Cry Freedom Summary

 

Freedom by John Briley Summary of Cry Freedom Chapter 1 and 2: This story is about South Africa. Donald Woods is an editor of the Daily Dispatch, a journal in East London. One morning he gets news of a police raid in the black township Crossroads that lies in Cape Town. Ken Robertson, another journalist, gave him photos of the raid and he decides to print them. Robertson asked, “Do we dare use them?” he asked because the government doesn´t allow the news to print something like that especially about police beating black people. Woods had trained to be a lawyer. Because of that, he hated how how the police treat black people and the brutality against them. Woods also wrote about Steve Biko and his Black Consciousness. Consequentially, the next day, Dr. Mamphela, who works with Biko in a clinic, was very angry and then she came to Woods office to spook to him about the article. After that, she arranged a meeting between them. Woods meets Steven Biko in an old church in white town. The meeting starts with woods being very uncertain and critical toured Biko. Bike drove the conversation to exchange of roles. Then the ideas and beliefs of Bike’s sank into Woods mind. As Woods saw the intelligent of Biko’s reactions and reasons, he knew that this is a start to something new. Chapter Chap ter 3 and 4: After a while, Biko went with Wood Wood to a clinic far away from Zanempik Zanempiko, o, which Biko and other black doctors have built. Black doctors and black workers run the clinic, only for black people, funded poorly by black people. Woods still think that black and whites could and should work together together building the country. country. He wants the black black to be treated like witches, witches, as a right of another human being, not as a privilege given by Whites. Black want to live their life as they want to, not like what white man like to. At the end of the chapter, Woods had seen how black people really live in South Africa and how they were traded. Being banned from the government, Biko wore like what other black workers wear and went to a black township with Wood. They took a walk through the houses and streets of the black South Africans. Biko and Wood had had a conversation about the detailed detailed frighten and scurry life of a black child. They talked about the unjust system that they suffer with. Biko side, “the black child, clever or stupid, are born into this. And, clever or stupid, you will di die e in it” Chapter Chap ter 5 and 6: Biko and Wood went to eat in Tenjy Mtintso’s Mtintso’s home. It was the first time for wood wood to eat with a black family. They discussed the system of the country and the history of black people and black culture. In addition, they they talked about the history in which h how ow the white people came to South Africa and how the black people got to the bad situation they are in now. After this visit, Wood’s mind has has changed, because, because, for the first time, he saw how worse the black people of South Africa have to live. And also, he saw how strong they work together to achieve their goals. By the end of the chapter, Biko and Wood became friends. Six weeks later Woods gives Tenjy and Mapetla, black educated man and woman, a job at

 

his newspaper. Woods action was strange for the other employees. After a while, Wood and Ken attended a soccer soccer match for black people where Biko gave a speech to blac black k people about the future they need to reach. His speech was very convincing and powerful, all the crowd cheered. Wood and Ken liked his speech and were convinced by Biko’s ideas for the country’s future and the black people of South Africa. Chapter Chap ter 7 and 8: The government did not like the fact that a black leader is talking and provoking the black community against them. Therefore, the police capture Biko after the match. A black informer had told the police police about the speech. In the police office, Captain D De e Wet held Biko in a chair chair and hit him. him. Biko was anger anger as he defended defended himself. After that, two police officers throw Biko Biko out. Two weeks later later in a court in Pretoria, in front of the State State Prosecutor and Judge Regter, Biko was the main witness of two students’ organizations who arranged a large meeting in support of the new government in Mozambique, Biko was in the defense said. Biko stood tall and proud and answered all the questions amazing the attendants during the trial period. Woods helped by printing what happened in the court. After the court event, Captain De Wet and two other police officers wear masks at night went to the church that that Biko built and destroyed most of the things inside it. Donald Woods was facing a problem printing the incident in his newspaper because the only witness was a black man called Dilima. Wood was Afraid for Dilima’s life. Therefore, he did not print anything. Instead, Woods went to the Minister of Police captain Kruger and speaks with him about the incident. The minister was collaborator saying that he will fix this problem because he doesn´t tolerate such thing to happen in his town. Chapter Chap ter 9 and 10: What Wood except from the Minister of Police was wrong because the next day two policemen come and asked around want to know the name of the witness that Woods told the Minister about. Woods refused to give them the name. Woods got angry because Kruger had betrayed him. One night, Woods heard some n noise. oise. The two police officers was harassing Woods black housekeeper Evalina by asking for her legal le gal papers. Woods poled a gun to them and kicked them from his property. The next day, the police wanted to revenge from Wood and the blacks. So, Three men kidnaped Mapetla and after a week he was ended dead. In addition, two days later, Tenjy was arrested arrested without any charges. The most provoking thing about it was the official explanation of the Mapetla death, which was “he hanged himself”. But, Biko and Woods did not believe that for once, so Biko demands an inquest. After all that, the judge closed the case. Chapter Chap ter 11 and 12: 12: Biko was panned from going out said Cape Town. So, one day he drove to speak in an meeting for black students organization. On the way, the rode was under snooping by cops. Than the car was stopped by the police. They asked about Biko’s papers without knowing

