Character vs. Community: Conflict in Literature Nineteenth-century American literature had many themes, one of which was the portrayal of an individual's conflict with the community. This type of literary conflict often extended to confrontation with the traditions, institutions, or laws and customs of one's culture. This specific theme can be found in two selected literary works, The Warrior Woman by Maxine Hong Kingston and Going To Meet The Man by James Baldwin. Each of these works contains a character who enacts this conflict within the confines of the work and provides the reader with the importance of the conflict with the community. By establishing the importance of the conflict in its social, racial, political, or historical context, each writer makes a statement about his or her character's place in America. James Baldwin's story Going To Meet The Man is a literary work that is starkly realistic in its depiction of the harsh realities of the Old South, especially for African Americans in the 1960s. Published in 1965, this story follows the character of a white male named Jesse in the South. It opens with the scene depicting Jesse lying in bed with his wife one night as he broods and discusses the day's events with his sleeping wife. Frustrated by his own helplessness during some feeble attempts at lovemaking, Jesse begins railing against African Americans and launches into his story with the lines “Damn niggers. The smelly black raccoons. You would think they would learn. Wouldn't you think they would learn? I mean, don't you?" (Baldwin 425). With these opening lines Baldwin effectively sets the tone and atmosphere of the story while also shocking the reader. In his......middle of paper...... missive Chinese woman through her character in the social context, Chinese culture does not consider women equal to men and as such women are expected to be submissive and “good” women imagination about her aunt, Kingston is fighting the stereotype that Outka mentions and the order she is given not to talk about her aunt. Both The Warrior Woman and Going To Meet The Man are stories that show the central theme in American literature of nineteenth century of the individual in conflict with the community Likewise, both authors use their characters and the conflict within their respective stories as a way to make a statement about their character's place in America. By maintaining the importance of conflict in social, racial, and historical context, both writers generate powerful stories.