Tree Shaker: Chapters 1-4

Main characters:

• Nelson Mandela
• child of royalty
• the country's most notorious outlaws
• emblem of moral courage around the globe
• was being elected as president 
• over 6ft tall
• mother died while he was in prison
• son killed in car accident while in prison
• devoted his life to dismantle the white system
• Not called nelson until he was 7
• birth name Rolihlahla Xhosa (tree shaker)
• born July 18,1981
• he studied law
• married Evelyn Mase their daughter died at 9 months
• 1943 when 25 he joined the ANC
• Married Winnie in 1958 and had 2 daughter
• went to prison when he was 44
• Govan Mbeki
• oldest of his cellmate group 
• 83
• wispy white hair
• owlish glasses
• retired professor
•  Ahmed Kathrada
• youngest prisoner
• 64 years old
• son of immigrants from India
• earned multiple degrees in prisons
• All 6 men were found guilty of trying to overthrow the Apartheid Government

Symbols or traditions--rituals.

• Cell/Cage
• Humiliation
• Permission
• Helplessness
• Robben Island
• Tribal Attachment
• manhood rituals
• Arranged Marriages

Words or phrases that have a special meaning.

• Prisoner
• Permission
• Reservations
• Peace
• Power
• Apartheid/Apartness
• White Supremacy

Discuss how the characters respond to their communities and/or change in their environment. What is the main character's flaw?
Mandela responded to his community by standing up for what he believed in, he joined the ANC and fought for justice. His biggest flaw would be making decisions without talking to other people.

The setting - country, tribe, city, state, time period.

• South Africa
• 300+ years whites came and took over
• past half century whites ruled under Apartheid, taking power away from the blacks

• Robben island 1963
• Mandela was on a ship chained like a slave, guards took turns peeing the prisoners
• 1994 Traveling back to Robben Island at the age 75
• spent 27 years in prison without loosing his spirit

Bring a question.

• Why didn't the African's come together to kill the white people? I always wondered why, I know the answer may be simple but I never understood, there were more Africans than whites, this question may be answered in chapter 2, but not really I am talking about all the Africans coming together. It's like a What if eve never bit the apple question? What if the Africans stood up to fight and there was never Apartheid/Slavery?

One sentence summary of all four chapter:

• Chapter 0 of 1: Black & White
• Talks about Nelson Mandela and his visit back to his prison, talks about the election.
• Chapter 1 of 2: The Old Men
• Talks about the Dutch takeover and how the break-up of South Africa began, it talks about colonization and war. 
• Chapter 2 of 3: Tree Shaker
• Nelson Mandela starts college, but runs off on summer break when forced into a marriage that he didn't want; on the run he marries a woman and they have four children. He is very active in his community joining organizations and things the ANC to be exacted. 
• Chapter 3 of 4: Apartness
• This chapter talks about the Apartheid and White supremacy. It touches on Mandela's influence and convention as well as his life and the life of other Africans. This chapter mentions all the laws passed under the Apartheid.