 

that he was Biko at first. As they recognize the person is Biko the famous leader, they arrest him. In prison, they beat him and torture him. They even asked for a doctor to look at Biko. His body was covered with bruises, his forehead and eyes was seriously injured and he was hurt on other arias of his body. The doctor recommended that Biko to be put in hospital. The police did not want that, they did not want anyone to see him like that. So, they put him in the police hospital in Pretoria. The doctor’s hand was tied; he cannot say or do anything. By chapter 12, Biko Biko died in unclear manner. After that, Woods felt sad about the lost of his friend and wanted to save his cause. So, he printed an article titled “Biko Dies In Custody”. The reason that The Minister of Police announced about Biko’s death was very week and lacked lacked evidence. He said that Biko starve starve himself to death. One One day after Biko’s dead Woods, Ken, and Ntsiki, who is the wife of Biko, went to the mortuary office to see Biko’s body. Biko’s appearance was shocking, his body was tormented with. Ken and without the workers of the mortuary knowing puts out a camera and toke some photos of  Biko´s body. The other day thousands of black people and friends gathered in Biko’s funeral. He was buried like how heroes would be buried. Chapter Chap ter 13 and 14: 14:

The government wanted to close Woods newspaper, the Daily Dispatch, because because of  constant conflict with the government and it constant support for black people like Biko. They even terror other newspapers from writing like the Daily Dispatch. After that, Wood decided that the only way to fight is to travel to America. In addition, he sends Biko’s death photos to England and America demanding the world to investigate. However, the government stopped him at the airport. Two securities brought him to their office where Wood was told that he has become a banned citizen and have to stay in the country.in the warrant, Woods was banned for five years. Even though the police are watching and making sure that Wood is not writing the book story of Biko’s life that he wanted, Wood believed that Biko’s ideas must live on. So, after deep consideration of the fact that if he wrote this book he and his family would be in danger, he decided to escape from South Africa. Woods wife, Wendy, did not like the idea at first.But, after a tariffing a attack ttack on her children b by y poisoned shirts send to them by anonyms, Wendy changed her mind on the matter and decided that their safety is much important to her. In addition, she wants Biko’s ideas to see the light. Chapter 15 and 16: After all the attacks and threats, Wood began to think of a plan to escape the country. Carefully, Father Kani and Bruce McCullough helped him think that plan. On the New Year eve of the 31 December, Wood’s plan was in motion. He dressed as a priest. Concealed in the back seat of Wendy’s car, so that the police poli ce watching outside their home cannot know about him, she drives Woods to King Williams town. From there Wood hitchhiked and began escaping. In the way, he met Father Kani, Who drove with him to a river. As scheduled, Wood was supposed to cross the river by 1 January. However, he could not because of the wideness of the river. Therefore, he went to the edge of the river. By chapter

 

16, Wood met with Tami, a friend of Biko. Time gladly helped Wood and drove him to the Telle Bridge, ending their meeting with a promise to meet again in the future. Wood find himself in front of a locked gate and he had to cross the rivers, suddenly, a Land Rover stop behind him. Here, he met Moses. Moses Moses work with the posta postall service, and he offered Wood Wood a ride to Maseru. At the passport station, Wood was nerves but he tried not to show his feeling to anyone, after that, he cross the river without any problems. He even danced a little after he crossed. He drove drove to Lesotho where he called his family. Chapter Chap ter 17 and 18: 18: The road is almost finished, Wood meet Bruce through the help of Moses who still thinks that Wood is a priest. They continued to Maseru, where Wood had the chance to talk to the British acting High Commissioner. Commissioner. He asked helm for help to enter their their country. The next morning, Wood met his family after they also escaped from the country but in a different path. The United Nation helped them to gain passports and helped them to fly by a privet plane and pilot. Even though they are happy to be unharmed during this adventure, Wood felt sad as he looked at the window. He might not see his country again. Nevertheless, he is happy that his book book about Biko Biko will be published.at the end of it all, the sound of thousands of people singing at Biko’s funeral is clear in his mind.