Long Walk to Freedom

 

LONG WALK TO FREEDOM

 

Question 1: Where did the ceremonies take place?

Answer: The ceremonies took place in the sandstone amphitheatre formed by the Union Buildings in Pretoria.

 

Question 2: Can you say how 10 May is an ‘autumn day’ in South Africa?
Answer: 10 May is an ‘autumn day’ in South Africa because on this day there was the largest gathering of international leaders on South African soil for the installation of South Africa’s first democratic, non-racial government. Dignitaries belonging to different regions, races, colours had gathered in South Africa to make it a colourful and happy day.

 

Question 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?
Answer: The ‘extraordinary human disaster’ is the inhuman practice of apartheid i.e., the racial discrimination suffered by the blacks at the hands of whites in South Africa. At the end, the ‘glorious human achievement’ that he spoke of refers to the establishment of South Africa’s first democratic, non-racial government.

 

Question 4: What does Mandela thank the international leaders for?
Answer: Mandela felt privileged to be the host to the nations of the world because not too long ago, the South Africans were considered outlaws as many countries had placed sanctions against South Africa because of apartheid. He thus thanked all the international leaders for having come to witness his investiture as President since this event could be considered as a common victory for justice, peace and human dignity. He thanks the world leaders for showing their support and solidarity by attending the event.

 

Question 5: What ideals does he set out for the future of South Africa?
Answer: Mandela had high hopes for the future of South Africa. He pledged to liberate all South Africans from the continuing bondage of poverty, deprivation, suffering, gender and other discrimination. He also stressed that the beautiful land of South Africa would never ever experience racial discrimination again.

Question 6: What do the military generals do? How has their attitude changed, and why?
Answer: The highest military generals of the South African defence force and police saluted Mandela and pledged their loyalty. Not too many years ago, they would not have saluted him, but arrested him for his anti-apartheid activities. This change in attitude was due to the fact that a new, non-racial government was elected and Mandela was the President of South Africa.

 

Question 7: Why were two national anthems sung?
Answer: On the day of the inauguration, two national anthems were sung. The Whites sang ‘Nkosi Sikelel –iAfrika’ and the Blacks sang ‘Die Stem’. This symbolized the end of discrimination and the equality of blacks and whites under the new democratic government.

 

Question 8: 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?
Answer: (i) In the first decade of the twentieth century, the white-skinned people of South Africa erected a system of racial domination against the dark-skinned people of their own land, thus creating the basis of one of the harshest and most inhumane societies the world had ever known.
(ii) In the last decade of the twentieth century, the previous system had been overturned forever and replaced by one that recognized the rights and freedoms of all peoples, regardless of the colour of their skin.

 

Question 9:How did Mandela learn the meaning of courage? (CBSE 2025)

Ans      Mandela learnt courage from his comrades in struggle against apartheid. He saw men and women risk their own lives for freedom of the entire race. He saw them stand up to attacks and torture without breaking down, showing strength and resilience. He understood that courage is not the absence of fear but the triumph over it.

 

Question 10 What does courage mean to Mandela?
Answer: Mandela saw men stand up to attacks and torture without breaking and thus showing strength and resilience that defied the imagination. For Mandela, courage was not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it.

 

Question 11: Which does he think is natural, to love or to hate?
Answer: For Mandela, love comes more naturally to the human heart than hate.

Question 12: Why did such a large number of international leaders attend the inauguration? What did it signify the triumph of?
Answer: Before Nelson Mandela became the President, South Africa was in the grips of apartheid and was thus declared an outlaw by other nations. When Mandela became the President, he abolished apartheid and thus diplomatic relations were rebuilt with many countries. The inauguration of a new, non-racial government was a historic moment in South African as well as world history. Thus, several distinguished international leaders attended this inauguration. It signified the triumph of justice, peace and human dignity.

 

Question 13: What does Mandela mean when he says he is “simply the sum of all those African patriots” who had gone before him?
Answer: When Mandela says that he was ‘simply the sum of all African patriots,’ he wants to honour the unimaginable sacrifices of all  noble and courageous men like Oliver Tambo and Bram Fischer, who fought for the end ofapartheid. He was pained that he could not thank them and that they could not see that as a collective result of their sacrifices finally, a non- racial and democratic government was set uo in South Africa.

 

Question 14: Would you agree that the “depths of oppression” create “heights of character? How does Mandela illustrate this?

Answer: Yes, I agree that the “depths of oppression” create “heights of character”. Mandela thought that the decades of brutality and oppression had an unintended effect of creating many African patriots with unimaginable heights of character. Thus, he felt that the greatest wealth of South Africa is its people.

 

Question 15: How did Mandela’s understanding of freedom change with age and experience? (VV Imp)
Ans. Mandela had different concepts of freedom at different stages of life. As a boy, he had an illusion about freedom. He thought he was born free. As long he obeyed his elders he had the freedom to run in the fields swim in the stream and ride on the back of bulls.

As a student he cared for transitory freedom — freedom to stay out at night, read the books of his choice and go where he liked.

When he became a young man he yearned for basic and honourable freedoms of achieving his potential, earning his keep, marrying, having a family and living a lawful life.

Slowly his concept of freedom widened especially when he joined the African National Congress. He realized that true freedom is not individual freedom but freedom for all.

