A Long Walk To Freedom Nelson Mandela

ENGLISH LANGUAGE AND LITERATURE

STUDY MATERIAL
CH - A LONG WALK TO FREEDOM : NELSON MANDELA

Q. Answer the following questions in 20-30 words.

1. What is the greatest wealth of a nation in Mandela’s opinion?
Ans. In Mandela’s opinion, the greatest wealth of a nation is not minerals and
gems but its good and honest people.
2. How does Nelson Mandela define the meaning of ‘courage’ and ‘the brave
man’?
Ans. Nelson Mandela believes that courage is not the absence of fear, but it is the
triumph over it. The brave man is not the one who does not feel fear of any
kind but he is the one who has the courage to conquer it.
3. What pained Nelson Mandela on becoming the President of South Africa?
Ans. Mandela was pained as the people who laid their lives for this day could not
be present to see what their sacrifices had brought.
Q. Answer the following questions in 40-50 words.
1. What are the ‘twin obligations’ referred to by Nelson Mandela?
Ans. According to Mandela, every man has two obligations in life. The first
obligation is to his family, to his parents, wife and children. Secondly, he has
an obligation to his country, people, and community.
2. When did Mandela’s hunger for self, turn into a hunger for freedom for all
his people?
Ans. As Nelson Mandela turned into an adult, he gradually realised that freedom
was curtailed for those people who looked like he did, but not for the whites.
Consequently, he joined the African National Congress, and that was when
his “hunger for freedom” became a “greater hunger”.
3. What did Nelson Mandela pledge when he was sworn in as President?
Ans. Nelson Mandela pledged to uphold the Constitution of his country and
devote himself to liberate his people from the bondage of poverty,
deprivation, suffering, gender and other discriminations. There would be
freedom and justice for all.
Q. Answer the following in 100 - 120 words.
1. Mahatma Gandhi spent his years in prison. Nelson Mandela too was shut
off from his countrymen for 27 years, imprisoned. Both wanted to help
humanity. Yet they had their similarities and dissimilarities in approach for
the freedom struggle in their respective lands. Highlight those similarities and
differences in the struggle for freedom of their respective countries.
Ans. Both Mahatma Gandhi and Nelson Mandela were outstanding leaders of
men and the present destinies of their respective countries have been shaped
by them. Both Gandhi and Mandela mobilised the masses against
oppression, against hatred and against prejudices. They both suffered in jails,
they both suffered politically. Their unwavering commitment to nationalism
was not only rooted in freedom; it also aspired towards freedom. Even after
all these similarities in their vision and their mission, they also had some
differences. The main difference is in their approach as Gandhi believed in
non-violence while Mandela on the other hand felt violence necessary to
oppose tyranny of the Apartheid system. Gandhi never competed in any
elections. On the other hand Mandela became an active politician after his
release and accepted office of power after independence.
2. Man’s goodness is a flame that can be hidden but never extinguished. Do yo

agree with the given statement? Give reason.
Ans. These words written by Nelson Mandela are very optimistic and
inspirational. This statement indicates that every individual has the light and
fire of goodness within and though it may not be out there for everybody to
see, it still exists. This light may remain dormant in his being for sometime;
but when the need arises, it becomes lighted and dispels the darkness. This
light may remain burning at low intensity, but it never extinguishes. Yes, I
agree with the given statement as qualities of mercy and compassion are
innate. Sometimes, we lose sight of them and they become dormant yet they
always remain in our conscience and one can restore them by understanding
the true nature of thought. It remains always available to us and takes no
particular physical effort to attain as it is our natural way of being.
3. Describe the value of freedom for the human beings and how it is important
for the growth of civilisation and humanism as described in the lesson ‘Nelson
Mandela : Long Walk to Freedom’.
Ans. Everybody wants to live free as freedom is natural to all living beings. The
value of freedom is better known to that human being who has not tasted it
till he gets it. A person who is chained with the limits and not allowed to
perform his duties freely, values freedom more than anyone else. For
instance the value of freedom is known better to Mandela who remained
behind the bars most of his life. Think about a bird or animal which is caged
as they have the habit of living with full freedom but in the cage they are not
free and their conditions are very pitiable. Similarly, life becomes a hell if
we are deprived of freedom. There is no growth of civilisation as it grows
only when one has freedom. Similarly, humanism grows in the atmosphere
of freedom.

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What are the 'twin obligations' referred to by Nelson Mandela?

When did Mandela’s hunger for self, turn into a hunger for freedom for all his people?

ENGLISH LANGUAGE AND LITERATURE

Q. Answer the following questions in 20-30 words.

2. Man’s goodness is a flame that can be hidden but never extinguished. Do yo

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