Previous
Chapter 24
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
On January 9, 1957, Mandela’s trial continues, with the defense presenting its case. Mandela is grateful for his skilled lawyers, who poke holes in the state’s claim that Mandela and his allies wanted to overthrow the government and replace it with Communism. It’s a long trial, and the defendants sometimes spend time doing crosswords or playing Scrabble. The case drags on for most of the year, until suddenly in September, the state drops charges against several of the defendants, including Luthuli and Tambo, although not Mandela. Thirteen months after the start of the trial, the magistrate announces that Mandela and the remaining accused will stand trial for treason in the Supreme Court.
The drawn-out nature of Mandela’s trial is yet another example of how progress often comes slowly. Part of the reason why Mandela emphasizes the length of the trial is to show the inefficiency of the White South African government. This, combined with the fact that the trial seems to dismiss cases against certain activists in an arbitrary manner, suggests that the government is conducting things haphazardly, undermining the idea that what is happening is true justice.
Themes
