English Class 10 - Class X CBSE Chapter 2 Nelson Mandela - A Long Walk To Freedom Material

INTRODUCTION

This chapter is an extract from the autobiography of Nelson Mandela (18 July, 1918 - 5 December, 2013), the first Black President of South Africa. Excerpts from “Long Walk to Freedom” include description of the inauguration ceremony, citations from his speech, his journey to being a freedom fighter, the struggle, along with a tribute to other freedom fighters and countless other people who fought for their freedom. This lesson gives us an overview as to how Nelson Mandela, along with others, carved their way to a society where there will be no discrimination on the basis of their colour, caste, race, age, or gender.

 

CHARACTERS

Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela - He was a South African anti-apartheid revolutionary, politician, and philanthropist who led the country from 1994 to 1999. He was the country’s first black president and the first to be elected in a democratic election with full representation. He fought against the ‘apartheid’ regime of South Africa, which believed in racialism.

 

WORD MEANINGS

1. Dawned - (of a day) began

2. Awe - amazed

3. Deputy - second in command

4. Emancipation - the fact or process of being set free from legal, social, or political restrictions

5. Stream - a small, narrow river

6. Abided - obeyed

7. Amphitheatre - an open - air theatre

8. Apartheid - a policy or system of segregation on grounds of race

9. Array - an impressive display

10. Assembled - (of people) gather together in one place for a common purpose

11. Bedecked - decorate

12. Besieged - to be surrounded by

13. Bondage - the state of being a slave

14. Boyhood - the state or time of being a boy

15. Chevron - a pattern in the shape of a V

16. Civil - courteous and polite

17. Comrades - a colleague or a fellow member of an organization

18. Confer - grant

19. Curtailed - reduce; impose a restriction on

20. Defies - refuse to obey

21. Deprivation - the damaging lack of material benefits considered to be necessities in a society

22. Despised - hated, had a very low opinion of

23. Dignitaries - a person considered to be important because of high rank or office.

24. Dignity - the state or quality of being worthy of respect.

25. Discrimination - being treated differently or unfavourably

26. Erected - build; construct

27. Frightened - afraid or anxious

28. Glimmer - shine faintly with a wavering light

29. Glorious - having, worthy of, or bringing fame or admiration.

30. Glory - honour

31. Grimmest - very serious or gloomy

32. Illusion - a false idea or belief

33. Inclination - natural tendencies of behaviour

34. Indivisible - unable to be divided or separated

35. Inevitably - unavoidably

36. Lyrics - the words of a song

37. Mealies - a maize plant

38. Monk - a member of a religious community of men, typically living under vows of poverty

39. Obligations - a duty or a commitment

40. On our own soil - in our own country

41. Oppression - prolonged cruel or unjust treatment or exercise of authority.

42. Overturned - reverse.

43. Overwhelmed - have a strong emotional effect

44. Pleasantly - giving a sense of happy satisfaction or enjoyment; satisfying

45. Pledged - committed (a person or organization) by a solemn promise.

46. Possession - ownership

47. Precision - accuracy

48. Prejudice - a strong dislike without any good reason

49. Profound - very great or intense

50. Pushed to our limits - pushed to the last point in our ability to bear pain

51. Racial domination - when people of one race have power over another race

52. Reassure - say or do something to remove the doubts

53. Rebellion - the action or process of resisting authority, convention, or control

54. Reign - rule; govern

55. Resilience - the ability to deal with any kind of hardship and recover from its effects

56. Sandstone - a type of stone that is formed of grains of sand

57. Secrecy - the action of keeping something secret

58. Spectacular - beautiful in a dramatic and an eye-catching way

59. Supremacy - the state or condition of being superior to all others in authority, power, or status

60. Sworn - given under oath; determined to stay in the role specified

61. Symbolised - be a symbol of

62. Trail - series; chain

63. Transitory - not permanent

64. Triumph - great victory or achievement

65. Troop - soldiers or armed forces

66. Twilight - half-light, semi-darkness

67. Unimaginable - difficult or impossible to imagine

68. Unintended - not planned or meant

69. Unmindful - not conscious or aware

70. Virtuous - having or showing high moral standards

71. Yearned - have an intense feeling or longing for something

 

SUMMARY

The inauguration day

Tenth May dawned. It was bright and clear. Many world leaders had been coming to the author to pay respects to him. It was before the inauguration. The inauguration was to be the largest gathering of world leaders there.

