Spirit Of Self

Spirit of Self

Spirit of self shows self confidence. In the stories of "The Life of a Slave" by: Frederick Douglass and "The Invisible Man" (The Narrator, The Battle Royale) by: Ralph Ellison with shorts stories of Black Elk Speaks (High Horse, Crazy Horse and Pipe Boyhood) Translated by: Jim Neidhardt all have characteristics of self confidence. Self Confidence comes from the spirit of self which is the belief of what you have, the essence that keeps you going and the ability to persevere when others do not. These stories contain a narrator and a story of their past experiences. In Black Elk Speaks, several of his short stories (Crazy Horse, Early Boyhood and The Offering of the Pipe) tells us about Black Elks experience as a Native American and how his Native tribe has gone through a lot to fight against their enemy, the wasichus. They've been fighting for their right, their freedom except in the offering of the pipe, he tells the story of how a beautiful lady gave a pipe to the chief and it contains nothing but good coming out of it.

Another short story called "High Horse Courting" is about how High Horse is deeply in love with a beautiful Native American and to get the girl in any possible way.

"The Life of a Slave" is about the life of Frederick Douglass and how Mr. Covey treats him as a slave when he is young. Lastly, the Narrator from the "Battle Royale" is about the Narrator wanting to achieve his dream to orate his speech to the people and get a scholarship to a college where he achieves his dream for his future, but first he is told to fight in a ring with a bunch of strong, tall people being blindfold and win in order to get his wish. All of these stories contain characteristics which have several things in common wanting a change in life, persevere a goal and to be a person they want to achieve to be.

Bravery gains their self-confidence of a person. Frederick Douglass and the Narrator from the "Battle Royale" have one thing in common, bravery and self-assurance. Somewhere near the end of the story, Frederick Douglass constrains Mr. Covey because of Mr. Covey's abuse. " This battle with Mr. Covey was the turning point in my career as a slave. It rekindled the few expiring of freedom and revived within me a sense of my own manhood. It recalled the departed self-confidence and inspired me again with a determination to be free." (Page 91-92) Frederick Douglass struggles for his freedom to give himself confidence. In the Narrator's situation, the white man constrains him to fight in the ring and finally makes it through the end, but once the blindfolds come off he has to face a tall, big man one on one but nothing is stopping him. "I fought back with hopeless desperation. I wanted to deliver my speech more than anything else in the world, because I felt that only these men could only judge truly my ability, and now this stupid clown was ruining my chances." (Page 25) This shows that the Narrator has self confidence and is brave enough to fight. They have a similar goal, having the self confidence to fight against your biggest opponent. To fight an enemy, and to acquire your rights back will never happen because you'll to suffer physically and mentally. Frederick Douglass and the narrator isn't afraid to face their fears if it's a person or a dream, they'll overcome anything that tries to bring them down. Self confidence contains freedom of doubt and your ability to believe in yourself. It may not be easy but they overcome their fear and cross over the next stage of life. Their characteristics show that they fulfill anything in life.

The perseverance of a person makes them desire to succeed in life. Early Boyhood and the Killing of Crazy Horse, both contain conflict with the Wasichus and struggle for their right, but have an essence that keeps them going and never wanting to stop, even though they were weak and lonely. In Early Boyhood, Black Elk's son talks about how Black Elk battles the wasichus. "I was three years old when my father's right leg was broken in the Battle of the Hundred Slain. From that wound he limped until the day he died." (Page 7-8) His father never gives up and even though he walks with a broken leg, he keeps on going.

"He never wanted anything but to save his people, and he fought the Wasichus only when they came to kill us in our own country. They had to lie to him and kill him that way." (Page 143) says in the Killing of Crazy Horse. Crazy Horse does anything to save his people day and night, weak or strong. They both do not quit, until they die or the battle is over. Both characters offer themselves to save their tribe and not leave them alone. Their characteristics show that people can do anything for their own people and won't give up unless a certain someone will stop them. They give themselves spirit and an essence to be strong forever. Their essence gives them indispensable properties that serve to characterize