The Story Of An Hour And The Awakening

The Story Of An Hour And The Awakening
Morgan Roney
Doctor Laura Buchholz
April 14, 2015
ENG 112L
Final Paper
This paper will examine the life of Kate Chopin along with her writing style and theme in The Story
of an Hour and The Awakening. Chopin has a unique writing style that shows throughout all of her
works. Her works carry similar themes that include: women in search of independence, negative
views of marriage, and self–assertion. While reading Chopin's work, the reader will conclude that
Chopin's writing is very inspiring because she incorporates obstacles that she faced throughout her
life. With this technique used, it is easier for the reader to connect with Chopin on a personal level
while reading her works.
To begin, Kate Chopin was born on February 8, 1850 with the ... Show more content on
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Chopin began her education at a Catholic School called the Sacred Heart Academy. Her school was
"...devoted to creating good wives and mothers, while also teaching independent thinking" (Jones).
Kate Chopin experienced many more tough times with the loss of her great grandmother, her
brother, her first teacher, and her best friend moving away. Because she grew up during the time of
the Civil War, Chopin spent much of her time at home (Jones). She experienced violence at first
hand when her home was raided by German soldiers, and it is believed that she was sexually abused
in the process. After she was believed to be sexually abused, Chopin began to isolate herself from
everything. She spent a lot of her time reading, writing, and thinking in the attic by herself ("Kate").
After experiencing such rough times, Chopin went back to Sacred Heart Academy where she was
encouraged by her English teacher to begin writing. After graduating she met Oscar Chopin, "...a
businessperson of cosmopolitan background" (Jones). At the age of 20, they got married and in their
first ten years of marriage Chopin birthed six children. With the death of her husband in 1884,
Chopin was left to take care of the family financially. After going into a huge amount of debt,
Chopin moved to St. Louis with her mother and turned to her passion of writing as a way to make
money (Toth 101). In 1885, Chopin dealt with the loss of her mother
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Story Of An Hour
Topic 4: The Story of an Hour
Because of Mrs. Mallard's heart condition, when her sister and family friend discover Mr. Mallard
got killed in an accident, they take time to gently tell Mrs. Mallard that her husband has died. Mrs.
Mallard cries her eyes out, then goes to her room to be by herself and locks the door. Inside, she
seems terrified of some knowledge that's coming to her and finally realizes that it's her freedom. She
looks forward to the days ahead instead of dreading them. Finally, Mrs. Mallard comes out of her
room, newly resolved, and she and her sister start to go downstairs. Suddenly, her husband Mr.
Mallard comes in. When Mrs. Mallard sees him, she has a tremendous shock and dies.
This a feminist novel. Many people think it is about freedom, actually it is an article about
feminism. According to text, Kate Chopin successfully use the two sets of sharp contrast, portrayed
Louise sudden awakening of feminist consciousness. The set of comparison is the different reactions
of Louise and her sister Josephine and her husband's friend Richards when they heard Brently
Mallard's death. The other group is the haze of death and the nature of the ... Show more content on
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In workplace, in family or sometimes in school, we can feel it. For example, some parents of young
women fail to support their daughters emotionally and materially,compared to sons. Parents
routinely help sons buy their own apartments, but many choose to financially assist a male nephew
rather than their own daughter. Chinese parents commonly feel they have no responsibility to buy a
house for a daughter. That's why I support feminism. However, I'm not praise it blindly. Modern
times, female raised many waves of feminism. Some of them cause something terrible which has a
bad influence all over the world. Women are supposed to be protected and they should own the same
rights with

Story Of An Hour
In the short story, « Story of an Hour», Kate Chopin paints the tragic misfortune of Mrs. Mallard
concerning the death of her husband, Brently Mallard. Alone face of this terrible, Chopin reveals the
different state of mind of Mrs. Mallard concerning this news. It was her sister Josephine who had the
difficult task to tell her this frightful news with caution, "in broken sentences; veiled hints that
revealed in half concerning". Along with Josephine, Richard, husband's friend, was there as support
and holder of the truth. "It was he who had been in the newspaper office.... With Brently Mallards'
name leading the list of killed". In addition, "He had only taken the time to assure himself of its
truth by a second telegram." However, despite precautions ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net
...
"There would be no one to live for during those coming years. There would be no powerful will
bending hers". She conclusively apprehends the word "free". Because she was free now that her
husband was no longer there. Free to do what she wants, free to choose, free to decide what she
wants to. However, never did she love him to have the fluidity to be content of the loss of her
husband. "Yet she had loved him–sometimes. Often she had not." We could note that Mrs. Mallard
and her husband did not have a good relationship. Furthermore, "what could love count for in the
face od this possession of self–assertion." Thus, the realization of her freedom of her self–
importance was worth that the hegemony that love apply upon couples. Love appears as a restrain,
an abandon of liberty and autonomy in the eyes of Mrs. Mallard. And, she was free of love by the
death of her husband. Suddenly, the call of Josephine "Louise open the door" resound as a call into
the reality–––. But she was ascertained that she was not dreaming and her new asset was real and
eternal. She was a "goddess of Victory". Nevertheless, the reality had not said its last word in its
purpose to awake her. While Mrs. Mallard and Josephine came down, "Someone was opening the
front door." "It was Brently Mallard who entered", appeared in front of them back from the dead.
Seeing the one who was at the origin of her pain all those year, presenting as a ghost who

Irony In The Story Of An Hour
"The Story of an Hour" is a story that was set in the late 19th century written by Kate Chopin. She
uses irony to present an unheard view of marriage, while she incorporates symbols and imagery. The
story is initially written to have you think that poor Louise, having heart trouble, learns of the
devastating news that her husband has been tragically killed. Thinking that Louise is heartbroken by
the death of her husband, you see that she strangely says "free! Body and soul free!" (525) You are
intrigued to know why Louise would be joyful seeing that her husband has died. By the end of the
story you see the irony that she doesn't die of happiness, she dies of sorrow knowing that she isn't
free anymore. In "The Story of an Hour," Kate Chopin uses strong irony, symbols and imagery to
emphasize her theme of the unhappiness of women during this time period. Irony is evident
throughout the story, rather ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
To make sense of this ironic situation, you wonder why Richards behaves in this manner. Figuring
this out, you would firmly believe that Richards' behavior is due to his adoration for Louise.
Through the irony inundating this scenario, Chopin proves her point of a loveless marriage "But she
saw beyond that bitter moment a long precession of years to come that would belong to her
absolutely." (525) In addition to the irony that Chopin uses in "The Story of an Hour", she also uses
imagery and symbols to portray the story. Chopin writes, "There stood, facing the open window, a
comfortable, roomy armchair. Into this she sank..." (524) The open window symbolizes the freedom
that has been afforded to her. By sinking into the armchair, she is trying to find comfort in not
having her husband in her life anymore. As she looks out of the open window she hears birds
singing which is a happy sound leading one to be hopeful of what good things are to

