Book Report

I'd like to write my Book Report for IE CORE class. I read "Cry Freedom".

Briley John, Cry Freedom: OXFORD BOOKWORMS, 120pages,

Responding to the plot:

(e)I like the part best when Steve Biko and Donald Woods met for the first time. Steve Biko has been officially banned by the South African government and is not permitted to leave his defined banning area. Donald Woods, the journalist, was critical of Biko’s political views, but he was formally against Biko's banning, so he decided to see him. At first, Woods didn’t have a good image to Biko, but as he comes to understand Biko's point of view, a friendship develops between them and they began to work together against the government. I was moved by their friend ship. Though their skin colors were different, their thoughts about apartheid were same and they could help each other. When I finished reading this part, I was so happy.

Setting: The late 1970s, during the apartheid era of South Africa

Point of View: This story is told from third person.

Conflict: Steve Biko and Donald Woods were in conflict with the white people, especially the South African government.

Climax: After a political speech at a gathering outside his banning area, Biko is arrested and later beaten to death while in police custody. Woods works to expose the police's complicity in Biko's death, but his efforts to expose the truth lead to his own banning. He thought if he still in this country, South Africa wouldn’t be changed. So, Woods was decided to escape to other country, disguised as a priest and he and his family flied to the Botswana to continue to struggle against apartheid. This is the climax of the story.

Symbol: The friend ship is the symbol of the story. Biko and Woods were trying to struggle against the South African government with a close bond of affection between them. They fell into the awful predicaments many times, but they didn’t gave up. Finally their strong thoughts and friend ship were won.

Irony: The irony of this book is when Biko was dead while in police custody. Though he had a strong thoughts about apartheid, he couldn’t won the government’s power while he was alive. He had been dead before the apartheid was changed.

Theme: The theme of this book is the strong will to abolish discrimination against the black people. The story described the pathetic sight of the apartheid and Biko and Woods were trying to abolish it. Though Biko was dead, Woods tried to continue this movement and never gave up. This strength told us never give up whenever you were in the bad place.

Reflecting on this story:

(b) The book setting is the apartheid era of South Africa and many pathetic sights were described. People were so miserable and were beated by the South African government. Japan is peace now, so I was shocked to know that environment. If I were in that place, I couldn’t stand it. I won’t forget this story and history.

I also watched the film last night. It was so impressive, too!