Literary Techniques In The Story Of An Hour By Kate Chopin

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The Story of an Hour
Authors use various literary techniques to tell their story. These techniques allow the reader to understand conflict, emotion, theme, and characterization. The Formalism literary lens allows the reader to explore the story deeper through a closer examination of the text. The Story of an Hour written by Kate Chopin demonstrates imagery, irony, and symbolism through the theme of time.
There are many examples of imagery throughout the short story The Story of an Hour. “The vacant stare and the look of terror that had followed it went from her eyes.” (line 31, Kate Chopin) This example shows an image of a women sadden by the surprising death of her beloved husband. The terror caused to the main character from an unexpected death is made vivid to the reader through imagery. “But now there was a dull stare in her eyes, whose gaze was …show more content…

“But she felt it, creeping out of the sky, reaching toward her through the sounds, the scents, the color that filled the air.” (line 26, Kate Chopin) This demonstrates the use of foreshadowing and symbolism by the author. The foreshadowing and symbolism here is of the upcoming death of Josephine. “She was beginning to recognize this thing that was approaching to possess her, and she was striving to beat it a back with her will — as powerless as her two white slender hands would have been.” The symbolism represented in this example leaves the reader asking questions and wondering what is so big and powerful. As the story goes on, the reader realizes the symbolism is referring to Josephine’s freedom.


The use of vivd literary techniques by the author make The Story of an Hour .Using a formalism lens, the reader can discover changes in the characters and create meaning more deeply through the text. The theme of time that is developed throughout this story shows that life can change in a blink of an

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