How Is The Hour Criticism In The Story Of An Hour
In Chopin's short story "The Story of an Hour" focuses on the character Mrs. Mallard and how she
comes to terms with the death of her husband. But the story also subtly suggests how woman were
labelled as these domesticated creatures and controlled by societies principles in that time and age.
This can be interpreted in the setting of the story and the characterization of the individuals within
the story. The focus of the "The Story of an Hour" is on Mrs. Mallard, who is the quaint and seemed
to be frail women with a heart condition. Mrs. Mallard is told that her husband was killed in a tragic
train accident. As she processes this devastating news, she realizes that she is free from the chains of
her marriage. That she can finally be the woman ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
"The Story of an Hour." Perrines Literature, Structure, Sound and Sense, Thomas R. Arp and Greg
Johnson, publisher, 1997, pp. 532–534.
Deneau, Daniel P. "Chopin's 'The Story of an Hour.'." Short Story Criticism, edited by Jelena
Krstovic, vol. 110, Gale, 2008. Literature Resource Center,
http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/H1420082716/LitRC?u=mill30389&sid=LitRC&xid=8de59807.
Accessed 28 Jan. 2018. Originally published in Explicator, vol. 61, no. 4, Summer 2003, pp. 210–
213.
Skredsvig, Kari Meyers. "Mapping Gender: Feminist Cartographies in Kate Chopin's 'Regionalist'
Stories." Short Story Criticism, edited by Jelena Krstovic, vol. 110, Gale, 2008. Literature Resource
Center, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/H1420082714/LitRC?
u=mill30389&sid=LitRC&xid=2756dfa6. Accessed 28 Jan. 2018. Originally published in Revista
de Filología y Lingüística de la Universidad de Costa Rica, vol. 29, no. 1, Jan.–June 2003, pp. 85–
101.
Thomas, Heather Kirk. "Kate Chopin's Scribbling Women and the American Literary Marketplace."
Twentieth–Century Literary Criticism, edited by Janet Witalec, vol. 127, Gale, 2002. Literature
Resource Center, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/H1420056302/LitRC?
u=mill30389&sid=LitRC&xid=927323ee. Accessed 28 Jan. 2018. Originally published in Studies in
American Fiction, vol. 23, no. 1, Spring 1995, pp.

The Story Of An Hour
"The Story of an Hour" is a story that in a few pages creates commentary, emotions, and thoughts
about a simple yet very important part of every civilization. It is quite amazing that a short story
written over a hundred years ago is still relevant to our society today. Every successful civilization
has had some form of marriage, and while this story is to many criticizing the institution of
marriage, I believe that people could see this dichotomy of oppressor vs oppressed that this story
tries to bring to the forefront and instead find a theme of freedom and responsibility that was not
intended by the author. Since the plot is central it is imperative that it is put at the beginning. The
beginning we have the man Robert who is a friend ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
The narrator goes on to describe Mrs. Mallards mental state of her believing that the rest of her life
was for her to "Live for herself" (Chopin 129). The narrator goes on to describe Mrs. Mallards
marriage from Mrs. Mallards point of view and then more about how Mrs. Mallard is now free from
her so–called oppression. Josephine then knocks on the door and is worried about Mrs. Mallard. The
story describes how she becomes suddenly confident, she opens the door and walks down the stairs
to find her husband opening the door instantly killing her. Doctors are called and they proclaim that
she died from "Joy that kills" (Chopin 130). Characters are a pinnacle part of a story and this stories
characters are no different. The character of Mrs. Mallard is a very contradictory. She believes
herself to be repressed by her husband yet also saying that her husband had always loved her and it
can be assumed through this sentence "She knew that she would weep again when she saw the kind,
tender hands folded in death; the face that had never looked save with love upon her" (Chopin 129)
that he was not abusive even emotionally so. Frankly the story makes her out to be weak; she is too
weak to get out of her marriage and can only do so when it is basically gifted to her, and she is too
weak to fight for her new–found confidence and basically decides to die. Mr. Mallard had no

Story Of An Hour Symbolism
"The Story of an Hour," written by Kate Chopin, is a short story featuring a woman with a feeble
heart, and the story centers on Louise Mallard and her reactions to her husband's "death."
Throughout "The Story of an Hour," Louise Mallard experiences various emotions that leave her
wondering how she truly feels about the news of her husband's death. Before leaving her room and
after hours of genuine depression, Louise Mallard realizes that her husband's death may have
granted her something extremely valuable: independence. Chopin created the story in an era where
men predominantly controlled the lives of women. In "The Story of an Hour," Louise Mallard is
expelled from the chains of her husband's control. Although they had a content, loving ... Show
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Each piece of symbolism provides support to the independence and the joy resulting of the
independence. The short story teaches a valuable lesson of the joy that can be obtained from the
independence of being single. It not only demonstrates the importance of independence, but it also
has and continues to empower women and men. The short story has captivated the minds of
numerous feminists as one of the earliest pieces of the feminist movement. It was a remarkable
piece for its time as it managed to empower women and not contain a traditional woman. The
independence and the joy it produces could have never been exemplified as well without the
powerful symbolism that Kate Chopin

Story Of An Hour
The open window in "A Story of an Hour" holds a lot of symbolism towards the emotions that Mrs.
Mallard discovers within the story. The open window constitutes as her epiphany moment in the
story where she discovers her true feelings and bases her actions off of the freedom she finds when
she looks beyond the scenery through the window with new eyes. The open window in Mrs.
Mallards home is what triggers her emotional state in which she breaks out of her restraints that her
marriage has put her in. When Mrs. Mallard was looking out of the window all of the outside world
seemed to be coming to her indirectly in a way that it reached her faintly and not all at once just like
the emotions of her freedom had did. "She could see in the open square before her house the tops of
trees that were all aquiver with the new spring life" (Chopin 476).Mrs. Mallard was not looking at
the trees themselves she was looking past them and looking forward to what was ahead of the trees
and not what the weather was like at the current moment. This I believe is how she unwarily started
to come by her emotions by not focusing on the now but rather on the future without her husband
just like she was looking forward on to the spring, such as "But she saw beyond that bitter moment a
... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Mallard's emotions towards the "death" of her husband because of outside inspiration that took apart
in her epiphany. When she first discovered her new emotions and did not know that they were tied to
how she had felt in her marriage, she had questioned what she was actually feeling "What was it?
She did not know; it was too subtle and elusive to name. But she felt it, creeping out of the sky,
reaching toward her through the sounds, the scents, the color that filled the air" (Chopin 476).The
emotion that she had of the liberation her husbands "death" gave her was reaching out to her from
the window and the forethought of a life where she lives as her own

