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Chapter 23
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 marriage to Evelyn was in trouble even before the trial. They lose a daughter, and six years later, Evelyn gives birth to another daughter that they give the same name, which is a custom in their culture. Evelyn becomes a devout Jehovah’s Witness, and Mandela dislikes the “submissiveness” that Jehovah’s Witnesses seem to preach. Evelyn struggles to understand Mandela’s commitment to the ANC and activism, which forces him to have a demanding schedule. Tensions rise, and when Mandela gets out of prison, Evelyn has left with their children to live with her brother. Mandela regrets some of his actions, particularly the effect the end of their marriage has on his children.
Mandela describes his failed marriage in terms similar to how he sometimes describes political opponents—by using positive language even when describing conflicts. Mandela is quick to take blame for his own fault, and he tries to describe his ex-wife in terms that make their actions seem rational and understandable. Still, Mandela also offers criticism that shows how Evelyn followed different principles in life than he did, noting how the “submissiveness” of Jehovah’s Witnesses clashes with his own ideas about racial equality.
Themes
