrs. Mkize, and

Hlabeni.

Detailed Summary: Rev Stephen and Msimangu are still

looking for Absalom. They find out the Absalom knows a
woman named Mrs. Mkize. Stephen and Msimangu go to the
woman’s and asked her if she knows were Absalom went.
She tells them she doesn’t know, but she does know a man
who was apparently close to Absalom. She tells Stephen and
Msimangu that he is a taxi driver named Hlabeni. Stephen
and Msimangu go and find Hlabeni, Hlabeni tells them that
he heard Absalom was going to Orlando. Hlabeni agrees to
take Msimangu and Stephen to Squatters where they can
help Rev Stephen find his son.

Vocabulary Terms (unknown words): squatters

Word Definition
Squatters- a person who unlawfully occupies an uninhabited
building or unused land

Chapter 9

Characters: a child, Mrs. Seme, and Mr. Dubula

Detailed Summary: In this chapter, they talk about what life

is like in Johannesburg. How people will try to rent rooms,
but since there are so many poor people, that a lot of houses
are full.
Vocabulary Terms (unknown words): Travail

Word Definition

Travail- a painful or laborious effort

Chapter 10

Characters: Rev Stephen , Msimangu

Detailed Summary: Rev Stephen and Msimangu are still

looking for Absalom. They find out that he had attended a
reformatory school, and that he has a girlfriend and she is
pregnant. Rev Stephen and still Msimangu are still looking
for Absalom.

Vocabulary Terms (unknown words): sober, contemplated,

desolation,

Word Definition
Sober- no affected by alcohol, not drunk

Contemplated- looks thoughtfully for a long time

Desolation- a state of complete emptiness or destruction

Chapter 11

Characters: Rev Stephen, Msimangu, Father Vincent

Detailed Summary: Rev Stephen and Msimangu are still

looking for Absalom. But Msimangu is taking Rev Stephen
with him to Ezenzeleni, there Rev Stephen can rest. When
they were in the Mission House, a white priest came in and
showed them an article in the newspaper about City
Engineer being shot by a Native. Father Vincent reads them
the article. The article tells how a man named James Javis,
was in his home when a intruder came in and shot him. He
was claimed to be dead at the scene because there were no
signs of struggle. After hearing this story Kumalo, Msimangu
and Father Vincent didn’t say a word.

Vocabulary Terms (unknown words): inquiries, bereaved

Word Definition

Inquiries- an act of asking for information

Bereaved- a deprived of a loved one through a profound

absence

Chapter 12

Characters: Rev Stephen, Msimangu

Detailed Summary: Rev and Msimangu are at the Mission

House, when Mrs. Ndlela tells Msimangu that the police have
come looking for Absalom. So they follow the police trail
trying to catch up with them, and to see what they want with
Absalom.

Vocabulary Terms (unknown words): vacillate

Word Definition
Vacillate- alternate or water between different opinions or
actions

Chapter 13

Characters: Rev Stephen, and Msimangu

Detailed Summary: Msimangu takes Rev Stephen to

Ezenzeleni, and Rev Stephen thinks about how much he is
losing hope. His sister is a prostitute, and his son has
become a thief. Msimangu reads them encouraging words
that life their spirits.

Vocabulary Terms (unknown words): smote, maize, enrapt

Word Definition

Smote- the past tense verb of smite, to strike with a firm

blow

Maize- a British term for corn

Enrapt- fascinated, enthralled

Chapter 14

Characters: Rev Stephen, John, Msimangu, Absalom

Detailed Summary: Rev and Msimangu find out that Absalom

was the one who shot and killed the white man. Absalom is
in jail, and Rev Stephen went to visit him, and he asks him
questions on why he became a thief.

Vocabulary Terms (unknown words): prodigal

Word Definition
Prodigal- spending money or resources freely and recklessly

Chapter 15

Characters: Rev Stephen, Gertrude, Mrs. Lithebe, and Father

Vincent

Detailed Summary: Father Vincent and Rev Stephen tries to

help Absalom and prove him not guilty of murdering the
white man.

Vocabulary Terms (unknown words):dispirited

Word Definition
Dispirited- to lose enthusiasm or hope

Chapter 16

Characters: Rev Stephen, Absalom’s wife

Detailed Summary: Rev Stephen pays a visit to Absalom’s

girlfriend and asking her if she is willing to be Absalom’s
wife. After she told him yes, he took her out shopping and
took her to a place to live close to his own home.