Essay on The Story of an Hour
The Story of an Hour The story of the hour is, to me, an interesting short story of the insight into the
life thoughts of a woman struggling with a life that is proper and sociably acceptable and her own
desires. Upon reading the opening passage "Knowing that Mrs. Mallard was afflicted with a heart
trouble, great care was taken to break to her as gently as possible the news of her husband's death."
(1) The reader, in this case I, would understand quickly that the main character of the story, Mrs.
Mallard, must be treated with tenderness. We also learn that grave news is coming her way in a most
careful manner. Reading further the actions of the main character would show shock, confusion,
surprise, and other anxiety of a life without ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
The line in question is " She said it over and over under her breath: 'Free, Free, Free!'" (11) It was at
this point I realized that the shock was not from grief but from a desire come to fruition, a thought
that had been held in fancy thought now finally true for the main character. I then had to reroute my
thoughts and reread what I had already and reassess my earlier thoughts. That the tears shed may not
have been from love lost, but from dreams fulfilled in thunderous joy. Shock of sudden freedom
from what would have been socially unacceptable of leaving her husband, was now her shield, her
grief at the sudden loss her weapon to face the world a single woman. The new information I had
read conflicted strongly with the preceding directional notion. Transforming what would have been
a tragic short story of a woman who suffered loss and abandoned hope for life, into a story of elation
for a woman suffering shackles on her life. While others around her feared for her suffering misery,
behind a locked door silent rejoice was being had of how to maintain composure as a mourning
widow instead of a joyful widow which was illustrated in this line, "'Free! Body and soul free!' she
kept whispering" (16) I paused here once more to think of how possibly the story could turn once
more, that the hopes of the main character would be dashed to thousands of pieces with a truth that
the husband was not dead as was suspected. When I began reading

Story Of An Hour
"The Story of an Hour" by Kate Chopin 1. Describe your experience in reading "The Story of an
Hour." Did the story surprise you, annoy you, entertain you? Why? Did it hold your interest? Why
or why not? In reading "The Story of an Hour" for the first time in high school, it was very
confusing for me. It was not until I read the story in the literature textbook in this class that the story
was made very clear to me because the text has many side comments that explains the story in a
more modern English. This time reading the story, I was very interested in knowing of the thoughts
that Mrs. Mallard had in her mind. Her point of view was much clearer and I was able to make
connections to the rest of the story because of this clarity. It was very intriguing to me because it
held me in suspense throughout the story, which is always interesting in reading literary work. ...
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What is the narrator's attitude toward Mrs. Mallard? Where do you find this attitude most clearly
suggested? The narrator was showing throughout the story a sense of sympathy but mostly was
understanding of Mrs. Mallard. This is shown in the way that the author was portraying to the reader
of what was going on in the head of Mrs. Mallard, as if the author was agreeing and understanding
of the thoughts of Mrs. Mallard. Indeed, this could be proven by looking at the texts and seeing that
Mrs. Mallard did not say much during the time that she was in her room. In fact, most of the text
comes from the words of the author, who is clearly stating their

Story Of An Hour's Story Of An Hour
The theme of Story Of An Hour I believe the book suggests that marriage, regardless of the good
intentions of the people it joins, necessarily results in repression and a loss of freedom.The story
plays with both irony and tragedy as the shock that her friends fear will kill Louise restores her
freedom, and the joy they anticipate for her is the heartbreak that kills her. The story focuses on the
evils inherent in marriage as an institution, not Louise Mallard's specific relationship, about which
we are told very little.
My proof for my theme her husband's return shatters her hopes. She is again a mere wife,
subservient. This sudden reversal, the destruction of her dreams, kills her. Still, she is spared the
living death of a stifling relationship,

'Story Of An Hour'
Marriage is a union of two companions who are deeply in love with each other; however, this is not
always the case. In Chopin "Story of an Hour" Louise weeps of her husband's death, but then comes
to the realization that she was now a free, independent women who no longer feels oppressed by
marriage. Louise; however, never gave a specific way in which her husband oppressed her, which
Chopin hints that marriage suppress both men and women. In Gilman "The Yellow Wallpaper"
reveals that gender division had the effect of keeping a woman in an adolescent state of ignorance
and prohibiting further development. Gilman critiques the position of women within the
establishment of marriage and criticizes the traditional nineteenth century middle–class

"The Story of an Hour"
For this story, I will use Mrs. Mallard as the example, and will discuss her challenges and struggles.
According to the text, she was "afflicted with a heart trouble," so based on that alone we know that
she struggled with delicate health issues. The narrator further described her as, "young, with a fair,
calm face, whose lines bespoke repression and even a certain strength." The 'lines' or wrinkles of
repression that he speaks of is most likely caused by the stress of suppressing feelings or emotions
in her life. Although she described her husband in a positive light, I do not believe she was happy
and/or in love with him. My assumption is based on the fact that she demonstrated an incredible
sense of relief when she thought he had passed on.
A good example of this conclusion is the following quote:
"And yet she had loved him – sometimes. Often she had not. What did it matter! What could love,
the unsolved mystery, count for in face of this possession of self–assertion which she suddenly
recognized as the strongest impulse of her being!" I can only assume that she loved him, but was not
"in love" with him. Once he supposedly died, she was consumed with happy thoughts of freedom.
Her husband may have very well restricted her freedom, but then again, most husbands in his
position may have done the same. She gave a small glimpse of his authority over her, when she
stated that his influence on her day–to–day life was an occurrence of "powerful will."

A Story Of An Hour
Most stories have more than one conflict, some bigger than others, but all important as a story
progressives to the very moment everything clicks and comes together. After that point, the story
starts to wind down, lose ends are tied, and the reader gets the satisfying feeling of a happy ending.
The Story of an Hour is not your typical short story; but is similar to others in the way that conflicts
are the leading force behind a short story. This story starts with Mrs. Mallard finding out any wife's
worst news and realizing it is the best news she has ever heard. Within the short hour of the
announcement, the news that was going to save her, ended up killing her. The internal conflicts Mrs.
Mallard faces in Chopin's The Story of an Hour are subtle, but lead to a resolution that makes the
reader question if they believe the author or not.
One of the first internal conflict Mrs. Mallard faces is she is not sure how she to act when she finds
out the news of her husband's death. During the time period of which the shirt story takes place,
women supposedly owed everything to their husbands, so for Mrs. Mallard to now be a widow, the
news should have been heart breaking and life shattering. Louise does not act the way women of the
time are "supposed" to act. She is still is shocked by the news, "she wept at once, with sudden, wild
abandonment, in her sister's arms" but then rushes upstairs to lock herself in her room (Chopin 54). I
think Chopin started off the story with the

The Story of an Hour
The exploration of symbolism and irony in "The Story of an Hour", is apparent for the reader to
establish. Irony being the opposite of what is intended; Having 3 types of irony they are divided by
verbal, dramatic, and situational. Symbolism is any object, person, place, or experience that
represents more than what it is. The Story of an Hour is based off of a sickly wife who briefly
believes that her husband is dead and imagines a whole new life of freedom for her, only to later be
devastated by his reappearance causing her to die of the joy that kills, or so it was proclaimed. In
"The Story of an Hour" there are various ironic and symbolic references that can be found, all of
them having a significant impact on Louise Mallard's exotic view of her husband's death. Louise
Mallard is first labeled as a woman with heart problems, more of a soft hearted woman who is
incapable to take in heavy issues lightly. This comes into play when the people that are going to tell
her worry on how she is going to take the news of her husband's death. This accusation also comes
into play when she is proclaimed of dying by the joy that kills, on the contrary it was only an
overwhelming of her dreams being crushed by her husband actually being alive. Her "Victory" was
achieved by her husband's death which allowed a creeping thought into her head to run loose giving
her the misconception that she was going to be free from her husband, or free from the burden of the
duties and

