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Chapter 96
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
On July 4, Mandela learns that he will meet President Botha. Mandela is excited but also nervous because of the president’s reputation for having a temper. But the president is friendly, and he and Mandela take a photo together shaking hands. The only tense moment of the meeting is when Mandela asks for the release of all political prisoners and Botha refuses. About a month later, Botha resigns and F. W. de Klerk, who promises a platform of reform, becomes the new acting president.
Although Mandela spends most of the book dealing with people’s unfair and unrealistic expectations of him, in this passage, Mandela reflects on how Botha differed from Mandela’s own expectations. Notably, Mandela does not necessarily endorse Botha and his policies—Botha’s friendliness simply shows that a person can promote unjust policies without being unpleasant in person.
Themes
