The Story of an Hour
In 1894, Kate Chopin wrote, "The Story of an Hour." In this fictional
tale the author describes the experience of Louise Mallard, a woman
with heart trouble, immediately after receiving news of her husbands
death. Unlike the expected reaction, Louise actually has a moment of
relief realizing the freedoms she now has, which were taken from her
by an unhappy marriage. All the events of the story take place within
an hour in Louise's home. In the final minutes of the hour, Mrs.
Mallard is shocked to see that her husband walks through the front
door alive and well, which causes her to have a heart attack and die.
While her family believes she had a heart attack because she was
overjoyed, the author leads us to conclude the heart attack was
actually caused by her realization that the freedoms she looked
forward too were no longer a reality. Kate Chopin's description of
what the main character feels and sees shows us how this is possible.
The story is very well written as it flows from one paragraph to
another each presenting a new idea or information for the reader. The
story begins by informing us that Louise's husband, Brently Mallard,
was killed in a railroad disaster. Being that Louise has a heart
condition, her family was concerned with how she would react to the
bad news. Her sister, Josephine, broke the news to her. She
immediately cried as expected but the interesting part of the story is
when she goes into her room and locks the door. While Mrs. Mallard is
slouched in a chair her experience doesn't feel that tragic at all.
The mood is rather peaceful and relaxing. The reader is reminded more
of a sunny day than a gloomy sky. At this point it is almost confusing
but Kate Chopin...
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prisoner is put in handcuffs and taken back to his cell where he is
reminded he will be for life. Imagine the mental strain that would
cause the prisoner. I believe Mrs. Mallard's situation to be very
similar. This is why after careful review of the text I am convinced
that Louise's reaction to seeing her husband was still alive, was
complete disappointment rather than joy. It was all her newfound hopes
and dreams of a future of happiness destroyed due to the fact she
would still be a wife. Just as Josephine was wrong about what Louise
was going through in the bedroom, the doctors were wrong by saying she
died of "a joy that kills."(315)
WORKS CITED
Chopin, Kate. "The Story of an Hour." Literature and Society: An
Introduction to Fiction, Poetry, Drama, Nonfiction. Eds. Pamela J.
Annas and Robert C. Rosen. New Jersey: Prentice Hall, 2000. 313-316.
The Story of an Hour is a short story of Ms. Mallard, a woman with a heart condition who receives short term good news. Chopin uses contrast between independence, marriage, and gender to show how hidden emotions can effect a woman’s actions in the time period where women did not have much power or right to speak what came to their mind.
The “Story of an Hour” by Kate Chopin and ‘”The Hand” by Sidonie-Gabrielle Colette are similar in theme and setting. Sidonie-Gabrielle Colette and Kate Chopin create the theme of obligatory love and the unhappiness it entails. Both stories illustrate the concealed emotions many women feel in their marriage yet fail to express them. The two stories take place in a sacred room of the house and both transpire in a brief amount of time. The differences between the two stories are seen through the author’s choice of characters in each story. In “The story of an Hour” Kate Chopin involves other characters in Mrs. Mallard’s life, whereas, “The Hand” deals with marriage and togetherness and only involves the husband and wife. Symbolism is seen all throughout “The Hand” not so in ‘The Story of an Hour.” The similarities in “The Story of an Hour” and “The Hand” is portrayed in theme and setting. The differences are illustrated in the choice of characters involved in each story and the amount of symbolism depicted in the different stories.
“To love someone deeply gives you strength. Being loved by someone deeply gives you courage.”(Lao Tzu). In Kate Chopin’s, “The Story of an Hour”, it tells of a heart trouble married woman, Louise Mallard, who learns that the man she loved and married, Brently has died. Mrs. Mallard’s behavior and emotions have shocked her entire family as she finds it a joyful and powerful event that may change her life for the hour that she has remaining to live. Mrs. Mallard considers his death as a freedom that she has yet longed for over so many years. As many readers begin to express their judgment towards Mrs. Mallard, the aspects of personal relationship may seem to convince those that maybe she was a bit selfish with her response. In the agony of a bitter marriage, “The Story of an Hour” portrays the reality of being in love, being married and finally having female independence.
