Nelson Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom — Class 10 English
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Chapter summary
The story in steps
- Mandela recalls the bright day when South Africa celebrates its first democratic government and he takes oath as President.
- He watches world leaders attend the ceremony and feels proud that people of many races now share freedom.
- He remembers the long years of apartheid and honours the many brave men and women who suffer and sacrifice.
- He says every person has duties to family and country, but apartheid cruelly blocks these natural obligations.
- Mandela reflects that courage means winning over fear, and prison teaches him the real value of freedom.
- He ends by saying hatred is learned, love can be taught, and both oppressor and oppressed need liberation.
Key ideas & terms
- Nelson Mandela
- The freedom fighter who became South Africa’s first black President.
- Apartheid
- The cruel system of racial segregation in South Africa.
- Courage
- Defined as the triumph over fear, not its absence.
- Inauguration
- The ceremony at which Mandela was sworn in as President in 1994.
- Freedom
- The right Mandela fought for, for both the oppressed and the oppressor.
- Twin obligations
- A person’s duties to family and to society.
शब्दार्थ · Word meanings
- apartheid
- racial separation system in South Africa
- amphitheatre
- open circular place for events
- spectacular
- very impressive and beautiful
- besieged
- surrounded by troubles or enemies
- pledged
- made a serious promise
- emancipation
- the act of setting free
- deprivation
- lack of basic needs
- curtailed
- reduced or cut short
- illusion
- false idea or belief
- oppressor
- person who treats others cruelly
Extra questions & answers
What did the inauguration ceremony of 1994 signify?
It marked the end of apartheid and the birth of a democratic, non-racial South Africa, with Mandela as its first black President.
What, according to Mandela, are the twin obligations of every person?
An obligation to his family, parents and wife and children, and an obligation to his people, community and country.
How does Mandela define courage?
Not as the absence of fear, but as the triumph over it; the brave man feels fear but conquers it.
Why does Mandela say the oppressor must also be liberated?
Because a man who takes away another’s freedom is a prisoner of hatred and prejudice, so true freedom frees both the oppressed and the oppressor.
What does Mandela mean by an “extraordinary human disaster” and a “glorious human achievement”?
The disaster was the long, cruel system of apartheid and the suffering it caused; the achievement was the birth of a free, democratic and non-racial South Africa.
Whom does Mandela honour at the inauguration?
He welcomes the international leaders present and pays tribute to the freedom fighters, both famous and unknown, who sacrificed their lives for liberty.
How did the policy of apartheid affect black South Africans?
It stripped them of basic rights and dignity, segregated them by race, and made it impossible for them to live freely or fulfil their potential.
According to Mandela, how did decades of oppression shape great leaders?
The very depth of oppression produced men of extraordinary courage, wisdom and generosity, the heroes who rose to lead the freedom struggle.
What two kinds of freedom does Mandela distinguish?
As a boy he prized small, transitory freedoms; as a man he came to understand the far greater hunger for the freedom of his whole people to live with dignity.
What is the central message of this extract?
That courage is conquering fear, hatred is learned and can be unlearned through love, and a truly free society must liberate both the oppressed and the oppressor.
Before You Read
Which of the three named countries had apartheid until recently?
South Africa had the apartheid system.
What does the introductory note tell us about Nelson Mandela?
Nelson Mandela and the African National Congress devoted many years to fighting apartheid. Mandela spent about thirty years in prison and later became the first Black President of the new democratic South Africa.
What was the historic inauguration mentioned in the chapter?
It was Nelson Mandela's inauguration as South Africa's first Black President after the country's first democratic elections and the end of centuries of White rule.
Activity: Matching Expressions with Meanings
Match "a rainbow gathering of different colours and nations" with its meaning.
A beautiful coming together of people belonging to different races and nations, like the different colours of a rainbow.
Match "the seat of white supremacy" with its meaning.
The centre of a political system based on White racial superiority.
Match "be overwhelmed with a sense of history" with its meaning.
To feel deeply emotional while remembering and understanding the past events that led to the present moment.
Match "resilience that defies the imagination" with its meaning.
An almost unimaginable ability to endure suffering without losing hope, courage or goodness.
Match "a glimmer of humanity" with its meaning.
A small sign of human goodness, kindness, sympathy or justice.
Match "a twilight existence" with its meaning.
A partly secret and uncertain life, resembling the dim period between daylight and darkness.
Oral Comprehension Check I
Where did the inauguration ceremonies take place? Name any Indian public buildings made of sandstone.
