Category: The Story Of An Hour

Kate Chopin’s short story “The Story of An Hour” displays the significance of someone being trapped and not being able to be happy and have their freedom. The author is making a very strong however subtle, statement towards humanity and woman’s rights. Mainly explaining that marriage is more like being a servant rather than a loving and peaceful relationship. Representing a negative view of marriage and showing a woman that is thrilled her husband passed away. The explaining of Mrs. Mallard’s death at the end because of her heart trouble, symbolizes a “disease” of marriage. The fact that the death of Mr. Mallard affects her heart, opposed to any other portion of her body shows that Mrs. Mallard’s agony and pain reduces from something inside her.

The narrator narrates, “And yet she loved him—sometimes. Often she did not”. This can be explained that she did not have any strong feelings for Mr. Mallard. ‘There would be nobody to live for in those coming years; she would live for herself, uninterested explanation without the smallest trace of misery. As far as language and her feelings, it is fascinating that Louise’s sentiments are portrayed as an ‘enormous happiness’ since this matches her emotions and well-depicted powerful feelings. The story so far covers just a single hour in Louise Mallard’s life, from the moment she realizes of her considerable other’s passing to the minute he out of the blue returns to live. While each passing with not a question brought insightful thoughts of misfortune and torment, back then, the main relatively reasonable procedures for a female to deal with her own undertakings and settle on her own choices was the downfall of her husband.

Anyway, of whether women were treated with a moderate degree of kindness, as Mrs. Mallard seems to have been, they were still viewed as passionate weaklings who were not able to handle their very own actions. Women committed youthful, and their other half moved toward becoming professionals of their partners as well as every bit of her assets and choices. Surely several women wished to be free from the boundaries of matrimony and the burdens put upon them by the way of life of that day. Chopin’s case examines the restricted worth of Mrs. Mallard and the effect of society’s point of view regarding women. Considering the structure of mind towards women in the common public of that day, many women had qualities that they were never permitted to develop. Mrs. Mallard is a remarkably strong female who rapidly starts to take her life into her own hands and initiates to settle on choices and plans for her future. Several women would not have had the unity to cope with these new ideas and emotions, however, would have just enabled another male to accept liability for their existence.

The novelist pulled out the expectation in the method he portrayed how the news was to be broken to a person with a heart issue. There is a belief that at that point follows in Mrs. Mallard’s reaction which turns out to be increasingly confused. An open window is a rep. It speaks to chances and potential outcomes that she presently had in her understanding without anybody to stop her, and she suggests it as another spring of life. She was not ready to deal with the shifts in her emotions and this cost her life in a matter of seconds. Mr. Mallard was left, most likely devastated for his significant other that he never loved. He misjudged her and needs to confront the results. Abusing a spouse or someone else makes an increasingly notable suffering the dictator. It is very unexpected that Mr. Mallard never understood that his condition murdered his significant other.

Escaping the Prison of Marriage

In Kate Chopin’s ‘The Story of an Hour’, Mrs. Mallard is the wife of Mr. Mallard. It is believed Mr. Mallard is dead due to an accident with a train. Josephine, Mrs. Mallard’s sister, and Richards, a family friend, tell Mrs. Mallard talks about her husband’s fate gently because she has a heart condition. Afterward, she locks herself in her room to grieve and begins to have a conversation with herself. She refers to her husband’s passing as giving her freedom and after she seems to come to terms with her husband’s death ( some would even say she seems happy), she leaves her room hysterically and the scene changes immediately. Mr. Mallard appears at the front door, is rushed by Richards, and startled by Josephine’s cry until he’s informed that his wife had died of heart disease…’ of joy that kills”. The part of the story that stands out most is the irony of Richards and Josephine worrying about Mrs. Mallard dying from grief when in fact she died from the opposite. This work is comparable to ‘The Yellow Wallpaper’ by Charlotte Perkins Gilman, because of how both women seem to be prisoners inside of their marriages. The authors of both works show the audience that the social norm at the time was women being an accessory to men. In ‘The Yellow Wallpaper’ and ‘The Story of an Hour’, the authors address the theme of marriage as particularly restrictive for women, use symbolism to describe the sense of isolation and imprisonment that these women feel in their marriages, and complex characterization to convey past injustice against women. It’s interesting Kate Chopin and Charlotte Perkins Gilman chose to write short stories about women who seemed to be suffering internally due to their marriages because of the possible social outcasting they could have experienced but, they believed their short stories needed to be told so thousands of other women’s stories could be told as well.