In Kate Chopin’s “Story of an Hour,” Louise Mallard, is going through a life changing event that is brought on by the news of the death of her husband’s death, grieves for a very short time and discovers that she will now be able to live for herself. The end of her last hour comes when she sees her husband walking through the door. Kate Chopin displays symbolism starting with Mrs. Mallard’s heart trouble representing her dissatisfaction with her marriage and unhappiness, the open window represents the new life and opportunities that await her, and the patches of blue sky represents freedom and a tunnel of hope to show the emotions and changes of Mrs. Mallard after hearing of the loss of her husband.
the buildings. At this point it is hard to determine if the sunlight is actually
Like in many tragically true stories, it would seem Mrs. Mallard 's freedom came too late. Kate Chopin’s, “The Story of an Hour” begins by introducing Mrs. Mallard as a person afflicted with heart trouble. The story builds on this by having Mrs. Mallard’s sister Josephine and her husband Richard explain the situation in a very sensitive manner. Their efforts would prove to be in vain however as Mrs. Mallard then proceeds to emotionally break down. The news shocks Mrs. Mallard to her very core and has her at odds with how she should feel now that all was said and done. After coming to terms with her situation, fate delivers its final blow in a cruel and deceitful ploy towards Mrs. Mallards. And with that, Mrs. Mallard 's dies. In her hour of change Mrs. Mallard 's was delicate, thoughtful and excitable.
“Dark View” showcases that there is a darkside to everything as it lashes at the sun but the keeps rotating, encouraging for one to keep going as the sun will be up tomorrow.
For women, the 19th century was a time of inequality, oppression, and inferiority to their male counterparts. A woman's social standing depended solely on her marital status. For these reasons many women were forced to lead a life of solitude and emotional inadequacy, often causing depression. In Kate Chopin's short story "The Story of an Hour," setting plays a significant role in illustrating the bittersweet triumph of Mrs. Mallard's escape from oppression at the ironic cost of her life.
“The Story of an Hour” written by Kate Chopin is about Mrs. Mallard, a lady with heart troubles who is married to Brently Mallard. At the beginning of the story, her husband’s friend Richards and her sister Josephine informed Mrs. Mallard that a railroad accident had killed her husband. After she had received the news, she then went by herself in her room alone (Chopin 337). The story then goes on to say, “When she abandoned herself a little whispered word escaped her slightly parted lips. She said it repeatedly under her breath: “free, free, free!”
The aspirations and expectations of freedom can lead to both overwhelming revelations and melancholy destruction. In Kate Chopin’s “ The Story of an Hour” Louise Mallard is stricken with the news of her husband’s “death” and soon lead to new found glory of her freedom and then complete catastrophe in the death of herself. Chopin’s use of irony and the fluctuation in tone present the idea that freedom can be given or taken away without question and can kill without warning. After learning of her husband’s death in a railroad disaster, Mrs. Mallard sinks into a deep state of grief, as one would be expected to do upon receiving such news.
How would you feel if every single day there was no sun and the sky was just grey? Imagine there being no sun shining to tell what time of day it was, imagine a never ending grey sky. Many things play into the development of the plot in “Searching for Summer,” but the biggest factor that Aiken uses to add to the flow of the plot is the setting and relationships between the different characters.
to the sun”, “Azure world”, azure mean the blue color in a clear daytime sky. “
Kate Chopin's story, "The Story of an Hour", focuses on an 1890's young woman, Louise Mallard. She experienced a profound emotional change after she hears her husband's "death" and her life ends with her tragic discovery that he is actually alive. In this story, the author uses various techniques-settings, symbolism and irony- to demonstrate and develop the theme: Freedom is more important than love.
Analysis of “The Story of an Hour”. In her story “The Story of an Hour,” Kate Chopin (1894) uses imagery and descriptive detail to contrast the rich possibilities for which Mrs. Mallard yearns, given the drab reality of her everyday life. Chopin utilizes explicit words to provide the reader with a background on Mrs. Mallard’s position. Chopin uses “She wept at once,” to describe Mrs. Mallard’s emotional reaction once she was told her husband had been “Killed.”
Key Elements:The story of an hour · Plot: Standard plot. A woman who receive the notice of her husband's death, and when she begins to felt freedom her husband appear again and she can't accept it and fall died. · Characterization: Few characters a. Mrs. Mallard or Louise: Mallard's wife. Was afflicted with hearth trouble.