Investigate the system of apartheid. Understand its legal and cultural implications, and then explore the moral and ethical justifications for its existence. How did it compare to Jim Crow laws in the American South? What were the differences?

Watch Cry Freedom and compare it with Cry, the Beloved Country. Consider, among other similarities, to what extent both works may depict a white sympathizer exploiting black oppression or how they highlight the role of the white outsider in raising awareness about the oppressed.

Examine the international politics of 1948, particularly the tensions between the United Nations' Declaration of Human Rights and the implementation of apartheid in South Africa.

In the final sections of the novel, there is significant concern about the environment. Research the issues caused by population displacement and refugee migration in Africa. What is the current state of the environment in South Africa? Has the land been restored, or has the situation deteriorated?

Investigate the current situation in South Africa and reflect on the relevance of Paton's novel now that apartheid has ended.