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Alan Paton

Alan Paton Quotes

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Alan Paton, born on January 11, 1903, and died on April 12, 1988, was a renowned South African author and human rights activist. He is best known for his novel 'Cry, the Beloved Country,' which focuses on the social issues of South Africa, particularly the lives of black people under the apartheid system.

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All Cry The Beloved Country Beloved Country Men Ifs Alan Paton Country Earth Land Africa Children Cry Heart Beloved Fear Giving Life South Africa Done Forgiving Hills

Famous Alan Paton Quotes

“If you wrote a novel in South Africa which didn't concern the central issues, it wouldn't be worth publishing.”

Ifs Novel Issues Concern South Publishing South Africa

Author:Alan Paton

“Cry, the beloved country, for the unborn child that is the inheritor of our fear. Let him not love the earth too deeply... For fear will rob him of all if he gives too much.”

Ifs Giving Children Country Earth Too Much Cry Beloved Unborn Unborn Child Beloved Country Cry The Beloved Country

Book:Cry, the beloved country: a verse drama

Source: Cry, the beloved country: a verse drama

“Cry, the beloved country, for the unborn child that's the inheritor of our fear. Let him not love the earth too deeply. Let him not laugh too gladly when the water runs through his fingers, nor stand too silent when the setting sun makes red the veld with fire. Let him not be too moved when the birds of his land are singing. Nor give too much of his heart to a mountain or a valley. For fear will rob him if he gives too much.”

Source: Cry, the beloved country: a verse drama

“There are voices crying what must be done, a hundred, a thousand voices. But what do they help if one seeks for counsel, for one cries this, and one cries that, and another cries something that is neither this nor that.”

Ifs Done Helping Voice Cry Thousand Hundred

Book:Cry, the Beloved Country

Source: Cry, the Beloved Country

“When I go up there, which is my intention, the Big Judge will say to me, Where are your wounds? and if I say I haven’t any, he will say, Was there nothing to fight for? I couldn’t face that question. (Ah, But Your Land Is Beautiful)”

Ifs Bigs Beautiful Faces Fighting Land Havens Judging Intention Wounds

Author:Alan Paton

“The Judge does not make the law. It is people that make the law. Therefore if a law is unjust, and if the Judge judges according to the law, that is justice, even if it is not just.”

People Ifs Doe Law Justice Judging Unjust

Book:Cry, the Beloved Country

Source: Cry, the Beloved Country

“It is not "forgive and forget" as if nothing wrong had ever happened, but "forgive and go forward," building on the mistakes of the past and the energy generated by reconciliation to create a new future.”

Ifs Past Energy Forget Mistake Happened Building Forgiveness Forgiving Moving On Wrong Reconciliation Learning From Mistakes Forgive And Forget Bright Future Learn From The Past Erring New Future

Author:Alan Paton

“Ask yourself not if this or that is expedient, but if it is right.”

Ifs Life Asks Standards

Author:Alan Paton

“It is not permissible to add to one's possesions if these things can only be done at the cost of other men. Such development has only one true name, and that is exploitation.”

Ifs Men Done Names Development Cost Add Exploitation Beloved Country Cry The Beloved Country

Book:Cry, the Beloved Country

Source: Cry, the Beloved Country

“For fear will rob him of all if he gives too much.”

Ifs Giving Too Much Unborn Unborn Child Beloved Country Cry The Beloved Country

Book:Cry, the beloved country: a verse drama

Source: Cry, the beloved country: a verse drama

About the Author

Born: January 11, 1903
Died: April 12, 1988
Known for: Author
Quotes: 81

Related Topics

Cry The Beloved Country Beloved Country Men Ifs Alan Paton Country Earth Land Africa Children Cry Heart Beloved Fear Giving Life South Africa Done Forgiving Hills

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Books & Sources

Cry, the Beloved CountryRelated source material

Too Late The PhalaropeRelated source material

Cry, the beloved country: a verse dramaRelated source material

Ah, but Your Land Is BeautifulRelated source material

Knocking on the DoorRelated source material

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