Nelson Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom

The highest military generals of the South African defence force and police saluted Mandela and pledged their loyalty. Their attitude had changed profoundly; years ago, they would have arrested him instead of saluting. This change was due to the struggle and sacrifices put in by many heroes of South Africa, ensuring the nation’s freedom from apartheid.

On the auspicious occasion of the inauguration, two national anthems were sung to symbolize the equality of Blacks and Whites. One was sung by the Whites and the other by the Blacks.

(i) First Decade: The nation followed a system of racial discrimination against blacks, creating one of the harshest and most inhumane societies.

(ii) Final Decade: The system was overturned and replaced by one that recognized the rights and freedoms of all people, irrespective of the colour of their skin.

To Mandela, courage was 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. He believes that love comes more naturally to the human heart than hate.

Mandela mentions that every man has twin obligations:

• First: To his family, parents, wife, and children.
• Second: To his people, his community, and his country.

As a child, freedom meant to run in the fields, swim in the clear stream, and roast mealies. These were “transitory freedoms.” As a student/adult, he realized these were wasteful from an adult’s perspective and sought the “honourable freedoms” of achieving his potential and earning his keep.

No, Mandela does not think the oppressor is free. He says a man who takes away another man’s freedom is a prisoner of hatred, locked behind the bars of prejudice and narrow-mindedness. Both the oppressor and the oppressed are robbed of their humanity.

International leaders attended to show a gesture of unity and to put an end to the practice of apartheid. It signified the victory of good over evil and the triumph of a tolerant society without racial discrimination.

Mandela meant that he was paying tribute to all those who sacrificed their lives for the sake of freedom. He felt he was the result of their collective sacrifice and that they paved the path for cooperation and unity that allowed him to come to power.

Yes, I agree. Mandela illustrates this by citing examples of great South African heroes like Oliver Tambo, Walter Sisulu, and others who were men of extraordinary courage and wisdom born out of harsh oppression. Similarly, in India, leaders like Mahatma Gandhi and Bhagat Singh emerged during the tough British rule, showing that adversity produces noble characters.

Mandela realized in his youth that his freedom, and that of all blacks, had been taken away. This changed him from a fearful person into a daring rebel. He sacrificed the comforts of a settled family life to fight for a greater cause, joining the African National Congress to fight against racism.

This repetition is a poetic device used to increase intensity.

• Quiet: Used to describe the tiger’s padded paws (“velvet quiet”) and his suppressed anger (“quiet rage”). It emphasizes his helplessness and silence.
• Brilliant: Used for the tiger’s eyes and the stars. It contrasts the tiger’s longing for freedom (looking at stars) with the confining cage.

Opinion: Zoos can be essential for protection and conservation, preventing poaching and extinction. However, a zoo is not the right replacement for a forest. Animals feel imprisoned and bound. Wildlife sanctuaries and national parks are better alternatives as they provide security as well as natural surroundings for the species to move freely.