Nelson Mandala: Long Walk to Freedom
Oral comprehension check
1. Where did the ceremonies take place? can you name any public buildings in India that are made of sandstone?
Ans: The ceremonies took place in the Union Buildings amphitheatre in Pretoria.
Examples of public buildings in India made of sandstone include the Red fort and Rashtrapati Bhavan in Delhi.
2. Can you say how 10 may is an ‘autumn day’ in South Africa?
Ans: 10th May is an “autumn day” in South Africa because on that day there was the largest gathering ever of different colours of public and the international leaders of nations for the installation of South Africa’s first democratic, non-racial government.
3. At the beginning of his speech, Mandela mentions “an extraordinary human disaster”. What does he mean by this? What is the “glorious… human achievement” he speaks of at the end?
Ans: By “an extraordinary human disaster”, Mandela means the practice of apartheid in South Africa, which was a system of racial domination of the white-skinned peoples over the dark-skinned peoples.
The “glorious human achievement” refers to the establishment of the first democratic, non-racial government where all people are recognized for their rights and freedoms regardless of the colour of their skin.
4. What does Mandela thank the international leaders for?
Ans: Mandela thanks the international leaders for having come to take possession with the people of South Africa of what is a common victory for justice, for peace, and for human dignity.
5. What ideals does he set out for the future of South Africa?
Ans: He sets out the ideals of liberating all South Africans from the continuing bondage of poverty, deprivation, suffering, gender, and other discrimination.
Oral Comprehension check
1. What do the military generals do? How has their attitude changed, and why?
Ans: The highest generals of the South African defence force and police saluted Mandela and pledged their loyalty.
Their attitude changed from one of hostility to loyalty because a new government had been freely and fairly elected; only years before, they would not have saluted but arrested him.
2. Why were two national anthems sung?
Ans: Two national anthems were sung to symbolize the unity and equality of the new South Africa, with whites singing “Nkosi Sikelel’ iAfrika” and blacks singing “Die stem”, the old anthem of the Republic.
3. How does Mandela describe the systems of government in his country— (i) in the first decade, and (ii) in the final decade, of the twentieth century?
Ans: (i) In the first decade: The white-skinned peoples erected a system of racial domination against the dark-skinned peoples, creating one of the harshest, most inhumane societies the world has ever known.
(ii) In the second decade: That system had been overturned forever and replaced by one that recognised the rights and freedoms of all peoples, regardless of the colour of their skin.
4. What does courage mean to Mandela?
Ans: To Mandela, courage is not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it. the brave man is not he who does not feel afraid, but he who conquers that fear.
5. Which does he think is natural, to love or to hate?
Ans: He thinks that love comes more naturally to the human heart than its opposite.
1. What “twin obligations” does Mandela mention?
Ans: Mandela mentions that every man has twin obligations: first, to his family, his parents, his wife, and children.
Second, he has an obligation to his people, his community, and his country.
2. What did being free mean to Mandela as a boy, and as a student? How does he contrast these “transitory freedoms” with “the basic and honourable freedoms”?
Ans: As a boy, freedom meant being able to run in the fields, swim in the clear stream, and roast mealies under the stars.
As a student Mandela wanted “Transitory freedoms” only for himself, such as being able to stay out at night, read what he pleased, and go where he chose.
He contrasts these “Transitory freedoms” with “the basic and honourable freedoms”, which involve achieving one’s potential, earning a living, marrying, and having a family without being obstructed by law.
3. Does Mandela think the oppressor is free? why/why not?
Ans: No, Mandela believes the oppressor is not free. He argues that an oppressor is a “prisoner of hatred” locked behind the bars of prejudice and narrow-mindedness. He concludes that both the oppressed and the oppressor are equally robbed of their humanity.
Thinking about the Text
1. Why did such a large number of international leaders attend the inauguration? What did it signify the triumph of?
Ans: International leaders attended to show their respect and witness the installation of South Africa’s first democratic, non-racial government.
It signifies a common victory for justice, for peace, and for human dignity over the “extraordinary human disaster” of apartheid.
2. What does Mandela mean when he says he is “simply the sum of all those African patriots” who had gone before him?
Ans: He means that his achievement was built upon the “unimaginable sacrifices” of thousands of people whose courage can never be fully counted or repaid.
He feels pained that he cannot thank those who died before they could see what their sacrifices had wrought for the nation.
3. Would you agree that the “depths of oppression” create “heights of character”? How does Mandela illustrate this?
Ans: Yes, Mandela illustrates this by noting that the decades of brutality and oppression produced great leaders like Oliver Tambo, Walter Sisulu, and chief Luthuli.
He suggests that such extraordinary courage, wisdom, and generosity require great depths of oppression to be forged in a person.
4. How did Mandela’s understanding of freedom change with age and experience?
Ans: As a child, he thought he was born free as long as he obeyed his father and tribe. As a young man, he realized his boyhood freedom was an “illusion” and began to hunger for it when he saw it had already been taken from him.
Eventually, his personal hunger for freedom grew into a “greater hunger” for the freedom of all his people to live with dignity and self-respect.
5. How did Mandela’s “hunger for freedom” change in life?
Ans: It transformed him from a frightened young man into a bold one, and from a law-abiding attorney into a criminal in the eyes of the law. It turned family loving husband into a man without a home and forced a life-loving man to live like a monk.