The inauguration ceremonies took place in the sandstone amphitheatre formed by the Union Buildings in Pretoria, South Africa. Public buildings in India that are made of sandstone include Rashtrapati Bhavan and the Red Fort (Lal Qila) in Delhi, as well as the Parliament House (Sansad Bhavan), India Gate, the Agra Fort and the buildings of Fatehpur Sikri, many of which are built of red sandstone.
How was 10 May an autumn day in South Africa?
The chapter describes 10 May as a lovely autumn day in South Africa, but it does not explain the geographical reason for the season. Therefore, a fuller explanation would require information outside the supplied PDF.
What are the "extraordinary human disaster" and the "glorious human achievement" mentioned by Mandela?
The extraordinary human disaster was the long system of apartheid, racial domination and oppression. The glorious human achievement was the establishment of a democratic, non-racial government and the attainment of political freedom.
Why does Mandela thank the international leaders?
He thanks them for coming to South Africa and sharing with its people a common victory for justice, peace and human dignity.
What ideals does Mandela set out for South Africa's future?
He promises to free the people from poverty, deprivation, suffering, gender discrimination and other forms of discrimination. He envisions a country without oppression, where justice, peace, dignity and freedom prevail.
Oral Comprehension Check II
What did the military generals do, and how had their attitude changed?
The generals saluted Mandela and pledged their loyalty to the newly elected democratic government. Their conduct had changed completely because, only a few years earlier, the same authorities would have arrested him rather than saluted him.
Why were two national anthems sung?
The two anthems symbolised reconciliation and the coming together of Black and White South Africans. Each group sang the anthem once associated with the other, showing that both traditions would form part of the new nation.
How does Mandela describe South Africa's government in the first and final decades of the twentieth century?
In the first decade, White leaders created a harsh and inhumane system of racial domination over the Black population. In the final decade, that system was permanently overturned and replaced by one recognising the rights and freedoms of all people, regardless of skin colour.
What does courage mean to Mandela?
Courage is not the absence of fear but victory over fear. A brave person feels fear but succeeds in conquering it.
Which does Mandela consider more natural: love or hate?
Mandela considers love more natural. He says people learn to hate, which means they can also be taught to love, because love comes more naturally to the human heart.
Oral Comprehension Check III
What twin obligations does Mandela mention?
Every person has an obligation to their family - parents, spouse and children - and an obligation to their people, community and country.
What did freedom mean to Mandela as a boy and as a student, and how did these differ from basic and honourable freedoms?
As a boy, freedom meant running in the fields, swimming in the village stream, roasting mealies under the stars and riding bulls. As a student, it meant temporary personal freedoms such as staying out at night, reading what he wished and going where he chose. Later, he understood basic and honourable freedom as the right to fulfil his potential, earn a living, marry, have a family and live lawfully without obstruction.
Does Mandela think the oppressor is free? Why?
No. A person who removes another person's freedom becomes a prisoner of hatred, prejudice and narrow-mindedness. Both the oppressed person and the oppressor lose part of their humanity.
Thinking about the Text
Why did so many international leaders attend the inauguration, and what triumph did their presence signify?
They attended to honour the birth of South Africa's democratic, non-racial government and to share in its historic achievement. Their presence signified the triumph of democracy, justice, peace and human dignity over apartheid and racial oppression.
What does Mandela mean by saying that he was the sum of all the African patriots who came before him?
He means that his achievement was not his alone. It was the result of the sacrifices, courage and suffering of countless patriots whose struggle made the new South Africa possible. He saw himself as carrying forward their long and noble legacy.
Do depths of oppression create heights of character? How does Mandela illustrate the idea?
Mandela believes that severe oppression can bring forth extraordinary courage, wisdom and generosity. He illustrates this through leaders such as Oliver Tambo, Walter Sisulu, Chief Luthuli, Yusuf Dadoo, Bram Fischer and Robert Sobukwe.
How did Mandela's understanding of freedom change with age and experience?
At first, he thought he was naturally free because he could enjoy his childhood surroundings. As a student, he desired temporary personal liberties. As a young adult, he wanted the ordinary freedoms of work, marriage and family life. Eventually, he realised that the freedom of everyone who shared his condition had been taken away, so his personal desire became a struggle for the dignity and freedom of all his people.
How did Mandela's hunger for freedom change his life?
It transformed him from a frightened young man into a bold one, changed a law-abiding attorney into someone treated as a criminal, separated a family-loving husband from his home and forced a life-loving man to live with severe self-denial. It led him to join the African National Congress and dedicate his life to collective freedom.
Thinking about Language I: Noun and Verb Forms
List noun-verb pairs of the kind illustrated by formation-form and government-govern.
Possible pairs from the chapter are: formation-form; government-govern; rebellion-rebel; constitution-constitute; inauguration-inaugurate; installation-install; demonstration-demonstrate; election-elect; oppression-oppress; emancipation-emancipate; deprivation-deprive; discrimination-discriminate; achievement-achieve; domination-dominate; imagination-imagine; obligation-oblige; and liberation-liberate.
