Nelson Mandela's autobiography

In my opinion, an autobiography is a written work that based entirely on the writer's memory and perception, something which is similar to a diary. It tells about matters like who you are in life, what life means to you and what your outlook on the future is.

Reading Nelson Mandela's autobiography--“Long Walk to Freedom” didn't bring me any pleasure but in fact some thinking and reflection on my life. Perhaps I'm in a wonderful country and society which I didn't face the treatment and discrimination, so I couldn't really understand how does it feel like to be discriminated. Well, from his autobiography, imagination starts in my mind, figuring the situation he was in the prison, longing so much to be free physically and also spiritually.

The situation of Apartheid happened a lot in many countries all over the world even till today. People just couldn't get rid of the mindset of different skin colour we have. It makes life miserable for everyone. It is very judgemental to look down on a person just because of the skin colour that he or she is. As for Nelson Mandela, the battle is far more challenging despite that he is a black in South Africa. He was asked to wear "short" in the prison in Robben Island,which is a great insult to the black people as it represents that society perceived them as immature and lower class. When I read until this part, feeling of sadness arouses inside me. The colonists want to show their superiority and greatness through downgrading the black which to me is an very immature and irrational act. They are just like some kids who wants to show their power and ability to conquer through humiliating and criticising other. What a shame!

I think it is great for Nelson Mandela to refuse the treatment even he has to be punished for that. As it shows his unity and courage to defend and protest their comrade's right. It would be a great injustice to the black if he put on the short just for his own goodness sake as it shows that he is betraying his own people for his own reason. This is also a lesson for us to learn as we are bound of our own ethnic. We should always stand for own pride and do not give up our right by surrender to what it seemed to be strong and empowered. In fat, the greatest power in this world is within ourselves.

Nelson Mandela stands for his people, courage and freedom to right!Nelson Mandela, I really salute him for that.