Impotence is essentially defined by the inability to act or react, according to Marian Webster's dictionary. The nature of this definition is embodied in the play Fences and the novels Sula and Persepolis. These literary pieces vividly show and exemplify the causes and effects of helplessness in the lives of the characters. Powerlessness has been personified in two main ways in novels and plays: the effect of race and the power of war. The novels of Fences and Sula showcase the helplessness due to race while Persepolis reveals the effect of helplessness due to war. In the play, Fences, several critical characters addressed the effect of impotence throughout the stage production. Troy was bound by the rules and regulations of the unwritten laws of society. The fact that this particular play was written in the 1980s; it can be noted that the social barriers between blacks and whites were still evident. Therefore, the fact that Troy even sought the privilege of driving the garbage truck was surprising to Bono. Bono knew it would be tough to change job positions; therefore, when Troy receives approval from the union, Bono becomes jealous of his friend's new sense of power. Even though Bono becomes jealous of his friend, Troy is still completely powerless towards the white community. For the past fifteen years Troy has paid the furniture company at the beginning of each month. He knows his debt has already been paid, but he's too scared to stop: "How long have you been saying you've been paying this ten dollars a month?" says Bano: “Fifteen years!” exclaims Troy (16). During this era, blacks across the nation were powerless in the face of unprecedented white power. This domination has led... to the middle of the paper... his parents and I to feel helpless and to feel the loss of control over their lives. While we can witness the effects of helplessness on the characters, as readers we can implement their flaws into our own lives. Each book was written in a realistic setting, which reveals the effects of helplessness on realistic characters. Therefore, their mistakes can be taken to heart and used as a guide for future journeys. In Fences the effects of powerlessness are vividly shown by the struggles Troy faces due to racism. The same can be said of Sula and how the basis of the city was founded by racism and deceit. However, at the same time Persepolis portrays the effect that war can have on the lives of individuals. Fragments of all these literary works can be transposed into reality, thus allowing this additional kernel of wisdom to guide us into the future.