Kate Chopin’s “The Story of an Hour’ and Charlotte Perkins Gilman’s ‘The Yellow Wallpaper’ are both feminist short stories that were meant to bring awareness to women in the 19th century’s lives. Many women had their voices silenced by society whether it was because they suffered from mental health issues, they felt they were not meant to be a mother or wife, or they just simply are women in the 19th century. Both narrators from the stories seemed to be suffering from these injustices and feel like prisoners. The theme of both stories is Conformity versus Self-expression. Both narrators seem to be struggling with the want to find who they are as individuals but not being able to. In ‘The Yellow Wallpaper’, the narrator describes her marriage through several interactions between her and her husband. One time specifically, the narrator states ‘…and he (her husband) hardly lets me stir without special direction’ (Gilman 65). In her marriage, she has no room to do anything other than what her husband says even when it is regarding her own health. The narrator expresses that she believes that ‘congenial work, with excitement and change’ (Gilman 65) would help her condition. Instead of doing what she feels would work best, she listens to her husband and to every instruction her husband gives to her even as time goes on and she says she feels her health has not gotten any better. In ‘The Story of an Hour’, Mrs. Mallard described her husband’s death as being painful but, she now could live for herself, she states ‘There would be no powerful will bending hers in that blind persistence that men believe they have a right to impose a private will..'(Chopin 49). This quote supports the theme because it shows how restricting marriage was on self-expression for women of the time.

Symbolism is used often to help build the theme of both stories. In ‘Story of an Hour’, Mrs. Mallard has ‘heart trouble’. The heart is considered the core of a person which is much like marriage is the core of society in the 19th century. The windows are symbolic of the boundaries/ restraints of their marriages. This is interesting because in ‘The Yellow Wallpaper’, Gilman uses the narrator’s room and surroundings to give the audience a physical representation of her marriage and mental illness that are imprisoning her. When the narrator looks out of her barred window, she is reminded of how trapped she is/ feels. This is expressed in the quote, “I do not like to look out of the windows even- there are so many of those creeping women…I wonder if they came out of the wallpaper as I did” (Gilman 76). The women the narrator sees outside of the window are symbolic of all the women in society who were trapped due to mental illness, or social standards. Similarly, in “The Story of an Hour” the narrator states “she (Mrs. Mallard) could see in the open square before her house the tops of trees that were all aquiver in the new spring life…countless sparrows were twittering in the eaves…there were patches of blue sky…” (Chopin 48). The description outside Mrs. Mallard’s window is of spring and spring is symbolic of a fresh start and the beginning of life. Mrs. Mallard’s marriage ending due to her husband’s death symbolizes her new life as an individual. The description, much like in “The Yellow Wallpaper”, is used to remind the women of how confining their marriage was and in this case, was.

Kate Chopin and Charlotte Perkins Gilman use characterization to help develop the theme of Self-expression versus Conformity. In “The Yellow Wallpaper”, Gilman used the characters, Jennie and Mary, to represent the common women of the century. These characters do not want to or need to be anything other than caretakers. They conform perfectly with the expectations society has molded for them as women. Jennie is the sister of the narrator’s husband and the couple’s housekeeper who seems to agree with her brother’s prescription for the narrator and Mary is the nanny for the couple. Their characters are used to remind the narrator of her inability to be a traditional mother and wife. The narrator’s husband, John, represents medical professionals of the 19th century as well as husbands. John trusts in facts, he is belittling at times, controlling, and does not quite understand what his wife is experiencing. This is understood when the narrator states ‘John does not know how much I really suffer. He knows there is no reason to suffer, and that satisfies him’ (Gilman 66). John refers to the narrator as a ‘little girl’ and a ‘blessed little goose’, treating her much like a child. The narrator tells the readers that her husband is a doctor which could be why she “isn’t getting better faster”. That could be due to his control over her and how she treats her illness. The narrator is a gentle woman who is struggling with her sense of individuality and mental illness. She feels like a prisoner in her marriage, her home, and her mind. Throughout the story, the narrator seems to crave self-expression and intellect which is why she writes inside her secret journal. The most interesting thing about the narrator’s character is her lack of a name. Her lack of a name symbolizes her lack of identity outside of her marriage. In ‘The Story of an Hour’, Chopin uses the characters of Richards and Josephine similarly to Gilman’s characters, Mary and Jennie. Richards and Josephine’s characters were there to represent society. Their characters treat Mrs. Mallard much like Mary and Jennie treat the narrator of ‘The Yellow Wallpaper’ and show how society treats women who are suffering whether that was because of mental illness or the death of their significant other. Mr. Mallard isn’t described in depth in the story but, when he is the narrator states ‘ she still loved him sometimes. Often she had not'(Chopin 49). This leads the audience to believe that love does not seem to be an important factor during this time period. At the beginning of the story, the author tells us that Mrs. Mallard has a heart condition which is why Richards and Josephine try to be careful when telling her about her husband’s death. Despite what others assumed would happen when she finds out about her husband, Mrs. Mallard finds her voice and in reference to her marriage ending, she states ‘Free! Body, mind, and soul'(Chopin 49).

