Biography Elements in Mandela: The Authorized Portrait - Book Report/Review Example

 Mandela: The Authorized Portrait Mac Maharaj and Ahmad M. Kathrada are the renowned writer who wrote the book “Mandela: The Authorized Portrait” in which they discussed the life of Nelson Mandela. Bill Clinton who really praised Mandela for his untiring struggle for rights of black people writes forward of book. Archbishop Tutu wrote the introduction of the book. He elaborately described the complete life and imprisonment of Mandela and finally the release. Book covers even the smallest events of Mandela’s life. Book defines the strength, dignity and value of his charismatic personality under the periods of extreme stress. Nelson Mandela was born on 18th July 1918. At the time of his birth, he was raised in a small Mvezo village. Colonial powers degraded his father, Gadla Henry Mphakanyiswa, from his chief status. Nelson Mandela was the first person of his family who attended school. At school, his name was changes from Rolihlahla to Nelson. After the ninth birthday of Nelson Mandela, he lost his father due to tuberculosis. Regent Jongintaba was made guardian of Nelson Mandela after his father’s death. He was admitted to Wesleyan School and College, where he completed college in just 2 years rather in 3 years. At college he also showed interest in boxing (Maharaj & Kathrada 13-24). Nelson Mandela got admission at Fort Hare University to attain his Bachelor of Arts degree. However, he was unable to complete the degree due to his involvement in the boycott against the university authorities. He was also a member of Student Representative Council (Maharaj & Kathrada 22). Mandela always supported education for children (Maharaj & Kathrada 160). He has six children. Four children are from his first wife Evelyn Mase and two children are from his second wife Winnie Madikizela. Due to his long termed imprisonment period some of his children have never seen him. Mandela’s bother daughters are named Makazawie. At first the older daughter was named Makazawie, but she lost her life after seeing her ninth month (Maharaj & Kathrada 31- 34). “A year later she gave birth to a son Thembi and the following year to a daughter Makazawie” (Maharaj & Kathrada 34). The younger daughter was named after older daughter. His son Madiba Thembikile died in a car crash. Nelson Mandela was not permitted to attend his son’s funeral (Maharaj & Kathrada 156). Nelson Mandela married Winnie Madikizela in 1958 and has two daughters, Zenani and Zindziswa, with Winnie Mandela. His wife Winnie Mandela was herself a political figure. During their marriage, they remain separated due to long imprisonment of Mandela (Maharaj & Kathrada 74). However, due to the personal strains, both Mandela and Winnie ended the marriage term in a divorce in 1994. During Mandela’s 80th birthday, he married Graca Machel on 1988, which is his third wife (Maharaj & Kathrada 284). The personality traits of Nelson Mandela that made him unique are Self awareness, sense of humor, humility, forgiveness and doggedness. He was judged to remain in imprisonment for 27 years by South African Court. He was charged for supporting the Black south Africans or native South Africans to disagree with the government policies of unlawfully departure of Black South Africans from South Africa. He protested against the Government non-violently. He was arrested in 1952 and charges for his non violent protests (Maharaj & Kathrada 156). Mandela was sent to jail when he was fifty-seven years old. He passed 27 years of imprisonment in a small cell at Robben Island. Mandela praised the amazing beauty of Robben Island (Maharaj & Kathrada 120). Mandela had family roots in Thembu people. In these tribes, power remained with right hand people and other remained counselors. Mandela’s father was a chief and advisor as well. Mandela’s father was sometimes outspoken when white authority showed some wrong intentions. Mandela had a wonderful childhood with his friends, stepbrothers and mothers (Maharaj & Kathrada 13). Mandela was the first person of his family who joined school. He wrote from his cell that he was given the name “Nelson” as British people were reluctant to pronounce African names. Mandela’s father died due to lungs disease when Mandela completed two years in school. Mandela was then sent to a place known as Mqhekezweni (Maharaj & Kathrada 22). There Mandela learnt about white peoples and battles that led to defeat of native people. This place was judicial center where people came for complaints. Mandela was impressed by the judicial system as everyone had the right to speak. Mandela adopted same approach during his rule (Maharaj & Kathrada 38). Mandela remained busy in pressing cloths of different varieties. This habit of quality clothing had great impact on Mandela and he followed this habit in his complete life. Thus, Madiba shirts remained hallmark of his presidency till his death. At the age of sixteen, Mandela went for circumcision with other 25 boys. They were given different training of handling various incidents of life because they were stepping in manhood. Then everybody was supposed to bury his foreskin to mark end of youth (Maharaj & Kathrada 167-176). Mandela writes in his autobiography that after the circumcision ceremony he was given a new name “Dalibunga” which means founder of the council. Chief Meligqili said on the day of ceremony that you all are men now but we black