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Chapter 95
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 continues to meet with the government. He writes to Botha that he is afraid of South Africa splitting into Black and White on separate sides. Negotiations are slow, especially after Botha suffers a stroke, and all the while, political violence continues across the country. For Mandela’s 71st birthday, much of his family is allowed to visit him, including Winnie. Mandela is happy but also sad as he thinks of all the family gatherings he’s missed over the years.
Mandela’s long separation from his family has been one of his biggest struggles in prison, and so the fact that he is able to see all of them for his birthday. While Mandela is generally optimistic and forward-looking, he does take this moment to reflect back on the many family gatherings he’s missed due to being in prison, which is a powerful reminder of what the government has unjustly taken from him.
Themes