In both ‘The Yellow Wallpaper’ and ‘The Story of an Hour’, the authors both use literary devices such as theme, symbolism, and characterization to relay the message that in the 19th century, marriage made women feel trapped because of the expectations held for them by society. The authors’ ability to convey this message relied greatly upon the fact that they had personal experiences that related to their characters. Kate Chopin found herself after her husband died much like her character in “The Story of an Hour” and she became a writer, writing novels that spoke openly about sexuality, women, and their relationships/emotions with men, and children. Charlotte Perkins Gilman suffered from Postpartum Depression after giving birth to her daughter and much like the narrator of “The Yellow Wallpaper”, she did not agree with the treatment she was prescribed and experienced episodes of hallucination. The authors’ ability to convey their message relied greatly upon the fact that they had personal experiences that related to their characters. Chopin and Gilman gave women a voice, and future generations a look back into their history as women.

Works Cited

1. Green, John, director. The Yellow Wallpaper: Crash Course 407. Youtube.com, Crash Course, 10 Jan. 2018
2. Smith, Melanie “Good Husbands in a Bad Marriages.” Literature: A Portable Anthology, Edited by Janet E. Gardner Et Al., 4th Edition, Bedford/ St. Martin’s, 2017, pp.1286-1288.
3. Sheidley, William E. “Kate Chopin: ‘Story of an Hour.’” Resources for Teaching. Literature and Its Writers: A Compact Introduction to Fiction, Poetry, and Drama, edited by Ann Charters and Samuel Charters, 4th ed., Bedford, 2007, pp. 19.
4. Chopin, Kate. “Story of an Hour.” Literature: A Portable Anthology, edited by Janet E. Gardner, Beverly Lawn, Jack Ridle, Peter Schakel, and Joanne Diaz, 4th ed., Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2007, pp.48- 50.
5. Gilman, Charlotte Perkins. “The Yellow Wallpaper.” Literature: A Portable Anthology, edited by Janet E. Gardner, Beverly Lawn, Jack Ridle, Peter Schakel, and Joanne Diaz, 4th ed., Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2007, pp. 64- 77.

The process of identity formation and further development has always required thorough discussion due to its complexity. Themes of finding oneself and truly staying devoted to that idea have prevailed for decades in literature and other forms of art. While each person determines their own pathway in life depending on personal circumstances, the impact of their culture in the process is inevitable. Historical events and the consequential works of significant historical figures have shaped the culture-specific formation of one’s selfhood. In the case of American culture, the concepts of freedom, nationality, and migrations are prominent. In that way, each individual cultivates their identity through the desire for independence, the need to embark on a journey, and the influence of place.

The expression of one’s desire for independence and the following impact of that element on one’s identity development can be clearly traced in Kate Chopin’s The Story of an Hour (1981). While the short story illustrates the repressive and controlling nature of marriage, it also demonstrates the definite significance of the freedom concept in the lives of Americans (Chopin). For example, upon finding out about the passing of her husband, the protagonist feels “free, free, free!” (Chopin 10). Moreover, she finally realizes that “she would live for herself”, suggesting a more independent and joyful life ahead (Chopin 12). The character’s strong desire for freedom accentuates the strong link between the American spirit and independence.