Fill the blanks in the Martin Luther King paragraph with noun forms of the verbs.
The correct noun forms, in order, are: contribution, assistance, subjugation, humiliation, imprisonment and resistance.
Thinking about Language II: Using the Definite Article with Names
What is meant by "the Oliver Tambos, the Walter Sisulus" of a period?
It means many other people of the same type or character as Oliver Tambo and Walter Sisulu, including people whose names may not be equally well known. Therefore, option (b) is correct.
What does the sentence about inviting "the Amitabh Bachchans and the Shah Rukh Khans" mean?
It means that Mr Singh regularly invites famous film personalities or people of the same celebrated type as those named.
What does it mean to call Madhuri Dixit "the Madhubala of our times"?
It means that Madhuri Dixit is being presented as the modern equivalent of Madhubala because she is thought to possess comparable qualities or status.
What is meant by "the Alexanders, the Napoleons and the Hitlers" in history?
The names represent historical figures of similar kinds - powerful conquerors, rulers or dictators - not only the particular individuals named.
Thinking about Language III: Idiomatic Expressions
What is the nearest meaning of "I was not unmindful of the fact"?
It means that Mandela had not forgotten and was fully aware of the fact. The correct choice is (i).
What is the nearest meaning of "my comrades and I were pushed to our limits"?
It means they felt that they could not endure the suffering much longer. The correct choice is (iii).
What is the nearest meaning of "reassure me and keep me going"?
It means helping him continue to live with hope in an extremely difficult situation. The correct choice is (ii).
What is the nearest meaning of "earning my keep"?
It means earning enough money to support oneself and live. The correct choice is (i).
Speaking
Prepare a short speech on the idea that true liberty means freedom from poverty, deprivation and every form of discrimination.
True liberty is greater than the right to vote or the absence of physical imprisonment. A person cannot be completely free while poverty prevents access to basic needs, deprivation removes rightful opportunities or discrimination denies equal dignity. Mandela's vision therefore joins political emancipation with freedom from suffering, gender discrimination and every other form of unfair treatment. Poverty and discrimination weaken people by limiting their ability to develop their potential and participate fully in society. They can be overcome only when a community recognises the equal humanity of all its members and protects their rights in practice. Constitutional rights are meaningful when people can live without fear, prejudice or humiliation. True freedom is indivisible: the chains placed upon one group eventually diminish everyone. A just society must therefore defend peace, equality, human dignity and the opportunity for every person to live an honourable life.
Writing I: Looking at Contrasts
Complete: It requires such depths of oppression ...
It requires such depths of oppression to create such heights of character.
Complete: Courage was not the absence of fear ...
Courage was not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it.
Complete: The brave man is not he who does not feel afraid ...
The brave man is not he who does not feel afraid, but he who conquers that fear.
Complete: If people can learn to hate ...
If people can learn to hate, they can be taught to love.
Complete: I was not born with a hunger to be free ...
I was not born with a hunger to be free; I was born free.
Writing II: Contrasting Past with Present or Future
Complete the contrast about the Union Buildings.
For decades the Union Buildings had been the seat of White supremacy, and now they were the site of a rainbow gathering for the installation of South Africa's first democratic, non-racial government. The contrast is signalled by "and now".
Complete the contrast about the generals saluting Mandela.
Only moments before, the generals saluted Mandela and pledged their loyalty; not many years earlier, they would not have saluted him but would have arrested him. The contrast is signalled by the opposition between "only moments before" and "not so many years before", together with "but".
Complete the contrast about the two national anthems.
Although neither group knew the words of the anthem it had once despised, both groups would soon know those words by heart. The contrast is signalled by "although".
Complete the contrast about South Africa's wealth.
Mandela's country is rich in minerals and gems beneath the soil, but its greatest wealth is its people, who are finer and truer than the purest diamonds. The contrast is signalled by "but".
Complete the contrast about the air show.
The air show was not only a display of precision and military force, but also a demonstration of the military's loyalty to democracy and to the newly elected government. The contrast is signalled by "not only ... but".
Complete the contrast describing how the desire for his people's freedom changed Mandela.
The desire for his people's freedom transformed a frightened young man into a bold one, drove a law-abiding attorney to become a criminal and turned a family-loving husband into a man without a home. The balanced contrast is created by the repeated structures "transformed ... into", "drove ... to become" and "turned ... into".
Writing III: Expressing Your Opinion
Write about 100-150 words on colour prejudice.
