All Roads lead to Johannesburg

When Roman scholars described how people get to Rome, they said, “Mille viae ducunt homines per saecula Romam” which means A thousand roads lead men to Rome. In other words, it means all roads lead to Rome. Alan Paton alludes to the quote by saying, “ALL roads lead to Johannesburg” (52). In other words, all opportunities and chances lie in Johannesburg as well as all the problems. This quote is a direct statement to the greatness of Johannesburg. Paton compares the mighty Rome and the monumental Johannesburg. By comparing the two great cities, Paton highlights the amount of oppurtunities there are in Johannesburg. John Kumalo testifies to this as he says, “Here in Johannesburg, I am a man of some importance, of some influence” (35). People who come to Johannesburg make opportunities. Likewise, all the problems come to Johannesburg. Stephen Kumalo goes to Johannesburg to find his son, Absalom, and his sister, Gertrude. In order to do this, he goes to Johannesburg, the center of everything. Even though Kumalo does not discover anything positive but everything negative about Absalom, he learns the numerous amounts of opportunities in Johannesburg. Another reason why Johannesburg is the destination of all roads is due to the fact that work and houses are found there. Those who need anything will travel to Johannesburg. But due to the overwhelming amounts of people, Johannesburg suffers. Johannesburg’s suffering is not a minor but a major deal. The suffering leads to the beginning of racial discrimination, the motif in the book.

Injustice

Injustice literally means lack of fairness or justice. People who feel oppressed or are untreated fairly normally feel injustice. John Kumalo, a politician and Stephen Kumalo’s brother, fights against the white people not because he hates them, but because, “I hate only injustice” (211). John made up his mind to fight as a patron for justice and to make sure the black people achieve justice. He states that black people are being forced into labor yet they do not even receive the fruit of their labor. This is why John fights for justice. Most people dislike injustice and do not want to be put in a situation where they feel injustice. This is why most people fight against others. They feel injustice. It is like people have a certain standard between other people, type of honor code except for justice. People tend to not cross the line because they know consequences come rushing in right after. The white people crossed the line and destroyed the line. This is also why the black people are offended. They feel the urge to protect the line and so strikes happen and people, who can motivate, like John Kumalo, take the lead against such things.

Dependece on each other

Everyone on this earth depends on each other, whether it is family, a workplace, a sports team, a cooking crew. Without the other person, we cannot do our role successfully. We only struggle harder. When we try things by our own selves, we only see pain and sorrow. With the help of others, we can see joy even if the work load is plenty. Even if we hate the other person we depend on, we can’t do anything without them. It is the same for the Africans and the white people in Johannesburg. Regarding dependence on each other, Alan Paton states, “Yet the thought of so fantastic a thing is terrifying, and white people realize how dependent they are on the labour of the black people” (189). In the book, white people treat black people like the lowest of the lowest, the bottom of the pack. However in reality, white people need black people. This is evident in the mines. If the black people did not work on the mines, then the white people would not be able to obtain any gold. Without gold, there is no Johannesburg. White people depend on the labour of black people so much that they even built their whole city on their labour. Black people basically serve as the foundation for Johannesburg. Take out the foundation, and the whole building, even if it’s a majestic castle, will come crumbling down and will lay in ruins.  

MONEY $$$

Money drives the world. Everything we do in this world needs some sort of money involved in the situation. Paton confirms this by saying, “Money is for security, and for dreams, and for hopes, and for purposes” (172). By using money, we can buy food from the nearest grocery. By using money, we can buy beds from the nearest furniture store. By using money, we can buy houses as shelter. Many people say the more money, the more happiness. However, in most cases, the more money you have, the more problems you have. Many people also say that money can buy happiness. But happiness does not have a price tag. It is not bought. Most people obtain happiness through good deeds and seeing others happy. Acts of good allow some people to obtain happiness. Money can also be used for dreams but that should not be the main reason for why it is used. Creating and fulfilling dreams should come from your own brain and heart. You create the dreams. There is no store to buy dreams. Money is only a helpful tool to earn dreams but, it is not necessary to success. Money can be used for happiness but it should not be the main reason for happiness. When it comes to an economic downfall, money cannot do anything. Once money disappears, people will have to find an alternative route to the land of happiness. Since there are many roads to happiness, money does not have to be the only way.  

Betrayal for Truth?

Betrayal is a tough subject for most. Betrayal is a breaking or violation of a contract of trust with another person. But why do most people betray others? What motivates them to betray others? Is it anger? Is it a repentant heart? Is it truth? For Absalom Kumalo, it was for a repentant heart with which his confession came about. After murdering a white man and while being forced to testify, he said his friends were with him during the murder. By testifying the fact that his friends were with him during the murder, the judge regarded his friends as accomplices toward the crime. In the end, they were all put in jail. However, Absalom must have had some motivation to put his friends in jail. He must have been trying to accomplish something. Since the reason, to his issues, is not revealed yet, it is hard to tell. Betrayal is a tough topic for the betrayer. To the betrayer, it takes off a heavy burden and makes them feel more relieved. To the betrayed, it is a revenge situation where since this person betrayed me; there must be a way to get back at the betrayer. In an ideal world, betrayal for truth is acceptable but in our real world, is it truly worth it? It's hard to break trust. But sometimes, the only person you can trust is yourself.