Then, another influential factor in determining one’s perspective set in life comprises their journey experiences. Embarking on a journey has been presented as an overall valuable life experience in Eddy L. Harris’s Mississippi Solo (1988). The traveling story of the main character involves many stressful and dangerous incidents as well as those encompassing unique and heartwarming meetings (Harris). Ultimately, the various encounters influence the journeyman’s sense of self by offering alternate novel views of the world: “A vacation is external. A pilgrimage is internal. An adventure combines them” (Harris 3). In that way, the journey granted the individual a whole range of emotions and feelings that shaped their identity.

Finally, one’s identity cultivation can be attributed to their place of origin and residence, as suggested in Richard Blanco’s poem One Today (2013). The work shares a day in the lives of American citizens, noting “millions of faces in morning’s mirrors” (Blanco 7). The idea behind the poem was to accentuate the common experiences of people living on one land that evidently lead to the formation of common lifestyles and mentalities. The themes of traditions and family are also deeply rooted into the system typical for one place (Blanco). Therefore, such similarities comprising the nation play a crucial role in shaping one’s sense of self.

In conclusion, the identity of each person is developed through the desire for independence, the need to embark on a journey, and the influence of some place. The direct impact of these factors can be traced in major pieces of American literature that also highlight the themes of heritage, various relationships, socio-economic issues and their interaction with each other. While it is clear that the mentioned American values are linked to the country’s history and current position in the world, it would be interesting to consider the migrations’ influence on the same themes of the American sense of self. Hence, the following investigation would provide a deeper analysis into the external factors affecting the cultivation of someone’s identity.

Works Cited

Blanco, Richard. For All of Us, One Today. Beacon Press Books, 2013.

Chopin, Kate. The Story of an Hour. Jimcin Recordings, 1981.

Harris, Eddy L. Mississippi Solo. N. Lyons Books, 1988.

The Story of an Hour is a novel by Keith Chopin, published in 1894. This is one of her most famous short works, partly because of the unexpected ending, but also due to the underlying feminist theme. With the striking laconicism inherent in Chopin’s best creations, The Story of an Hour tells how Mrs. Mallard receives the news of her husband’s death due to a train wreck. An hour later, when he himself appears in front of her, apparently alive, the woman dies from quite a traditional diagnosis – “the unexpected joy”. Similarly, Walker’s Everyday Use is also a feminist-themed narrative, although the story is focused more heavily around the racial and cultural aspects of feminism. The story is narrated in the first person by a Black woman – a mother of two daughters, only one of which lives with her – a shy and unattractive Maggie. They are both anxiously awaiting the visit of Maggies’ sister Dee – the bright, beautiful girl, for whom life has always been easy.

Dee, although she is not the only main character, is the drive that pushes the story forward, and the narrative unfolds with her arrival. It seems at first like Walker’s Everyday Use bears no resemblance or similarities to Chopin’s The Story of an Hour, but it is not true. In the tiny spaces occupied by the action of both stories, there are also two completely different stories underneath – the heroines’ inner drama and hidden motives.

When Dee from Everyday Use comes home, she greets her mother and sister with phrases from Muslim and African cultures. She claims that she cannot use her birth name anymore, as it came from the oppressors of the Black race, so she has changed it to Wangero Leewanica Kemanjo. Dee does not pay attention to how the decision affects her mother, who sees it as Dee’s rejection of her ancestry. The woman sees herself as absolutely superior to her mother and sister, using her new cultural identity to underline and justify it. However, she still struggles to understand what is it that she truly wants. Her feelings are jumbled, and she is confused by her own reactions, and so is the heroine of Chopin’s novel. In The Story of an Hour, Mrs. Mallard’s sincere grief for her husband is replaced by another feeling, which she at first cannot even give a name to. Her understanding of this feeling is very vague, abstract, just like Dee’s understanding of her legacy that she refuses. Both heroines have the need to separate themselves completely from what they think is holding them back – for Dee, it is her family, and for Mrs. Mallard – her husband.