Colour prejudice exists whenever people are judged by the shade of their skin rather than by their character, ability and conduct. Such prejudice is irrational because skin colour does not determine intelligence, goodness or human worth. The humorous verse in the chapter exposes this contradiction: a person's appearance changes under sunlight, sickness, anger or shock, yet the same person may unfairly label somebody else as "coloured". Mandela's experience shows that prejudice can grow into an organised system that deprives people of dignity and freedom. It also teaches that hatred is learned rather than natural. Therefore, prejudice can be challenged through equality, humane behaviour and the deliberate teaching of respect. A society becomes truly free only when no individual is humiliated or denied opportunities because of appearance, background or identity.
What You Can Do
Research the struggles of Black Americans, women and the Vietnamese, and present short summaries.
The PDF gives limited material for the first topic: it mentions Rosa Parks's refusal to surrender her bus seat, the restrictive laws imposed on Black Americans and Martin Luther King's use of non-violent resistance against racial injustice. It provides no detailed account of women's historical struggle for equality or the Vietnamese struggle for independence. Those two summaries cannot be completed accurately without using sources beyond the supplied PDF.
Homophones and Similar Spellings
Explain the two uses of "wound" in "The bandage was wound around the wound."
The two words are spelt alike but are different words. The first "wound" is the past tense of the verb "to wind": it means wrapped or twisted around, and is pronounced to rhyme with "found". The second "wound" is a noun meaning an injury or cut, and is pronounced to rhyme with "moon". So the sentence means that the bandage was wrapped around the injury.
Explain "desert", "dessert" and the second "desert" in the example sentence.
The first "desert" means to abandon or leave. "Dessert" refers to the food the soldier leaves uneaten. The final "desert" names the place in which the sentence occurs. The PDF directs the learner to consult a dictionary but does not itself provide pronunciations.
A Tiger in the Zoo: Introductory Reading Task
Which stanzas describe the tiger in the zoo, and which describe it in the jungle?
Stanzas 1, 4 and 5 describe the tiger in the zoo. Stanzas 2 and 3 imagine how the tiger should move and behave in its natural jungle surroundings.
Thinking about the Poem: A Tiger in the Zoo
Which words describe the tiger's movements and actions in the cage and in the wild?
In the cage, the tiger stalks the few steps available to it, moves quietly, walks repeatedly along the cage, ignores visitors, hears patrol cars and stares at the stars. In the wild, it would lurk in shadow, slide through long grass, wait near the water hole, snarl near houses, bare its fangs and claws and frighten the village.
Which words and images describe the cage and the wild setting?
The zoo is represented by the few steps of a cage, a concrete cell, bars, visitors and patrolling cars. The wild is represented by shadows, long grass, a water hole, passing deer, houses at the jungle's edge and a nearby village.
How does the poet use words and images to contrast the two situations?
The zoo images show restriction, repetition and suppressed strength: the tiger has only a few steps and its power is trapped behind bars. The jungle images show movement, instinct and command over its surroundings. The contrast presents the captive tiger as silent and frustrated, while the imagined wild tiger is active, dangerous and free.
What is the effect of repeating "quiet" and "brilliant"?
The repetition of "quiet" joins the tiger's soft movement with its contained anger, making its rage feel more intense because it cannot be openly expressed. Repeating "brilliant" connects the tiger's shining eyes with the distant stars and emphasises the contrast between its living power and its confined condition.
Are zoos necessary for conservation and education, and are there alternatives?
There are two sides to this. Zoos can protect endangered species, run breeding programmes and help people learn about wildlife. However, as the poems show, captivity frustrates a wild animal, restricts its movement and weakens its natural spirit, so keeping animals behind bars comes at a real cost. There are better alternatives that conserve animals in the wild: national parks, wildlife sanctuaries and biosphere reserves (in-situ conservation), protected reserves under schemes such as Project Tiger, and rehabilitation or rewilding programmes. For education, wildlife documentaries, virtual and online experiences, and well-managed safari parks with large natural enclosures can teach people about animals without confining them so closely. Many people therefore feel that protecting animals in their natural habitat is preferable to keeping them in cages.
Write a balanced response for or against zoos.
Zoos may protect animals from some dangers that exist in the wild and may allow people to observe species they would otherwise never see. The supplementary poem "The Tiger" itself imagines threats such as hunters and other dangers outside the cage. From this point of view, captivity can appear safer than an unprotected life in the wild. However, safety alone is not complete well-being. The tiger in the main poem can walk only a few steps, while the panther circles repeatedly until its vision and powerful will seem paralysed. These images suggest that narrow confinement deprives wild animals of movement, instinct and a meaningful natural existence. Therefore, any system that keeps animals for protection or education must also respect their need for space, natural behaviour and dignity.