Symbolism In The Story Of An Hour
The 19th Century short story of Kate Chopin entitled "The Story of an Hour", describes the story of
a young married woman who was suffering from heart disease, which made it difficult for her sister
to bring her the news of the death of her beloved husband, but instead of deep sorrow, Mrs.
Mallards, our Principal character in the story felt a beautiful sense of freedom and relief. However,
her dreams and illusion were shattered when she saw her husband coming from the door alive.
Through the use of character arc enriched by symbolism and iron, the author reflected in a dramatic
way how a 19th century woman appreciated her freedom and living her own life as something
marvelous in comparison of being married serving someone else's. "The Story of an Hour" is the
epiphany of a young married woman; her realization of how important is the self, its freedom and
liberation.
Kate Chopin was known for her controversial writings and her cheers for women's freedom and
rights. During the 19th when she wrote this story, there wasn't what we know today as women
rights. Women were considered as a property, when married, the rights of woman were legally given
over to her spouse as all her physical and moral belongings which expropriate all kind of freedoms
and liberties away them from. "The Story of an Hour" is a short story centered on a young married
... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Often she had not" (278), her sister Josephine who delivered the news to her as kindly as she could,
Mrs. Richards the transmitter of the news who is dear friend to Mr. Brently Mallard, and finally but
not less important we could see Mr. Brently Mallard for a second. What started as a bad news for
Mrs. Mallard, it became a feeling of freedom and rebirth. Unfortunately, these emotions had a bad
ending for her because the shock of seing her husband alive ended her life in a

Story Of An Hour Analysis
Kate Chopin wrote the short story, "The Story of an Hour" in April 1894, it was later published in
the popular American Fashion and Lifestyle Magazine, the Vogue in December 1894 under the title,
"The Dream of an Hour." "...Vogue published fearless and truthful portrayals of women's lives."
(Emily Toth) Kate Chopin often reflected the problems women faced in that time era in her writings
and I think The Story of an Hour is ironic and overall pretty good.
The Story of an Hour starts off with Mrs. Mallard's sister Josephine telling her the shocking news of
her husband's death. Mr. Richards who was her husband's friend and Josephine were extra careful to
deliver the news they worried it would upset Mrs. Mallard and affect her heart problems. Mrs.
Mallard wept in her sister's arms grieving for her husband, after she finished she went to her room
alone. She sat quietly reflecting on her feelings, gazing out her window seeing the new spring life
and patches of blue sky. This symbolizes the new life she was imagining for herself because yes, she
loved her husband, but his death brought a certainty to her freedom. In the Story of an Hour Louis or
Mrs. Mallard repeats "Free! Body and soul free!" emphasizing the freedom she felt. Her sister was
on the other side of the door worried about Louis and unaware how she felt, she begged her to leave
her room. Feeling liberated Louis left her room "and carried herself unwittingly like a Goddess of
Victory," (The Story of an Hour) to join her

Story of an Hour
1. There are many themes in The Story of An Hour; 'heart trouble' – which describes not only the
physical affliction of Mrs Mallard but also the emotional suffering in her marriage. Three other
themes that are prominent within this story are; death, freedom and oppression. Though, the themes
of freedom and oppression can be seen as the main themes within this story, as we see the character
of Mrs Mallard – a Mallard is a type of wild duck, which can be seen as being symbolic of her need
to be free and to live for herself – struggle to cope with the apparent death of her husband. 'She wept
at once, with sudden, wild abandonment', until she was alone in her room where she began to come
to the realisation that she had ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
(349 words)
3. The story begins by introducing Mrs Mallard as a woman afflicted with 'heart trouble', 'and this
meant that great care had to be taken while she was informed of her husband's death'.
The writer choosing to use the words heart trouble in place of illness or disease, which would have
been more precisely descriptive, alludes to the fact that the heart trouble is much more than a
physical misfortune, but also the source of emotional turmoil in Mrs Mallard's life – specifically
relating to her husband – as the heart is seen as a symbol for love and the epicentre of emotion in the
human body.
After hearing of the news of her husband's apparent death, Mrs Mallard is stricken by grief and
hastily retires to her bedroom. Here she finds a chair 'facing the window' and as she is in an
extremely emotional state the chair becomes a symbol of consolation and safety for the newly found
widow. The words 'comfortable' and 'roomy' are used to describe the chair, which is the first sign of
any positive emotive language within this story and a complete contrast to phrases previously used,
such as 'storm of grief' and 'disaster'. The writer shows us that Mrs Mallard is now battling with her
emotions and as she sinks into the chair 'pushed down by physical exhaustion' the chair becomes not
only a physical rest, but a symbol of the emotional support that she otherwise

"The Story of an Hour" by Kate Chopin narrates the emotional roller coaster Mrs. Mallard rides
upon being informed of her husband's unfortunate death. The plot and setting of this short story
provide assistance in making the tale not only believable, but also relatable. The way the story is
paced makes for a clear sequence of events and the setting is not exaggerated or focused
distractingly. However, Chopin's style of writing makes it somewhat difficult for the reader to
process the meaning of the story when he or she first encounters it. Perhaps one of the most
important elements in a fictional piece, the plot of "The Story of an Hour" is easily followed with a
clear and logical progression of events. While the opening and ending of ... Show more content on
Helpwriting.net ...
This often happens when one becomes lost in his or her thoughts; they make time seem to elongate
and stretch from minutes into years. While being an enjoyable narrative, the style with which
Chopin writes may sometimes leave the reader wishing for less description and more background.
Chopin spends an obscene amount of time on the emotions Mrs. Mallard is experiencing, but she
spends far less time on elaborating on the reason for these feelings. It is fleetingly mentioned "There
would be no powerful will bending her in that blind persistence..." and the reader knows that despite
being treated with love by her husband, Mrs. Mallard detested him for controlling her. However,
there is no telling of the ways in which Mr. Mallard exercised his control over her, nor is there any
evidence of family or friend knowing this fact. Chopin also puts to use many extremely long
sentences. Paired with her high level of vocabulary, this makes it difficult for the reader to
completely immerse him or herself in the events without pausing every few seconds reassess their
understanding of the text. One last aspect of style which may confuse those who read this story is
the structure which composes the narrative. Every few paragraphs there are outside comments
interjected, providing an analysis of that point in the story. It is obvious that this particular decision
was made by the

