Pub 3: "Martin Luther King said..."

"Freedom is never voluntarily given by the oppressor; it must be demanded by the oppressed." - Martin Luther King Jr. This powerful quote reflects how the oppressed had to fight for their freedom from the oppressor(s) in order to break the chains of confinement that held them in. The term Egalitarianism is defined as "the belief in the equality of all people, especially in political, social, or economic life." In an Utopian society, this system would be perfect in maintaining a stable and equal lifestyle that would benefit everyone, no matter the social status. However, in this flawed world, that is not the case. Since the beginning of time, there has always been an oppressor ruling over the oppressed. From the Independence of America under Britain's rule, to the fight against segregation amongst whites and blacks, the oppressed had to stand up and take what was rightfully theirs. 
A specific group that had to overcome the life of oppression in society were women. Women were notoriously depicted as the "housewife", to uphold the house, take care of the children and perform any duties that were socially acceptable for a woman to have. This social expectation that was burdened upon women lead to social constraints which ultimately often left them emotionally distraught and empty, unable to live for themselves. Kate Chopin, a significant name in Literature, was one of the pioneer authors for women in the 1800's and even now in the postmodernism world to base her written work on sensitive, intelligent women. One of her famed short stories, "The Story of an Hour", told the story of a woman, who in a single hour experienced a freedom that liberated her from the life that she never thought she would have. "There would be no one to live for her during those coming years, she would live for herself." (Chopin 279). This single line in this short story could resonate with every single woman during that time period that was oppressed by society, by men, and even other women. Chopin's works helped start the beginning of a revolution for women who wanted to freely express themselves sexually, verbally, emotionally and so forth. 
Maya Angelou, an author, poet, civil rights activist and much more said it best with one of her most famous poems "Still I Rise". "You may write me down in history With your bitter, twisted lies, You may trod me in the very dirt But still, like dust, I’ll rise...Did you want to see me broken? Bowed head and lowered eyes? Shoulders falling down like teardrops, Weakened by my soulful cries?...You may shoot me with your words, You may cut me with your eyes, You may kill me with your hatefulness, But still, like air, I’ll rise." (Angelou). This poem is a representation of how women were silenced and forced to remain in a bubble, yet chose to overcome all tribulation and rise despite how society would treat them. In conclusion, without the demand for those who seek freedom there will be no noticeable result and all it takes is one person to inflict a change. 

Source:

Angelou, Maya. The Complete Collected Poems of Maya Angelou. New York: Random House, 1994. Print.