African do not have freedom and we are conquered people. The promise of your manhood is illusionary and we do not have any control on our people and country (Maharaj & Kathrada 74). Soon Mandela joined the best educational center in Thembuland. Mandela celebrated by singing and dancing on this occasion. Mandela was excellent student in school and is evening time passed in gardening, which remained with his during his imprisonment (Maharaj & Kathrada 79). Later on, Mandela joined collage, which was far away from Regent’s great place. The education system of the collage was as usual British. After graduation, Mandela went to Fort Hare in 1938, which was only university for black African. Here he met Kaiser who was Mandela’s cousin and belonged to Thembu Family. They became very close friends but soon got separated due to Kaiser’s involvement in politics (Maharaj & Kathrada 74-78). Slowly Mandela moved to political arena and he led a referendum of house committee for rebuilding it on reasonable lines. A senior initiated a complaint. Mandela said it was first battle with authority. He felt the power of having justice on his side. Mandela supported the stance of student support organization to boycott elections until quality of food is improved (Maharaj & Kathrada 79-88). Mandela already had love affairs and was not in position that someone else should select a girl for him. Then Mandela started real estate business with a man known as Sisula. Sisula was born Xhosa and his father was white man. Sisula arranged meeting of Mandela with a white man who appointed Mandela as clerk. Mandela also managed to complete his graduation during the job at Alexandra. Mandela had a very tough time as far as financial standing was concerned. A white professor Hahlo told not to master law because black people do not have mental agility. Finally Mandela could not manage and left Wits without law degree (Maharaj & Kathrada 34) Mandela married a lady in 1944 and had two kids after two years of marriage. Mandela enjoyed this new family life with his kids. Mandela was very perturbed with the racial discrimination in the city. Mandela soon emerged as a political leader. He participated in strike called by ANC, which was biggest in the history of country (Maharaj & Kathrada 39). Another strike of May 1950 was supported by half black workers of Johannesburg. Police fired on crowd with rifles. 18 were dead and Mandela had a narrow escape in that incident. Mandela went to boxing ring for relieving tension and carried out boxing practice (Maharaj & Kathrada 42) Mandela was arrested and then released after two days when he was seeing off a batch of people who had broken the curfew law. Being ANC activist, Mandela mobilized the people but thousands of people were arrested. At the same times, he started legal practice in country. Now he was seen in the courts and people loved to see him dealing with cases. After being a successful lawyer, he was concerned about inevitable armed resistance. Finally, he had to break ANC’s policy of nonviolence. He knew that violence is the only resistance to Apartheid (Maharaj & Kathrada 55-68). That was a hard time for Mandela. Beside freedom charter, he was fighting on two other fronts. It was legal and political fronts. He was ready to devote life for ANC but this was affecting his married life. Her wife was concerned about his involvement in other ladies. Mandela tried to convince her that it is necessity of struggle but she could not believe. That was a terrible time because Evelyn wanted him to quit ANC (Maharaj & Kathrada 70) In June 1955, Mandela watched adoption of freedom charter that he had drafted with others. He was so involved that he had no holidays in nine years. Now he wanted break to sole his family issues in Transkei. He went back through area of Zulu kings. He had shown careless attitude towards his family and this was the time to get back. He visited his mother in Qunu and went back to his old routine, which he liked. He was busy in ANC affairs but managed to give time to his family (Maharaj & Kathrada 70-76). There were police raids in Cape Town against known political leaders. He was threatened that his banning order will be released soon. Ultimately, in 1956, he was restricted to Johannesburg for next five years. He was not ready to obey banning order of the state (Maharaj & Kathrada 71). He could not visit his him, which alarmed Evelyn and she decided to move out. Mandela was again arrested on the charge of treason. His house was searched for his involvement in politics. Crowd gathered for their release and after four days, they were out on a bail. Then trial started in 1957. “But after almost three decades he’d forgotten how to knot a tie and the commanding officer of the prison had to help him” (Maharaj & Kathrada 224). He was released from the prison in February 11 1990. He remained in the prison for about 27 years and with the course of time he had forgotten some of works, he used to do daily before prison (Maharaj & Kathrada 224-225). Mandela respected his wife being a great lady, but he was thinking of marrying another lady Lilian who was president of ANC’s female wing. Winnie was another girl in Mandela’s life. Her beauty impressed Mandela and both were frequently seen accompanying each other in the city ((Maharaj & Kathrada 81-99). Works Cited Maharaj, Mac, and Kathrada, Ahmad M. eds. Mandela: The Authorized Portrait. Andrews McMeel Publishing, 2006. Read More