Mandela Literature & Language Essay Research Paper (Essay Sample)

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Nelson Mandela Speech
“May your choices reflect your hopes and not your fears” (Mandela). Those are the words of Nelson Mandela, who I am here to pay tribute to. I obtained a better understanding of the man Mandela through reading his autobiography, 'Long Walk to Freedom', and watching his interviews. Mandela was an extraordinary and great man, beloved by South Africans, who referred to him as "Father of the Nation" and the whole world by extent. Many books have been written about him, top world leaders sought to meet him and to glean from his wisdom, and when he died, the whole world mourned. Mandela made choices that reflected his hopes for the future including the choice to determine his path in life, the choice to fight against apartheid to the extent of putting his life on the line, and the choice to forgive his enemies and to work with them. I will focus on these three and the lessons he taught us while making these choices.
Mandela chose freedom when he ran away from home and from the life path that was chosen for him, teaching us the value of choosing your path in life. He was to be the advisor to his cousin Sabata who was set to take over the crown in Thembu. It was a luxurious life, a life more advantageous than that of many.