Vocabulary Terms (unknown words): yielded

Word Definition
Yielded- produces or provide

Chapter 17

Characters: Rev Stephen, Father Vincent, Mrs. Lithebe,

Gertrude, Mr. Carmichael.
Detailed Summary: Rev Stephen checks on Absalom in
prison. He also meets Mr. Carmichael the lawyer and is
trying to find out what Absalom has done. Meanwhile Rev
Stephen invites Absalom’s future wife into Mrs. Lithebe’s
home.

Vocabulary Terms (unknown words): implicate

Word Definition

Implicate- show to be involved in a crime

Chapter 18

Characters: Mr. & Mrs. Jarvis, Captain Jaarsveld, and a

policeman

Detailed Summary: Mr. Jarvis is the father of the white man

who was killed by Absalom. Captain Jaarsveld brings the bad
news about Mr. Jarvis’s son being shot dead by a native.

Vocabulary Terms (unknown words): forlorn

Word Definition:

Forlorn- pitifully sad and abandoned or lonely

Chapter 19

Characters: Mr. & Mrs. Jarvis, John Harrison, and Mary.

Detailed Summary: Mr. Jarvis talks with John Harrison, Mary’s

brother, the wife of Arthur, the white man who was killed.
Harrison talks to Jarvis about hot many whites are afraid of
the natives at night, and how they barricading their doors at
night. Harrison tells Jarvis on how is son was looked at as a
missionary.

Vocabulary Terms (unknown words): conceivable, ineluctable

Word Definition:

Conceivable- capable of being imagined or grasped mentally

Ineluctable- unable to be resisted or avoided, inescapable

Chapter 20

Characters: Mr. Jarvis

Detailed Summary: Mr. Jarvis goes into his son’s room and
he sees all these letters, and books. He sees a letter his son
rights about the native people.

Vocabulary Terms (unknown words): permissible,

exploitation,

Word Definition:
Permissible- permitted; allowed

Exploitation- make full use of and derive benefit from

Chapter 21

Characters: Mr. Jarvis, Harrison

Detailed Summary: That service for the death of Arthur

Jarvis, there were many different cultures, whites, blacks,
and Indians. After the funeral Harrison talked to Mr. Jarvis on
how the blacks are going on strike at some of their jobs.
Harrison shows Jarvis the book Arthur was writing before he
was killed.

Vocabulary Terms (unknown words): bereft, agitating,

indignation,

Word Definition:

Bereft- archaic past participle

Agitating- makes someone troubled or nervous

Indignation- anger or annoyance provoked by what is

perceived as unfair treatment

Chapter 22
Characters: Absalom Kumalo, Matthew Kumalo, and
Johannes Pafuri

Detailed Summary: In this chapter they describe what its like

in a court room. Then they judged Matthew Kumalo, they ask
him question about the night he killed the white man.

Vocabulary Terms (unknown words): culpable, adjourned,

Culpable- deserving blame

Adjourned- to break off, with the intention of resuming later

Word Definition:

Chapter 23

Characters: a voice

Detailed Summary: In this chapter there wasn’t really a main

character. It just talks about all the money in Johannesburg
and how there is only one Johannesburg and there cant be
two.

Vocabulary Terms (unknown words): compensation-

something typically money, awarded to someone as a
recompense for loss, injury, or suffering

Chapter 24

Characters: Mr. Jarvis

Detailed Summary: Jarvis goes to his sons house, and he

finds one of his son’s articles. Jarvis read an article about the
Evolution of a South African.

Chapter 25

Characters: Kumalo, Mr and Mrs. Jarvis

Detailed Summary:
Kumalo and Mr. Jarvis talk about the murder. Jarvis tells
Kumalo that he isn’t mad at him, and for his son for killing
his son.

Chapter 26

Characters: Kumalo, and John Kumalo

Detailed Summary:
John Kumalo is speaking to the people in the square. He tells
the people that they should ask for only their share and what
is produced by their labor.
Chapter 27

Characters: Mrs. Lithebe, Gertrude

Detailed Summary:
There is another white man shot by a native, and Gertrude,
Kumalo, and Mrs. Lithebe fear that it will interfere with
Absalom’s case. Gertrude is wants to become a Nun, and
she ask Absalom’s girlfriend if they can take care of her
child.

Chapter 28

Characters: Absalom

Detailed Summary:
Absalom is found guilty of the murder of Jarvis. Johannes and
Matthew are set free because they do not have enough
proof. For the sentence, Absalom will be sent to be hung.

Chapter 29

Characters: Kumalo, Gertrude, the girl , and Msimangu

Detailed Summary: Kumalo takes Absalom’s wife as his

daughter. When Kumalo and Absalom cry together, the
guard had to remove Absalom from his father.