Would you agree that the “depths of oppression” create “heights of character”? How does Mandela illustrate this? Can you add your own examples to this argument?

We can say that too much of dominance always brings out the fortitude and firmness of purpose in human beings. Referring to heroes of freedom struggle like Oliver Tambos, the Walter Sisulus, the Chief Luthulis and more, Nelson Mandela advocates that years of suffering, oppression and brutality were incidental in producing extraordinary men of courage, wisdom and generosity. It is highly doubtful that men of such brilliance would ever be born again. He concludes that plausibly unbearable oppression inspires the birth of men with exceptional courage and wisdom.
Our country, India has a history that is a landscape of those men with unwonted courage and determination whose potential was elicited by the severe domination and atriciousness of the British rule. Such men were born to end the British tyranny in India.