 

The place of inauguration

The inauguration ceremonies took place in a big open building in Pretoria. Here the South Africa’s first democratic non-racial Govt. was to be installed.

 

The swearing-in ceremony

On that day, the author was in the company of his daughter Zenani. Mr. De Klerk was first sworn in as second deputy President. Then Thabo Mbeki was sworn in as first deputy President. It was the author’s turn then. He was sworn in as the President. He pledged to obey and uphold the constitution. Furthermore, he also pledged to devote himself to the well-being of the people.

 

The author addresses

The author spoke of the newborn liberty. He thanked all the international guests. He said that they had come there to be with his countrymen. It was the common victory for justice, peace and human dignity. He pledged to liberate his people from poverty, suffering, and discrimination.

 

Display by jets and helicopters

After a few moments, colourful South African jets and helicopters flew over the Union Buildings there. It was for military’s loyalty to democracy for a new government. Then the highest military generals having medals on their chests saluted the author. He thought that they would have arrested him many years before.

 

Singing of the national anthem

The day was symbolised for the author by the playing of two national anthems. The whites sang ‘Nkosi Sikelel’ and the blacks sang ‘Die Stem’. These formed the old anthems of the republic.

 

The author’s thoughts

On that day of the inauguration, the author thought of history. In the first decade, the white-skinned people had patched up their differences with other white-skinned people. They had built a system of superiority also. It was the basis of the harshest societies. This system had now stood overturned. Now, it was the system that recognized the rights and freedoms of all people.

 

The author’s regret

This auspicious day came after the sacrifices of thousands of the people. The author thought of himself as the sum of all those people. He was pained that he couldn’t thank them.

 

Freedom fighters remembered

The policy of apartheid created a lasting wound in his country and his people. This policy had produced great freedom fighters. They were like Oliver Tambo, Walter Sisulu, Chief Luthuli, Yusuf Dadoo etc. They were men of uncommon courage, wisdom, and generosity. The country was rich in minerals. But its greatest wealth was its people.

 

The definition of courage

From these people, the author learned the meaning of courage. They risked their lives. They underwent great torture. He learned that courage was not the absence of fear but the victory over it.

 

Man’s natural goodness

The author says that no one is born hating another person due to colour or religion. They could be taught to love. Love comes naturally to the human heart. In prison, they were pushed to their limits. But he saw humanity in the hearts of the guards. It was man’s essential goodness. It can’t be put out.

 

Man’s duties

In life, every man has twin duties - to his family, to his community and country. The author found it difficult to fulfil these two duties. It was because a coloured man in South Africa was punished if he lived like a human being. Such a man was forced to live apart from his own people. So he was not allowed to do his duties to his family.

 

Freedom defined

The author was born free. He was not born with a hunger to be free. He was free as long as he obeyed his father and obeyed the customs of his tribe. But soon he realized that his freedom was an illusion. He began to hunger for freedom when it was taken from him. As a student, he wanted freedom to read and go. As a young man in Johannesburg, he wanted freedom to be as per his potential. He also wanted the freedom of livelihood of his own and of family.

 

Desire for freedom made him bold

But soon he saw that he was also not free like his brothers and sisters. Then he joined the African National Congress. His hunger for freedom became great for the freedom of his people. The desire for the freedom of his people to live with dignity gave him power. It made him bold. It made him live like a monk. The chains on his people became chains for him too.

 

Oppressor and the oppressed without humanity

The author knew that the oppressor must be liberated like the oppressed. A man who takes away another’s freedom becomes the hated. No one is free if he is taking someone else’s freedom. Both the oppressor and the oppressed are robbed of humanity.