Essay Example: The Film Invictus Demonstrates the Power of National Pride and Unity

The end of the racist and destructive system of apartheid saw Nelson Mandela being elected in South Africa. Mandela was elected as the president, but he knew he did not have the support of the White South Africans. To make the country a united nation, he decided to transform the Springboks and the national rugby team into a symbol of national unity. This is seen in the movie Invictus, which explores the concept of national identity and forgiveness after the long, cruel history of oppression. Despite the actual exploitation and equality in South Africa, Nelson Mandela always conceived the nation as a deep horizontal comradeship. Invictus is a tribute to Nelson Mandela’s determination, who shared a sense of belonging, unity, and national pride.

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Invictus highlights the power of national unity and pride in the face class hierarchy and ethnic conflicts. Most scenes depict the hostilities linked to political challenges that compromise the perpetuation and functions of the political and social system. The first scene shows opposing scenes as described below: “The delegation of Nelson Mandela passed between the two groups. The black children cheer him on, as the white children watch in silence. A white boy turns to his coach: Who is he, sir?’ His answer was resentful: the terrorist Mandela…..(Eastwood et al., 2009).” However, in the following scene, Mandela, already sworn as the president, presented a speech to the nation with a troubling remark: “South Africa seems to be on the brink of a civil war.” Mandela was aware of the racial segregation and other issues facing the country and was determined to solve the historical social and ethnic conflicts by coordinating black aspirations with White fears. His primary aim was to unite the nation. Thus, Mandela is pigeonholed in the film as to be tied between the struggle for peace and unity with no dismissal and retaliation.

The presidential guard also showed severe disagreements. There were deep malaise and friction between Whites and Blacks. In the film, the guards approached the president's office in the wake of tensions and exposed serious problems to the president's security. However, Mandela instead appeased him by saying, “You asked for more men. When they see me in public, they see my bodyguards. You represent me directly. The rainbow nation starts here. Reconciliation starts here (...); forgiveness also starts here (Eastwood et al., 2009).’’ Mandela was aware of the conflicts facing the country, and he resorted to different measures hoping to bring the fragile nation together and unite the Blacks and Whites.

Invictus also looks at the Rugby World Cup that was hosted in 1995 in South Africa. The film depicts Mandela as a leader who looked to drive sports against disunity between Whites and Blacks. For example, when Mandela entered the stadium, there was a mixture of boos and cheers, but still few Whites applauded him. Sports is considered as a significant symbol of social belonging. Such symbols were shown during the sports when Mandela shouted, “The whites are cheering for the black Springboks. The blacks are cheering for England (Eastwood et al., 2009).” Thus, sports was a critical emblem in South Africa that aimed to unite Blacks and Whites.

The second instance is observed in the Springboks, which for most Blacks symbolized White supremacy and pride. It was believed that rugby was a sport of the Whites or an element of the White culture. The culture is shown when a black boy approached the assistant of the rugby team who unwittingly and unsympathetically gives him a Springboks shirt but refused. Her friend immediately explains to the assistant coach that “If he wears it, the others will beat him (Eastwood et al., 2009).” This means that for the boy and her friend, the Springboks still represented apartheid. Besides, during the National Sports Council (NSC), meeting, all blacks proposed the removal of the name Springboks as it symbolized the apartheid era. They retorted that, “as a prominent symbol of the apartheid era, the colors, emblem, and name of the Springboks will be eliminated immediately (Eastwood et al., 2009).” However, Mandela, during the meeting, to the bewilderment and surprise of Blacks, maintained that he believed that the country should restore the name Springboks, its colors, and its emblem. He further explained his reasons by stating that those who jailed him were primarily Afrikaners and there for the country needs to “know the enemy before we triumph over them. And we have triumphed, have we not (Eastwood et al., 2009)?” Mandela further explained that the enemies are not the Whites, but instead, they are part of the country’s democracy. Therefore the president was striving at boosting solidarity and unity that was also aimed to reinforce a sense of loyalty, pride, and cohesion.

Conclusion

In summary, the film shows the symbolic efficacy that speaks of desperate measures that were implemented in extreme situations by Mandela. It depicts Mandela as the president who aimed to unite the people of the country and feel a sense of belonging. For example, during sports, Blacks are shown to be dancing and celebrating with the Whites in a collective state. Sports brought an aspect of social integration. The combination of symbolic identity and sports is an important theme that is extensively explored in the movie Invictus.

Reference

Eastwood, C., McCreary, L., Lorenz R. & Neufeld M. (Producers) & Eastwood, C (Director). (2009). Invictus [Motion picture]. USA: Warner Bros.