The Battle to Break Free
In "A Pair pf Silk Stockings" written by Kate Chopin, the main character i
s Mrs. Sommers. She is a middle aged white woman who lives with her four children and husband. Thro
ughout the story she is not very well do and she has to make due with what she has. As we read the
story we realize what problems she faces and how she overcomes them. In "The Battle with Mr. Covey"
written by Frederick the main character is Frederick Douglass. He is a middle aged black man who i
s a slave to Master Thomas, but is being "rented" by Mr. Covey. As we read this story, we will see
how far a man goes to save his life, and how he overcame the things that were holding him back. In
these two stories, the two characters undergo similar events. Although in the end, they both break
free from the chains holding them back, and solve their problems at hand. Mrs. Sommers is not a very
well to do woman, but once was. "The neighbors sometimes talked of certain "better days" that litt
le Mrs. Sommers had known before a she had ever thought of being Mrs. Sommers" (Chopin, 438). Mrs.
Sommers was probably wealthy when she lived with her parents, but she may have fallen in love and b
ecame Mrs. Sommers, and her better days might have changed. One day, she finds herself in a very pe
culiar situation. She finds fifteen dollars in the bottom of her purse and has no idea whatsoever w
ho it belongs to or how it got there. She was very excited that she found the money, and doesn't kn
ow what to do with it. "She did not want to act hastily, to do anything she might afterward regret.
But it was during the still hours of the night when she lay awake revolving plans in her mind that
she seemed to see her way clearly to the proper and judicious use of the money." (Chopin, 437) In
this quote Chopin clearly describes how excited Mrs. Sommers is, that she lay awake to decide how to
spend the money. This tells the reader that Mrs. Sommers is not very well to do, and is so happy t
hat she found the money, she wants to spend it in a way which would help her family. She doesn't wa
nt to just blow the money on unnecessary things. She then decides to spend the money on her four ch
ildren who need new clothes for she has been darning theirs for quite some time, and believes they d
eserve new ones. She also decides to buy stockings and other necessities. But the next day, when s
he goes out, she does the exact opposite of what she planed to do. She ends up spending all of the
money on herself buying a new pair of boots, lunch, a pair of gloves and a pair of silk stockings, w
hich she says they "...glide serpent-like through her fingers." (Chopin, 438) Chopin describes how
the silk stockings are so overwhelming that Mrs. Sommers must buy them. The part about the serpent
in the quote can represent something evil, or even a wrong doing. Although it can mean a wrong doin
g, Mrs. Sommers gives into her desires and gets what she wants. Mr. Frederick Douglass was a man who
was a slave, he had no rights and had to obey his owners at all times or pay the consequences. His
real owner is Master Thomas, but he has been "rented" out to Mr. Covey. One day, things go too far
, and he can't take it any more. Mr. Covey beats him for no apparent reason, and he decides to go t
o Master Thomas and ask him for help. When he leaves, Mr. Covey tries to stop him, and chases him w
ith a whip, but Frederick gets away. Once he reached his Masters house, he is covered in blood. "F
rom the crown to my feet, I was covered in blood. My hair was clotted with dust and blood; my shirt
was stiff with blood. My legs and feet were torn in sundry places with briers and thorns, and were
also covered with blood." (Douglass, 428) Douglass shows how much trouble and pain he had to go thr
ough just to get to his masters house, it was really important to him. He didn't care what pain he
had to go through, just as long as he made it to his Masters house. He apologizes for his state and
politely explains his situation to his master. But nothing can be done. Master Thomas tells him th
at he must return to the farm, but Frederick thinks that if he returns, Covey will certainly kill hi
m, and he fears for his life. "PUT IN Quote THAT STARTS "...sure as I lived with Mr. Covey again, I
should live with but to die with him; that Covey would surely kill me..." (Douglass, 428) He is sca
red to die, and he tells his Master if he returns it is sure to happen. But Master Thomas tells him
he will do no such thing and that he must return first thing in the morning. When he tries to retu
rn to Mr. Covey, he is chased away by Covey with a whip in had, and he takes cover in the forest whe
re he bumps into a friend by the name of Sandy Jenkins. Sandy helps him and gives him advice as wel
l as something to eat. He gives him a root which will protect him from getting beaten. When he ret
urns to Covey, sure enough he is not beaten, and he is told to move the pigs. But the next day, Mr.
