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Chapter 50
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’s first hearing is October 15, 1962. People gather around the slogan “Free Mandela.” Mandela shows up in traditional Xhosa clothing rather than a suit. The state calls up many witnesses. Mandela tells the judge that he will have just as many witnesses as the state, but when it’s his turn, he doesn’t call any—he knows that the evidence against him is solid, even if the law itself is unjust.
Unlike the first time in court, where Mandela and his defense team managed to convince a skeptical judge to let Mandela go, this time Mandela doesn’t even attempt to play by the rules of a normal trial. His contempt for the court process reflects a belief that in this case, no matter what Mandela does, he’ll be found guilty. Still, he remains hopeful.
Themes
Abroad, the General Assembly of the UN votes in favor of sanctions against South Africa. Sabotage, as protest against Mandela’s trial, spreads around the country. On the day of the verdict, Mandela gives a long speech asking for mitigation of his sentence, not expecting it to work but hoping it will be politically significant. The magistrate takes a 10-minute recess to consider Mandela’s sentence, then comes back and gives him five years without parole, the longest term yet for a South African political prisoner.
Although Mandela’s earlier decision not to call witnesses in court might make it seem like he’s losing hope, his decision to give a speech on the day of the verdict shows he still has some optimism left. Mandela gives the speech solely for political reasons, not expecting it to work, and this would seem to suggest that he believes he can still play a role in shaping the nation’s politics by speaking up so others know what he believes and what they’re fighting for.
Themes