The Story Of An Hour And The Story Of An Hour
Women are taught from a young age that marriage is the end all be all in happiness, in the short
story "The Story of An Hour" by Kate Chopin and the drama "Poof!" by Lynn Nottage, we learn that
it is not always the case. Mrs. Mallard from "The Story of an Hour" and Loureen from "Poof!" are
different characteristically, story–wise, and time–wise, but share a similar plight. Two women tied
down to men whom they no longer love and a life they no longer feel is theirs. Unlike widows in
happy marriages Loureen and Mrs., Mallard discover newfound freedom in their respective
husband's deaths. Both stories explore stereotypical housewives who serve their husbands with un–
stereotypical reactions to their husband's deaths. Titles often give ... Show more content on
Helpwriting.net ...
"It was only yesterday she had thought with a shudder, that life might be long." (Chopin 17).
""Poof!"... gave a revealing look at the victims of domestic abuse and how they wrestle with
overcoming their fear and their doubts after suffering years of abusive treatment." (Toomer 5)
Loureen unlike Mrs. Mallard, witnesses her husband's death first hand during a marital argument.
Loureen goes through denial questioning whether her husband's death. She is happy her husband is
dead but also feels guilty, because she knows how a mourning wife should react, but the joy of his
demise is greater," I should be praying, I should be thinking of the burial, but all that keeps popping
into my mind is what will I wear on television when I share my horrible and wonderful story with a
studio audience...", Loureen's husband, Samuel, was physically abusive, as revealed by Florence,
Loureen's best friend and neighbor. "Did that mother***** hit you again?" (Nottage 1563) This
abuse, physical by Samuel and mental by Brently, is what allows Loureen in the drama "Poof!" and
Mrs. Mallard in the short story "The Story of an Hour" to have the shared freedom they feel in the
release from their respective abusive relationships. The ending of "Poof!" leaves us with a satisfied
Loureen who decides that her husband's death is the best thing that could ever happen. Ironically the
man who

The Story Of An Hour Essay
The story of an hour
Kate Chopin's 'The story of an hour' perceives this seemingly normal middle–class family with an
extensive amount of colorful irony. Louise Mallard is a housewife who tries to lead the most
standard life possible with her all–powerful husband.The many years of marriage has brought the
feeling of emptiness and vacancy into the soul of Louise
Mallard. Through her tribulations of marriage, releasing herself and setting both her body and mind
free, and the deaths throughout the story irony encompasses and unifies this short story. The
tribulations of Mr. and Mrs. Mallard's marriage escalated through the feeling of love. Love seemed
to be no longer a never–ending bond between the most important ... Show more content on
Helpwriting.net ...
Although the news of someone's husband dying would come as a complete shock to most, Mrs.
Mallard looked upon this despairing moment as a time to finally set herself free, and let the feeling
of power run wild all over her body. 'She said it over and over under her breath: 'free, free, free!'
The vacant stare and the look of terror that had followed went from her eyes....She saw beyond that
bitter moment
[that moment she would weep] a long procession of years to come that would belong to her
absolutely.'; (13) Louise
Mallard felt that feeling of power finally with in her grasp now that her husband was out of her life.
She felt her life coming back into perspective, like there was at last a real reason to live. 'Free! Body
and soul free! she kept whispering.'; (13) A women should feel like she is being set free once her
husband embraces her in his arms, but this ironic twist has Louise Mallard being set free once she is
just out of her husband's reach. Perhaps the biggest irony of all comes at the very end of the story.
Once Louise Mallard's marriage had finally ended, she had been set free and the feeling of power
was finally filling her body once again, yet she dies. Not from her heart disease or the shock of her
husband's death, but rather from the shock of her husband being alive. 'Someone was opening the
door with a latchkey. It was Brently

In "The Story of an Hour," Kate Chopin suggests that in certain scenarios, the death of a loved one
may be a blessing in disguise. Possible situations may include an abusive relationship, or an
unhappy marriage, as the story suggests. Although the circumstances throughout the story might
lead the reader to believe that Louise's husband's death would cause her great pain, ironically, when
she hears the news, she feels a sense of euphoria. This suggests that death may not always cause
agony. Louise's characteristics add to the theme of this story in several ways. One of her
characteristics is her youth. This characteristic is important because it is symbolic of a fresh, new
start at her life of freedom due to the death of her husband. ... Show more content on
Helpwriting.net ...
But she actually dies because her free life has come to a sudden stop, And is heart–broken that she
will not be able to live her life as she hoped she could, alone. Another conflict in this story is the
role of the wife versus the role of the husband. For instance, Louise struggled with her feelings
about her marriage for years. Louise thinks "what could love, the unsolved mystery, count for in
face of this possession of self–assertion which she suddenly recognized as the strongest impulse of
her being." She admits that she did love Brently, but often she did not. On the other hand, the story
suggests that Brently was completely content in the marriage and assumed that Louise was too. This
conflict is reflected in Louise's internal struggle. When she realizes that Brently is alive, she must
die. This is the only way she can win the freedom she was struggling for within herself. She dies
because he is alive, he is ultimately responsible for her death. For one blessed hour, she believes
Henry dead, and in her own mind she sets about rebuilding her future, imagining her infinite
possibilities; when he arrives at home safe and sound, however, Louise drops dead of a heart attack.
Her family assumes, of course, that the shock of seeing Henry alive after believing him to be dead
was too much for her; but Chopin implies otherwise. It seems more likely that

Story of an Hour
Story of an Hour Kate Chopin 's the "Story of an Hour" includes a vast amount of literary devices.
Irony, foreshadowing, personification, imagery, symbolism, metaphor and repetition are some of the
major literary techniques used by Chopin within this short story about a woman named Mrs.
Mallard. Although the story covers only one hour in the life of the main character, the use of these
various literary techniques present the theme of the story to the reader in a very entertaining manner.
The "Story of an Hour" is primarily a story of great irony. Irony is first demonstrated when Mrs.
Mallard who has a serious heart condition finds out the news about the sudden death of her husband.
Although she appears upset and goes to her room ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
This again shows how depressing her life really was with her husband.
Visual imagery is used in the story by Chopin to help the reader create an image of the words and
scenes she is presenting in the story. As an example of this imagery she writes: "there were patches
of blue sky showing here and there through the clouds that had met and piled one above the other in
the west facing her window". With imagery, she also helps us feel the miserable world Mrs. Mallard
lived in. "She carried herself unwittingly like a goddess of victory". Chopin also includes symbolism
as a literary device when Mrs. Mallard stares out the window of her room. The view through the
window is symbolic of a new world with no restrictions and limitations now that her husband is
dead. She also used symbolism when she said, "patches of blue sky showing here and there through
the clouds." Her ultimate death due to a heart attack is also symbolic of the loss of her love for her
husband.
The basic symbol of the story involves the new life she would be able to live alone. Divorce was
rare in Mrs. Mallard 's days, but the news of her husband 's death offers her a chance at a new
beginning. "She carried herself unwittingly like a goddess of victory." This symbolizes the strength
that Mrs. Mallard had during this time period, and shows that she will conquer obstacles in her
future.
Chopin uses repetition to emphasize a particular idea. For instance, when she said, "free,