Covey charges at him with a whip. For fear of loosing his life, Frederick decides to stick up for
himself. He "seized Covey by the throat" and fought for himself. He stood up to Covey, and in the
end, earned some rights after all, because Covey never laid a finger upon him form that day fourth.
Mrs. Sommers is a woman who hardly ever has any money, but the little she has, she spends on her fam
ily, but for once, she decides to spend money on herself. Frederick Douglass is a man who normally
keeps his head down, but for once stands up for himself and becomes a man who stands up for his righ
ts. These two characters are very similar, but in different ways. They both do what is best to ple
ase others, but in these stories turn the tables and please themselves. They soon learn to care abo
ut themselves and not everyone else, and finally make themselves happy. In a way, they both break f
ree from the problems that were holding them back. Mrs. Sommers splurged on herself, and in the end
was truly happy, she raised her self-esteem by learning to spend money on herself. Mr. Douglass on
the other hand proves his living as something more than a piece of equipment to get the job done.
He states "You have seen how a man was made a slave; you shall see how a slave was made a man." (Dou
glass, 426) He explains that once he stood up for himself, he became more than a slave. He earned
rights with Mr. Covey, and was never again touched by him. By standing up for himself, he was never
beaten again. As we can see, these two characters did what they had to in order to find out who the
y were. Mrs. Sommers and Mr. Frederick Douglass both break free and become who they really are. Th
ey don't hide behind anything; they just do and say what they feel. They both do dramatic things to
raise their self esteem, although they do is in different ways. Mrs. Sommers spends money on herse
lf rather than worrying about her family while Mr. Frederick Douglass stands up for himself not worr
ying about the consequences. He just shows Mr. Covey what he can do, and if he is forced to will do
again. In the end of both stories, they feel happy and content with what they did, not regretting
one thing. They both fought their battles and succeeded in winning.
battle break free pair silk sto
ckings written kate chopin main character sommers middle aged white woman lives with four children h
usband throughout story very well make with what read story realize what problems faces overcomes th
em battle with covey written frederick main character frederick douglass middle aged black slave mas
ter thomas being rented covey read this story will goes save life overcame things that were holding
back these stories characters undergo similar events although they both break free from chains holdi
ng them back solve their problems hand sommers very well woman once neighbors sometimes talked certa
in better days that little sommers known before ever thought being chopin probably wealthy when live
d parents have fallen love became better days might have changed finds herself very peculiar situati
on finds fifteen dollars bottom purse idea whatsoever belongs there excited that found money doesn k
now what want hastily anything might afterward regret during still hours night when awake revolving
plans mind seemed clearly proper judicious money chopin this quote clearly describes excited awake d
ecide spend money this tells reader well happy found wants spend which would help family doesn want
just blow unnecessary things then decides spend four children need clothes been darning theirs quite
some time believes they deserve ones also decides stockings other necessities next when goes does e
xact opposite planed ends spending herself buying pair boots lunch pair gloves silk stockings which
says they glide serpent like through fingers describes silk overwhelming must them part about serpen
t quote represent something evil even wrong doing although mean wrong doing gives into desires gets
wants frederick douglass slave rights obey owners times consequences real owner master thomas been r
ented covey things take more beats apparent reason decides master thomas help leaves tries stop chas
es whip gets away once reached masters house covered blood from crown feet covered blood hair clotte
d dust blood shirt stiff legs feet were torn sundry places briers thorns were also covered douglass
shows much trouble pain through just masters house really important didn care pain through just long
made masters house apologizes state politely explains situation nothing done tells must return farm
thinks returns will certainly kill fears life quote starts sure lived again should live would surel
y kill scared tells returns sure happen will such thing must return first thing morning tries return
chased away whip takes cover forest where bumps into friend name sandy jenkins sandy helps gives ad
vice something gives root which protect from getting beaten returns sure enough beaten told move pig
s next charges whip fear loosing life stick himself seized throat fought himself stood earned some r
ights after because never laid finger upon form fourth woman hardly ever little spends family once h
erself normally keeps head down stands himself becomes stands rights these characters similar differ
ent ways both best please others these stories turn tables please themselves soon learn care about t
hemselves everyone else finally make themselves happy both break free problems holding back splurged
truly happy raised self esteem learning other hand proves living something more than piece equipmen
t done states have seen made slave shall made explains stood became more than earned never again tou
ched standing never beaten again characters order find become really hide behind anything feel drama
tic raise their self esteem although different ways spends rather than worrying about family while s
tands worrying consequences shows forced stories feel content regretting thing fought their battles
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