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Chapter 112
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
The path to freedom is rocky, as Inkatha and some other groups refuse to participate in the elections, but Mandela presses on. He and de Klerk have a televised debate. Mandela is harsher in his criticisms of de Klerk than he’s been before, but he makes a point of shaking his hand at the end.
The televised debate between Mandela and de Klerk is a mark of how far South Africa has come. It contrasts with the many unjust court cases Mandela was part of, where truth, fairness, and public opinion often had no impact on the outcome.
Themes