"The Story of an Hour" by Kate Chopin is very intriguing, not only because of the emotional change
Louise Mallard goes through the hour after her husband's tragic death but also the way Chopin uses
irony in the story. During this analysis of "The Story of an Hour" we will discuss the summary, plot,
setting, tone, theme, point of view, emotions of Louise Mallard and other characters involved in the
story. Chopin's story uses the feelings of a married woman in the late 1890's and feminine identities,
to help the reader better understand married life of a woman during that period in time. In the story,
Louise Mallard is a young woman with a heart condition who recently is informed of her husband's
death. At first she is sad and then a wonderful feeling begins to come over her, it is happiness;
freedom, although she does not feel that for long. "She knew that she would weep again when she
saw the kind, tender hands folded in death; the face that had never looked save with love upon her,
fixed and gray and dead" (Chopin 2). "And yet she had loved him – sometimes. Often she had not"
(Chopin 2). Kate Chopin uses nature imagery, irony and tragedy to set the theme; women's role in a
marriage and feminine identity. "Marriage was considered a sacred institution. Divorce was quite
rare in the 1800s and if one was to occur; men were automatically given legal control of all property
and children" (Hicks 1).
The point of view in Chopin's short story, the narrator uses a non–participant approach to tell the
story in third person point of view with limited omniscience. Whether or not the reader is more
sympathetic with the narrator using first person depends on the story. In this story, I think the reader
would be sympathetic if the narrator was using first person or third person, and the story would still
be credible and believable. I believe the story is very effective with the methods Chopin used to
write with. "We are told of the joy she feels with the freedom she finds in her husband's death, but
we are not specifically told that she is skeptical of marriage in general" (Hicks 1).The setting for this
story is based in the spring of 1984 in Louisiana, "the tops of trees that were all aquiver with the
new spring life"

An Hour Story
The Story of an Hour: Story Analysis "The Story of an Hour" is a great portrayal of how married
women felt during the 1870s. This story is a serious representation of how difficult it was to get
divorced during that time. Throughout this short story, a woman by the name of Louise Mallard
rejoices at the news of her husband's death. Due to her disappointment of seeing that her husband
had not actually passed, Mrs. Mallard dies. One might question why she was overjoyed by that
upsetting news; however, she was justified in feeling cheerful. In this story, Mrs. Mallard states
numerous times how she felt "free". Having this mindset after hearing her husband had passed one
has reason to believe Mrs. Mallard and her husband's marriage was not a

Symbolism Of The Story Of An Hour
The Story of an Hour Primarily, one has to mention that «The Story of an Hour» is a short story
composed by Kate Chopin on April 19, 1894, and initially distributed in Vogue on December 6,
1894 as «The Dream of an Hour». The title of the short story alludes to the time slipped by between
the minutes, when the woman – Louise Mallard, hears that her spouse is dead and then suddenly
finds that he is alive. The Story of an Hour was viewed as disputable amid the 1890s in light of the
fact that tells of the woman, who feels that she is free after she is said that her husband is dead. The
short story «The Story of an Hour» depicts the arrangement of feelings of Louise Mallard after she
becomes aware of the demise of her spouse Brantley, who was thought to have died in one of the
railroad disasters. Thus, one ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
The author uses the word «heart trouble» as the symbol of inconvenience that is both physical and
enthusiastic, an issue both inside her body and with her relationship with Brently. Within the
mentioned hour, when Louise accepts Brently is dead, her heart pulsates emphatically, Louise feels
her new freedom physically. Just when Brently walk in the house, her heart disease reapers. The
incongruity of the closure is that Louise does not die of happiness for her alive husband as the
doctors wrote: «When the doctors came they said she had died of heart disease––of the joy that
kills», but because her new and desired life was taken from her away (Chopin).
To conclude, one has to emphasize that the short story «The Story of an Hour» was extremely
provocative at the times when it appeared as it appeals to the freedom of a young women without
her husband. «The Story of an Hour» Thus, it is important to claim that this story reveals the
situation when women did what the society wanted from them; particularly, married to men, whom
they did not

Ayodeji Ilesanmi
Ms. Pape
English 1302.626
February 23, 2012
Part One: Alternate ending to "The Story of an Hour"
"Someone was opening the front door with a latchkey, it was Brently Mallard who entered, a little
travel stained, composedly carrying his grip–sack and umbrella. He had been far from the scene of
the accident, and did not even know there had been one. He stood amazed at Josephine 's piercing
cry; at Richards ' quick motion to screen him from the view of his wife" (Chopin, 16). Josephine
rushed to the door looked at Mr. Mallard with great amazement, "Am I dreaming or in trance?" She
asked, she walked around Brently in an anticlockwise manner, Brently Mallard was losing his
patience, he yelled ''can someone tell me what's ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Chopin concludes the original story attributing Ms. Mallard's death to a preexisting heart condition
which she later called "the joy that kills" (16). Chopin portrays an extreme disappointment at
Brently's return, and having to lose the her supposedly regained freedom, I could not connect with
such ending, because even in the face of issues and turmoil in marital relationships, spouses usually
would not want to lose their partners to death or any accident.
I chose to end the story in alternatively in such a way that this couple would have an opportunity to
reconnect, in the original story, very little was said about Mr. Mallard which leaves reader's with the
impression that he was a uncaring, dominant and domineering husband who didn't care as much.
Even if that assumption was true based on the societal norm and culture in the nineteenth century, I'd
like to show a caring part of this man as so many men would react seeing that they were losing a
wife and companion to death.
The author portrays a sad portrait of marriage, well Louise Mallard seems to had been struggling
with her relationship but in my alternate conclusion I tried to show some other side of Mr. Mallard
that was not very well portrayed by Chopin. The end of

Story Of An Hour
The setting of a story can shape other story elements like the plot, characters, and theme. The setting
changed the plot in "Story of an Hour" by affecting how the climax and resolution happened. It
affected the climax and ending because the author wrote, " 'Free! Body and soul free!' she kept
whispering." This proves that if the story did not take place in the Victorian Era, Mrs. Mallard would
already have rights and freedom, but since it does, she feels the excitement of her new freedom. It
also makes the resolution believable is because she would not have died from shock and
disappointment if she had nothing to be disappointed about. The setting of "Story of an Hour"
affected the characters because it made the women not have freedom or rights. ... Show more
content on Helpwriting.net ...
One of these ways is that in the story, Mrs. Mallard had to stay home all day unless she was going
somewhere with her husband, but in my life, that is different and it does not connect to my life,
showing how different the Victorian Era was from modern times. The author of "Our Deportment or
the Manners, Conduct, and Dress of Refined Society" wrote, "It is his duty and should be his
pleasure to accompany her..." This illustrates that the husband in the Victorian Era had to go with his
wife to all events, and she could not go anywhere without him. Whereas in my life, I can go
anywhere at anytime with anyone. Another way "Story of an Hour" connects to my life is that Mrs.
Mallard enjoys being alone at home, and I do too. According to "Story of an Hour", "...she went
away to her room alone." This shows that Mrs. Mallard prefers being alone, as I do too, when I am
working or relaxing. The last way "Story of an Hour" connects to my life is that Mrs. Mallard wants
to be able to get out from the isolated society and do anything, and I want that too. "There would be
no powerful will bending hers..." and "...a long procession of years to come that would belong to her
absolutely." The story says, proving that she felt trapped by the rules and wanted to be able to do
anything that fit her desires. This connects to my life because I want to be able to do anything and
sometimes I feel trapped by the rules I have to follow. To sum it up,

