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Chapter 103
Themes
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in Long Walk to Freedom, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
Racism and Division
Negotiation, Democracy, and Progress
Nonviolent Protest vs. Violent Protest
The Value of Optimism
Summary
Analysis
Mandela schedules face-to-face meetings with de Klerk and his government. The government had hoped that enthusiasm about Mandela would die down after his release, but Mandela remains politically influential. Mandela sees de Klerk not as an “emancipator” but as a “pragmatist” who is willing to do whatever it takes to keep power. Mandela believes the talks are surprisingly friendly, and they agree on the Groote Schuur Minute, which pledges both sides to peace.
Mandela continues to walk a careful line whenever he describes de Klerk, noting how de Klerk helped to lay the groundwork for a democratic South Africa while also noting that he seemingly did so for selfish reasons, in an attempt to hold on to power. Mandela’s decision to sign a peace agreement seems to reflect his belief that de Klerk is someone who, for all his flaws, will keep his word, unlike his predecessors.
Themes
