An Hour Symbolism

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“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!” Later on, it states she said “Free! Body and soul free!” Her sister was begging her to let her in, but Mrs. Mallard refused. When Mrs. Mallard finally came downstairs, someone was opening the door. It was Brently Mallard (Chopin 338). Richards tried to quickly shield him from his wife view, but he was too late. The doctors said Mrs. Mallard had died of heart disease—of joy that kills (Chopin 339). “The Story of an Hour” reflects many of the historical conditions of its time. A couple examples are the railroad and the telegraph. Traveling by railroad was the most modern form of transportation during the nineteenth century (when the story takes place). The fact that Brently Mallard was traveling by train suggests how American society at this time was evolving rapidly under the forces of industrialization. Referring to the telegram shows that this was the latest form of communication at the time (Evans 1). Some people might think religion is irrelevant to this short story. Chopin was living in a culture still deep in Christian religious traditions, but her no referring to any religious reference implies a society where it had begun to lose it’s grip in places. Mrs. Mallard seems more... ... middle of paper ... ...a new identity with her new emotion with that one hour. The story tells highlights the connection between her eyes and her emotions, “the vacant stare and the look of terror that had followed it went from her eyes. They stayed keen and bright,” (Chopin 338). Mrs. Mallard is not constrained anymore to patriarchal culture as she finally figures out that she can “live for herself” instead of the life her husband planned for her (Jamil 219). In conclusion, it was no surprise when Mrs. Mallard is shocked when her husband is standing at their front door. He had missed his train; therefore, sparing his life. When she is making her symbolic descent down the stairs, she spots her husband and realizes that she can never reverse her progress. The “joy” that kills her is the joy that she refuses to surrender, but for one hour she gets glimpse of what true joy is (Jamil 219).

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