Story Of An Hour
The name of the story is "The Story of an Hour," by Kate Chopin. The themes of the story are death,
freedom of women, and a kind of sadness but also joy. Everything happened in about an hour and it
happened in her house. The plot is about a woman who thought her husband was killed in an
accident from a railroad disaster and then she found out he was alive. The characters are Mrs.
Mallard, her husband, her sister Josephine and her husband's friend Richards. In this essay, I will
focus on the above themes and how the plot and characters add to the themes. Themes of the story
are death, freedom of women, and sadness and joy. The death and freedom go together because
when Mrs. Mallard heard her husband was dead, she was excited to have her freedom.

There is clear evidence throughout Kate Chopin's entire story, The Story of an Hour, of her own
history influencing the writing of the story. The details of the short story seem to resemble her own
life. By looking into an author's past a reader can better understand the messages and ideas the
author is trying to convey; better revealing the truth behind a story and possibly giving the audience
a peek into what an author has gone through or experienced. (Purdue) In this short story Louise and
Chopin's lives match in a number of instances, such as: both women's main focus in life seemed to
be their husbands, both women question the love they had for their husbands, and both seem to have
completely changed lives following the death of their ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Her prayer for her future also changed; from hoping that wouldn't be long, to wishing for a long life.
At the end of the story Brently Mallard, Louise's husband, returns home, alive. It was believed the
thing that killed Louise was the sudden shock of seeing her husband and the joy that came with that,
we know it to be the opposite. Chopin uses irony to dramatically end the story, and Louise's life, and
showcase the ignorance of those who were supposed to have known Louise better than anyone.
(Chopin)
Even though Chopin's husband didn't "come back to life" it can be guessed that there were times
when she wished he would have. A similarity between the two lives can be seen from what Louise
saw about her future, and what Chopin's future held for her. Like how Louise saw a future of being
her own woman and trying new things, it wasn't until after her husband's death that Chopin began
her writing career and really living for herself. The majority of Chopin's married life was spent
being solely known as a statesman wife; just has Louise had been. Chopin didn't have a job, or
hobbies she just simply was there for show. (Kellman) When her husband died she not only was left
alone but also she had to take care of their six children and run their business; a completely different
life from the one she had been living. (Kellman) In the story Louise questions the love, if any, she
had for Brently. While she never said anything to the likes of

Story Of An Hour
The Story of an Hour by Kate Chopin Kate Choplin's "The Story of an Hour" is about a woman,
Mrs. Mallard, is told of her husband's death by her sister, Joesphine. It was common knowledge that
she had a faint heart. The family feared the sad news of her husband's passing might cause too much
stress for her. At first, Mrs. Mallard cries almost uncontrollably, as most wives who had just
received this kind of news would react. Mrs. Mallard slips quietly to the privacy of her room. She
wants to be alone. As she sits in her room, she begins to realize that she is at long last free to live her
life without having to consider someone else's feelings. She begins to see her future enthralled in
happiness. She has been in her room for a long

Similarities Between The Stories Of The Hour And The Story...
The short stories, "A story of an Hour" by Kate Chopin and "A Yellow Wallpaper" by Charlotte
Perkins Gilman prove to have similarities. Both stories were written in the 1890's, and paint a clear
picture of what it was like for a woman in that time period. In both stories, the reader is able to
observe the actions and life of a married couple in that time period. The role of the woman in this
time period is seen as the stereotypical housewife who has full control of the house and the chores
that go on to keep the house clean and well kept. Even with this responsibility, women were looked
down upon and could not voice their opinion because it was less important. Within both stories, the
husbands are very successful in their work and the ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
The author makes this distinctions to show the major difference between the male and female within
a marriage during this time period. She illustrates the female as a childish, immature human being,
and the male as a dominant force who has complete control over his wife. The female is seen as a
child and holds a weak role within their marriage by having no say in their marriage or even her
own life. The husband, being the dominant one, makes every and all of the decisions. Stated in an
article about oppressiveness of marriage, "To Ruskin, women were innately different from men.
Their particular nurturing capacities and sensitivities were better suited to the domestic and private
world of the family"(Richardson). While the husband is not physically abusive to the wife, he
abuses his power over her. He doesn't allow her any freedom at all, and controls everything she
does.
In the short story, "The Story of an Hour", the wife feels relief when she hears the news of her
husband's death, her husband's death releases her from oppression. Mr. Mallard had full control over
her body and soul and when she processes the news she says, "Free! Body and soul free". She felt
locked away by her husbands control, and with the news, she finally feels free at last to live her own
life and make her own decisions. She locks herself away in her room and thinks about what she has
just heard, and realizes that she will be sad at her husband's funeral, but

Story Of An Hour
Critical Analysis Essay on "The Story of an Hour"
Kate Chopin's "The Story of an Hour" expresses an undesirable view of marriage in the 1800's.
Chopin's story presents the reader with a woman named Louise, who is delighted at the news of her
husband's death. This emotion is conveyed through the dialect in the story used to describe Louise's
emotions as she falters between shock and extreme joy at her brand–new freedom. Chopin does a
wonderful job of communicating what she distinguishes in simple writing style, but when Louise's
emotions are described, the words are powerful and exciting. For example "She wept at once, with
sudden, wild abandonment, in her sister's arms." (pg. 498) With that sentence the narrator is able to
convey the unimaginable ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Louis cannot feel free unless her husband is no longer in her world. It seems this condition only
affects Louis's heart and shows that her misery from this disease comes from something internal not
external. For instance, in one of the quotes from the story, it is evident that her husband loved
Louise when she describes his face as "the face that had never looked save with love upon her." (pg.
499) Her own feelings of love in exchange are only slightly described and it is evident that she does
not share her husband's feelings. When Chopin describes Louise's emotions concerning something
she is excited about, her dialect becomes alive and full of energy. This contradicts the parts in which
Louise seems emotionally unattached. For example, in one of Chopin's quotes, which begins with a
very simple statement "And yet she loved him–sometimes. Often she had not" (pg. 499)
demonstrates emotional indifference, but as the paragraph continues and her true emotions come to
the forefront, the dialect comes alive along with Louise. When her emotions become too much to
bare, so do the sentences and dialect. "There would be no one to live for in those coming years; she
would live for herself" (pg. 499). There are no exciting words, just an

