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The Story of an Hour by Kate Chopin and Ain’t I a Woman by Sojourner Truth are great examples of the changing democracy of their time. Both occurring in a time period where the women’s right movement was very active. During the 19th Century many began to finally speak up ab out women’s right and equality. Both of these pieces of literature contributing to the movement and displaying what was taking place. They challenge what it means to be a woman and show the difficulties women faced in getting where they are.

In the story of an Hour she mentions being free. “mind body and soul free”. When she was married and any women at that time there were certain things they were obliged to do and they had no say in doing it because they were women and men were superior. Women stayed home all day cleaning and preparing for their husbands to come hime while the husbands worked. in this time women were seen as fragile and pretty. Because of this being married wasn’t something pleasant rather a death sentence because you would be doing the same thing for the rest of your life until you died. She recognized this and as soon as she found out her husband “died” was relieved because she could now have freedom to do what she pleased and not things she was “obligated” to do. Ain’t I a woman challenges the “woman” stereotype that makes it appear that women cannot do anything but clean and look pretty. “when I could get it - and bear the lash as well! And ain't I a woman? “ She basically proves the point to say that women and men deserved to be considered equals. They both suffered the same during the war and she took the same beatings as them.Why didn’t she deserve the same respect as a man?