17 November 1963
Robben Island Prison,
My body aches continuously, day after day from, well, everything. The rock breaking in the quarry daily, has given my hands blisters and my arm's muscles left sore. Lying on the cold, hard, concreted floor in this dark cell with only a straw mat for comfort (if you could call it that), gives me pain in my back and hardly any wanted and needed sleep. I continue to study law by reading books that remind me of being outside in the real and unfair world. My only hope is that one day, things will change and things will be equal among ALL humans, and people like me won't have to suffer what I am now. When I'm out of this horrible place of criminal souls, it won't have been for nothing; at least I hope it will have done something.
Nelson Mandela
Image attribution: Biography.com
Kia ora Kyra,
ReplyDeleteMy name is Leisha and I am a blog commenter with the Summer Learning Journey.
I really enjoyed reading this post. I think you have written an amazing journal entry from Mr Mandela’s perspective. I like how you have described how he felt with body aching and sore muscles from the strenuous activities he was made to do. I like that you have expressed his desire to be out of prison and that he continued to read books and study law to remind himself of the real world outside. How do you think he would have felt on the day he was finally released? What emotions would he have experienced? I think he would have had very mixed emotions after spending so many years in prison.
This was a very realistic journal entry. I can tell you have put a lot of thought into this activity and how Mr Mandela would have actually felt and what things he may have done while in prison. Well done Kyra.
Leisha
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