 

Question 16: How did Mandela’s ‘hunger for freedom’ change his life?
Answer: Mandela realized in his youth that it was not just his freedom that was being curtailed, but the freedom of all blacks. The hunger for his own freedom became the hunger for the freedom of his people. This desire of a non-racial society transformed him into a virtuous and self-sacrificing man. Thus, he joined the African National Congress and this changed him from a frightened young man into a bold man.

 

Question 17:  Why does the author use the phrase “that drove a law abiding citizen to become a criminal” to describe Mandela? (CBSE 2025)

Ans      Driven with the purpose of gaining freedom for his people and giving them a life of dignity and respect, Mandela broke laws under the system of apartheid and fought against discrimination. For his anti-apartheid activities, he faced many challenges, faced brutalities of the authorities and was imprisoned for many years.

 

Question 18. Freedom is “indivisible”, said Mandela. How were ‘the chains on anyone were the chains on all of his people’?

 Ans.  As black community, Mandela’s brothers and sisters suffered under apartheid. It was not about individual freedom, but the rights and privileges of the whole black community of South Africa. Even if one black was oppressed, it meant discrimination against all black people.

 

Short Answer Type Important Questions

Answer the following questions in 30-40 words:

1. What unintended effect was produced on Nelson Mandela by decades of oppression in South Africa?

Ans. The decades of oppression made Nelson Mandela a strong person. He set out the goal to liberate the people of South Africa from continuing bondage of poverty, deprivation, suffering and other discrimination. He decided to have freedom and justice for all.

 

2. What pained Nelson Mandela on becoming the President of South Africa?

Ans. Nelson Mandela was sad for not able to thank those African patriots who had fought for independence and sacrificed their lives for it. This pained him that they were not able to see what their sacrifices had brought.

 

3.   What did the display of jets and military salute symbolise?

Ans. There was a spectacular show of South African jets and troop carriers over the Union Buildings. The highest generals of the military and police saluted President Mandela. It was a clear demonstration of the military’s loyalty to democracy, to a free and fairly elected government.

 

4.Why was the apartheid regime in South Africa was one of the harshest and most inhuman systems in the world?

Ans. The apartheid regime was based on the racial discrimination and exploitation of blacks in South Africa. The basic or fundamental rights were only for the whites and the blacks were deprived of these freedoms. Oppression, torture and exploitation of the blacks were common features of the apartheid regime.

 

5.How did the policy of apartheid create a deep and lasting wound in South African blacks?

Ans. No doubt, the policy of apartheid created a deep and lasting wound in South Africa and the blacks. It would take many years to recover from that profound hurt. The racial discrimination unleashed a reign of terror, oppression and brutality on the blacks of South Africa.

 

6.What is the greatest wealth of a country according to Nelson Mandela?

Ans. South Africa is rich in the minerals and gems. But minerals and gems are not the greatest wealth of a nation. Mandela thinks that the greatest and real wealth of a nation is its people. They are finer and truer than the purest diamonds.

 

 

7.Why did Nelson Mandela feel that both the oppressor and the oppressed are robbed of their humanity and hence, both of them must be liberated?

Ans. Nelson Mandela rightly believes that both the oppressor and the oppressed are robbed of their humanity. A man who takes away another’s freedom is a prisoner of hatred. He is locked behind the bars of prejudice and hate. A person can never be free if his freedom is taken away. Hence, the oppressed and the oppressor alike are robbed of their humanity.

 

8. Describe the effect of the policy of apartheid on the people of South Africa.
Ans. The policy of apartheid based on racial discrimination of the black people, created distance and a deep wound in the country and the people. Many great men like Oliver Tambo, Walttr Sisulu, Yusuf Dadoo, Bram Fischer, etc were produced due to the brutality and oppression. They were men of great character.

 

9. What were the difficulties faced by Nelson Mandela in achieving freedom for his people?

Ans. In his endeavour to get freedom for his countrymen from the rule of Apartheid, Nelson Mandela had to undergo many hardships and suffered a lot. This great patriot had to sacrifice the comfort of his home and loving family. He was declared an outlaw for demanding equality for all his fellow black Africans. He was punished, isolated and put into jail. He and his comrades were oppressed and tortured beyond tolerance. He suffered hunger, oppression and injustice but kept the flame of independence burning in his heart. His undaunted courage, persistent struggle and unparallel sacrifice bore fruit and South Africa got freedom from the rule of Apartheid on 10 May 1994.

 

10.Why was Nelson Mandela overwhelmed with a sense of history? Give the birth and finally the burial of the apartheid regime in South Africa.

Ans. On the day of the inauguration of the Republic, Nelson Mandela was overwhelmed with a sense of history. It was quite natural for a man who taught against the hated regime for decades. After the Boer war, the white groups patched up their differences. They imposed the domination of the whites over the majority population of South Africa. The birth of the apartheid was the birth of one of the harshest and inhumane regimes in the world. It was based on racial discrimination and oppression. Deep oppression and atrocities produced thousands of black patriots who were ready to sacrifice their lives for the freedom of their fellow men. The determined struggle of these black heroes ended in their victory. A democratically elected government headed by President Nelson Mandela was installed on the 10th of May, 1994.