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Chapter 91
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
In 1987, Mandela gets in touch with Kobie Coetsee again. They arrange a meeting, but Mandela gets nervous when he learns that Dr. Barnard, the head of South Africa’s version of the CIA, will be attending. Mandela decides to communicate with his colleagues in prison, including Sisulu, as well as trying to send a message out to Tambo. Tambo seems concerned that Mandela may have lost his way, but Mandela is determined to prove him wrong.
Although Mandela is willing to negotiate with his political opponents, this passage shows how he retains a sense of wariness, knowing the sorts of tactics that the government has used in the past. Mandela presents himself as being aware of these dangers in order to contradict the assertions of people like Tambo who believe that Mandela is acting naively by trying to work with the government.
Themes
