Naguib Mahfouz's "The Answer is No" and Kate Chopin's "The Story of an Hour" have common themes about women and relationships. The character of the teacher in "The Answer is No" and Mrs. Mallard in "The Story of an Hour" are of two different natures; the teacher is at least a bit reasonable and Mrs. Mallard just seems bizarre. The teacher and Mrs. Mallard both value their freedom and that they feel as if they are not a part of another man's will.
             The teacher had an unpleasant experience during her early teenage years when she had a tutor as old as her father falling in love with her and promising her that he would propose once the time had come and she had matured. She had no desire for this man but she was put in a position where it seemed like she had no choice. The fact that she didn't love him bothered her and didn't matter to him at all. But when the time had come she eventually refused his proposal but had learned a lesson-and that was that she wasn't anyone else's property and that she had her own life to live.
             "The Story of an Hour" was a short story about Mrs. Mallard, a woman with heart trouble who was informed of her late husband. Family members of Mrs. Mallard took extreme safety precautions to break the news to her; yet, she still reacted awkwardly. Although she grieved on her sister Josephine's shoulder, she then went to her room and locked the door. In her room she thought about what had happened. She felt as though she was a prisoner who had just been freed. She was happy about this newly found freedom of hers, but still uncertain about it. She was disappointed by her relationship between herself and her husband. She viewed her relationship as a commitment, a commitment to fulfill a lifetime of imprisonment to each other. Then the door opened, and much to her surprise, her husband stood there. She was disappointed yet again, she had ...