Although legality in general determines the existence and importance of oppression, the concept extends far beyond the scope of the law. While the law can override legislation that involves aspects of oppression such as discrimination, the law can also allow, at times, for such things to exist. A legal system implemented and enforced within a society ultimately melds directly with citizens and even life itself. It is interesting to note that at the same time we very often discuss and remember the most important and best-known events in our history; the most innovative ones. In our schools we teach “master narrative,” but we neglect the personal lives of the historical figures involved in such events, as well as those characters who were only “average” victims of their situations. Just as riots and marches can be used as tools for or against a cause, personal expression, on a much smaller and individual scale, constitutes the same building blocks that lead to revolutionary events and changes in our world. Collectively the leaders and revolutionary events in our history are of the utmost importance, but the individuals who may not have had their stories told or who were involved in initiating the cause are equally vital. Before fighting injustices in the world we must be able to express them within ourselves. Even leaders like Martin Luther King Jr. had tactics that he practiced in front of national leaders and incorporated into his daily and personal life as a means to stay strong. We can observe this "micro-level resistance" to relevant injustices through the lives of individuals such as those portrayed in two novels: Kate Chopin's fictional work, The Awakening, and Harriet... in the Middle of the Paper... the inclusion of both African American women and African American men in this property categorization. Jacobs introduces the reader to the concept of slavery by opening the novel with the impactful phrase: "I was born a slave" (Jacobs, chapter 1). Works Cited Chopin, Kate. The awakening. Chicago and New York: H. S. Stone &, 1899. Project Gutenberg. November 4, 2012. Web. March 11, 2014. Jacobs, Harriet A. Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl. Boston: Thayer & Eldridge, 1861. Documenting the American South. Library of Congress, 2003. Web. March 10, 2014. "Kate Chopin The Awakening." The Awakening, Kate Chopin, Characters, Setting, Questions. The International Kate Chopin Society, nd Web. 11 March. 2014. .