Long walk to freedom Nelson Mandela class 10 chapter 2 Important Question and answers
Question:1 where did the ceremonies take place? can you name any public buildings in India that are made of sandstone?
Answer” The ceremonies took place in the sandstone amphitheatre formed by the Union buildings in pretoria the Parliament house in new Delhi the supreme court of India in new Delhi and Madras high court in Chennai are some Examples of Indian public buildings that are made of sandstone
Question:2 can you say how 10 may is an autumn day” in South Africa?
Answer” 10 may is an autumn day” in South Africa because on this day there was the largest gathering of International leaders on South Africa soil for the Installation of South Africa’s first democratic” Non -racial government
Question:3 at the beginning of his speech” Mandela mention an extraordinary human disaster ” what does he Mean by this? what is the Glorious human achievement” he speak of at the end”?
Answer” The extraordinary human disaster” that mandela mentioned at the beginning of his speech refers to the Inhuman practice of apartheid”i”e the racial discrimination suffered by the blacks at the hands of whites in south Africa at the end the glorious human achievement that he spoke of refers to the” establishment of south africa’s first democratic, Non-racial government
Question:4 what does Mandela thank the international Leaders for?
Answer” Mandela felt privileged to be the host to the nations of the world because not too long ago, the south Africans were considered outlaws” he thus thanked all the international leaders for having come to witness his investiture as president since this event could be considered as a common victory for justice peace and human dignity “
Question:5 what ideals does he set out for the future of South Africa?
Answer” Mandela had high hopes for the future of South Africa” he pledged to liberate all south Africans from the continuing bondage of poverty deprivation suffering, gender and other discrimination he also stressed that the beautiful land of South Africa would never ever experience racial discrimination again”
Question:6 what do the military generals do? how has their attitude changed and why?
Answer” The highest military generals of the south African defence force and police saluted Mandela and pledged their loyalty when the military generals saluted Mandela, he was not unmindful of the fact that not too many years ago” they would not saluted him but arrested him” this change in attitude was due to the fact that a non-racial government was elected and mandela was then the president of south Africa”
Question:7 why were two national anthems sung?
Answer” On the day of the inauguration, two national anthems were sung one by the whites, and the other by the blacks this symbolized the equality of blacks and whites
Question;8 how does Mandela describe the systems of government in his country (i) In the first decade and (ii) in the final decade of the twentieth century?
Answer” (i) In the first decade of the twentieth century the white-skinned people of south Africa patched up their difference and erected a system of racial domination against the dark-skinned people of their own land thus creating the basis of one of the harshest and most Inhumane societies the world had ever known (ii) In the last decade of the twentieth century the previous systems had been overturned forever and replaced by one that recognized the rights and freedoms of all peoples, regardless of the colour of their skin”
Question:9 what does Courage mean to Mandela?
Answer” On seeing men stand up to attacks and torture without breaking and thus showing strength and resilience that defied the Imagination Mandela learnt that courage was not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it,
Question:10 what did being free mean to mandela as a boy, and as a student? how does he contrast these” transitory freedoms” with the basis and honourable freedoms”
Answer” As a boy Mandela did not have a hunger to be free as he thought that he was born free” as long as he obeyed his father and obided by the customs of his tribe, he was free in every way he knew as a student, he wanted certain transitory freedoms only for himself such as being able to stay out at night read what he pleased and go where he chose” he then talks about certain basis honourable freedoms, such as achieving his potential of earning his living and of marrying and having a family he builds the contrast between these two freedoms by stating that the transitory freedoms he wanted were limited to him, whereas the honourable freedoms had to do more with his and his people position, in the society
Question”11 what twin obligations does Mandela Mention?
Answer” Mandela mention that every man has twin obligations the first is to his family parents wife and children the second obligation is to his people his community and his country
Question:12 Does Mandela think the oppressor is free? why/ why not?
Answer” Mandela does not feel that the oppressor is free because according to him, an oppressor is a Prisoner of hatred who is locked behind the bars of prejudice and narrow mindedness he feels that both the oppressor and the oppressed are robbed of their humanity ,
Question:13 why did such a large number of international leaders attend the inauguration? what did it signify the triumph of ?
Answer” The presence of large number of international leaders was a gesture of solidarity from international community to the idea of the end of apartheid it signified the triumph of good over evil the triumph of the idea of a tolerant society without any discrimination,
Question:14 what does Mandela mean when he says he is simply the sun of all those africa patriots, who has gone before him?
Answer” Mandela wants to pay his tribute to all the people who had sacrificed their lives for the sake of freedom he feels that he is the sun of all those African patriots who had gone before him because those heroes of yesterday years, had paved the path of co-operation and unity for him therefore, he got the support of his people to be able to come to power to bring equality for his own people
Question:15 would you agree that the depths of oppression create” heights of character? how does Mandela Illustrate this? can you add your own examples to this argument?
Answer” Yes I agree that the depths of oppression create” heights of character Nelson Mandela” illustrates this by giving examples of great horoes of south Africa who sacrificed their lives in the long freedom struggle India is full of such examples” during our freedom struggle there was a galaxy of leaders of great character probably the oppression of British rule created so many men of such characters if we compare this with the quality of political leaders India is having today, then Nelson Mandela seems to be absolutely right,