Story Of An Hour
"The Story of an Hour" by Kate Chopin is a tightly written short story that takes place within a
single hour of Mrs. Louise Mallard's seemingly unsatisfying marriage. Although the story is no
more than two pages long, one should not look down upon the shortness of the story, but instead be
amazed at how packed such a small piece of literature is. The major theme the story revolves around
is the oppressive views of marriage that the main character, Mrs. Mallard experiences in the latter
part of the 19 century, a time in which when women had very few rights and it was normal for
women to keep a tidy house and stray away from any type of manual work, including the workforce.
When Kate Chopin wrote the story, Chopin managed to use all of the ... Show more content on
Helpwriting.net ...
First off, the last name 'Mallard' is a symbolic feature considering that a mallard is a type of duck
that is free to fly wherever it chooses, along with "countless sparrows" that "were twittering in the
eaves" (476). Additionally, one will also notice that the seasons are changing and it is now spring
time. Chopin states that Mrs. Mallard "could see in the open square before her house the tops of
trees that were all aquiver with the new spring life" (476). The season of spring symbolically
represents a new beginning, something that Mrs. Mallard believes she has now obtained since at the
time, she believes that her marriage is now over. In the end, with symbolism, Chopin manages to
reveal to the reader that Mrs. Mallard feels like she is becoming unbound from a "powerful will"
and "private will"(477) in which she connects to her marriage which means that in a underlying
tone, Mrs. Mallard is feels restrained in her marriage. In turn, with the examples of symbolism, the
theme of oppressiveness within ones marriage is

Story Of An Hour Emotions
Imagine a million thoughts racing through your mind, feeling lost, alone, happy, confused, and free
all at the same time, these emotions are all present in "The Story of an Hour". In "The Story of an
Hour" Louise Mallard, the wife of Brently Mallard, struggles determine how she truly feels about
the news of her husband death. The news of Brently Mallard's death is brought to Ms.Mallard
attention by her sister very gently which is shown in the text when it states"Great care was taken to
break to her as gently as possible the news of her husband's death", which suggest that Ms.Mallard
had some sort of illness that causes her to be seen as fragile, which we later found out was heart
disease. Kate Chopin, the author of "The Story of an Hour", develops

Women And The Story Of An Hour
In "The Story of an Hour" independence is forbidden for women. In the movie "Hidden Figures"
women were never noticed on what they could really do. Women had barely any independence in
the 1900's. When the women in "The Story of an Hour" and the movie "Hidden Figures" both set
goals for each other on what they would do with their freedom. In "The Story of an Hour,"
independence was forbidden and only could be dreamed of. When Louise hears that her husband is
dead, she feels relived. She realizes that she is now and independent woman and becomes happy.
She even whispers the word "free," "When she abandoned herself a little whispered word escaped
her slightly parted lips. She said it over and over under her breathe: "free, free, free!" The vacant

Story Of An Hour Essay
Feminism is an organized activity on behalf of women's rights and interests. Feminism has been in
society for many years. The story "Story of an Hour" by Kate Chopin and the poem "Paper
Matches" by Paulette Jiles are based on how feminism affected women before. These two passages
have a similar perspective on how women saw men, both are written in the perspective of a woman,
and how women were confined to their homes.
First, both stories are similar in how women saw men. In "Story of an Hour" Mr. Mallard was
working while Mrs.Mallard was at the house. For example, "Brently Mallard who entered, a little
travel–stained, composedly carrying his grip–sack and umbrella." (lines 86–87). When the people
told Mrs. Mallard her husband was dead she starts describing her house as if something was coming.
In paper matches, the perspective of women of men was that they were like their servants. For
example, "Written by me was a message, "At Your Service, like a book of paper matches." (lines 9–
11). This quote shows how women felt towards men how ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net
...
In "Story of an Hour" Chopin's purpose was to show that not all marriages are happy that some
women felt or feel that are trapped. For example, "But she felt it, creeping out of the sky, reaching
toward her through the sounds, the scents, the color that filled the air." (lines 39–40). The character
Mrs. Mallard describes her emotions as she did not know what to do know with the freedom she just
got. In "Paper Matches" Jiles purpose was to show how even little kids like the girl in the story felt
trapped. For example, when the little girl asks, "Why are we in here, I said, and they are out there?"
(lines 3–4). This shows that the impact of not being able to do things freely impacted all females,
little girls, and grown women. Both author's express how women felt at the time through the
characters of the story and the

Analysis Of The Story ' Story Of An Hour '
Stephanie Morales
May 18, 2016
English V01B, Section 31953
Essay 3 Research Paper
Word Count:
Title
Women throughout history have often been undermined and have never lived to their full potential.
In the short story, "Story of an Hour" the main character; Mrs. Mallard displays the ongoing
struggles of what women during the eighteenth century had to go through. Men often had patriarchal
values and dictated what type of behavior and traditional roles women had to follow that was
deemed acceptable during this time. A patriarchal society is as follows, " consists of a male–
dominated power structure throughout organized society and in individual relationships."
(Napikoski) Through the lens of a feminist critic we ask ourselves do Mrs. Mallard and her
husbands depiction of a patriarchal society alive during that time affect and entrap her own sense of
identity and in what ways is it shown? A feminist critical view of this story, "The Story of an Hour,"
mainly focuses on the ways women struggled to find their own way, declare their own independence
and the injustices they had to go through daily. Many women were oppressed and not treated the
same as men. Before trying to understand and analyze the gender role and feminism literary
approach I need to give you a brief summarization of what this story is about and a breakdown of
Mrs. And Mr. Mallard's marriage. This short story is about a woman named Mrs. Mallard who has a
heart condition. Her husbands' friend learns about a

In "The Story of an Hour" we are taken through a journey. The journey is the thoughts and emotions
going through Mrs. Mallards (Louise) mind. The journey only takes an hour, so everything moves at
a fast pace. Louise seemed to process the news of her husband's death without an initial element of
disbelief and shock. She goes right into the reaction of grieving for her husband. She quickly begins
to feel other emotions. At first she does not understand them. The journey is a way that Louise
comes to her final thoughts of freedom. She looks into the future and looks forward to living a long
life on her own terms. The beginning of the story sets the theme for the whole story. We are told
about the heart condition that inflicts Louise. This is significant throughout the story. The heart
condition is a symbolic way of describing her thoughts of oppression she felt about her marriage.
She was trapped and isolated by the marriage. She felt the need to hide these feelings. Women of her
era were supposed to be home and under their husbands command. The story has her going through
this journey privately. That is significant in the fact that now in her husband's passing, she will be
alone. She will need to work through things by herself. She will be able to go through the whole
process on her own, without being judged and persuaded to feel differently. She grieves for her
husband a very short time. She then begins to feel a sense of freedom. This initially makes her feel
guilty and

The Story Of An Hour And The Awakening

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The Story Of An Hour And The Awakening