The Story Of An Hour 'And The Battle Royal'

Freedom is defined as “the power or the right to act, speak, or think as one wants without hindrance or restraint.” Yet, only those in power gets to experience it. In the short stories “ The Story of an Hour” by Kate Chopin and “The Battle Royal” by Ralph Ellison portrays the theme of freedom. Both the main characters from the story felt as if they were trapped and weren't their self. In “The Story of an Hour” Mrs. Mallard feels trap about her marriage, while in “The Battle Royal” the narrator feels trapped by the white peoples. When Mrs.Millard find out the news that her husband was dead she felt relieved. “She did not hear the story as many women have heard the same, with a paralyzed inability to accept its significance. She wept at once, with sudden, wild abandonment, in her sister's arms. When the storm of grief had spent itself she went away to her room alone. She would have no one follow her.” (paragraph 3). Mrs. Millard reaction was different than what most women's reaction would have been.“Son,

“ She was beginning to recognize this thing that was approaching to possess her, and she was striving to beat it back with her will--as powerless as her two white slender hands. would have been. When she abandoned herself a little whispered word escaped her slightly parted lips”.( paragraph 10) After her husband's death Mrs. Mallard was finally experiencing the freedom that she was striving for since long time. The narrator from the “ Battle Royal” is forced to fight without any choice. “.... and when I raised my gloved hands to push the layers of white aside a voice yelled,”Oh, no you don’t, black bastard! Leave that alone.” Although, both the characters felt powerless at the beginning; they did get to feel the freedom even if it was for short period of