For Dee, her ancestors’ legacy is not something to treasure and remember, but merely a curiosity to show off to others. She is disgusted by the idea of using the old quilts the women of her family made as they are intended. “[Maggie] would probably be backward enough to put them to everyday use” (Walker, 2018, p. 388), claims Dee in indignation. Dee disrespects not only her living family members, but also the real people who make up what Dee considers to be only an abstract “legacy”. Ironically, this disrespect provides her sister and mother with the clarity that allows them to appreciate each other and their shared heritage. Such as that, Mrs. Mallard from The Story of an Hour feels joy growing in her soul after hearing of her husband’s death – a misplaced feeling in regard of the situation itself. This joy, as she soon realizes, is caused by the fact that in a series of coming years her life will be her own existence, not tied to her family. Without her husband, the heroine sees herself as an independent woman, free in body and soul, and not forced to obey someone else’s will.

The differences between the two stories begin to unfold, as the deeper motivations are revealed. At the moment of her realization, Mrs. Mallard feels that self-affirmation was “the strongest desire of her nature” (Chopin, 1985, p. 353). The story, however, is not about the heroine’s conscious struggle for self-affirmation, which has acquired the form of a social position and is directed against social institutions, including bourgeois marriage. The marriage does curtail Mrs. Mallard’s rights, and suppresses her development into an independent person, so it is only logical for her to feel relief when that burden is gone. For Dee, however, the problem lies not in the oppression, or any other social restraints – it is her own ignorance that makes her fight with her family and her legacy. Patchwork quilts that she wants to take from Maggie, which were made from clothes by different people of several generations, reflect the experiences these people had. Dee cannot, and does not want to understand that, only seeing the oppression and misery.

Both novels offer very different perspectives on the feminist views – perhaps, that is because there is a considerable time and cultural gap between them. In Everyday Use, Dee rejects her cultural and birth background in favor of a new identity without really understanding that background. On the other hand, in The Story of an Hour, Mrs. Mallard finds out her life purpose under the influence of subconscious impulses and the outside situations. Still, both stories explore the heroines’ issues in ways that are quite similar sometimes – and both do not hesitate to reach the hidden depth of women-related social and cultural perspectives.

References

Chopin, K. (1895). The Story of an Hour. St. Louis Life.

Walker, A. (2020). [Fiction] Everyday use, by Alice Walker. Harper’s Magazine. Web.

The issues that women have to manage in marital relationships have been viewed as taboo for a significant time period, which has led to increased gender inequality and the failure to prevent family violence and related issues. Kate Chopin was one of the first writers to expose the struggles of women in the specified environment of inequality in her “The Story of an Hour.” By using the feminist perspective, namely, the idea that women are oppressed because of their sex by the patriarchal institution and forced into relationships based on inequality, Chopin described the struggles of women in a powerful and insightful way.

Chopin uses the feminist perspective explicitly in her novel by outlining the miserable life to which women were confined in marriage. What makes the story especially powerful is the lack of awareness in the protagonist about her own unhappiness before her husband ostensibly dies and she realizes that she is no longer dependent on her husband’s choices. Moreover, the author emphasizes the presence of shared experiences among women everywhere, which adds to the effect of the story: “She did not hear the story as many women have heard the same” (Chopin). Thus, a feminist narrative is constructed, leading to a profound analysis of the nature of inequality in families.

Moreover, apart from creating a carefully crafted and nuanced dissection of the identified problem of the lack of agency in married women, Chopin also points to the problem explicitly. At some point in her narrative, Chopin notes the following: “there would be no powerful will bending hers in that blind persistence with which men and women believe they have a right to impose a private will upon a fellow creature” (Chopin). The specified line absorbs the essence of the feminist perspective concerning the problem of inequality and power imbalance in families due to the presence of patriarchal standards and perspectives. Therefore, Chopin tackles the issue directly and delineates the problem of gender inequality as the foundational issue that married women have to face.

Therefore, the novel helps to introduce the unassuming audience to the challenges that women had to face in marriage at the time, outlining what toll the silence took on the victims of the patriarchal institution of marriage. The final reveal of the story, namely, the protagonist’s death, is framed in a manner that could be regarded as humorous given the obvious conflict between the facts and the doctors’ conclusion: “When the doctors came they said she had died of heart disease – of the joy that kills” (Chopin). However, the specified quote reveals a much more sinister problem of marital relationships, namely, the fact that a woman could not feel entirely free as long as her husband continued to make every vital decision for her in a relationship that could be characterized by highly unbalanced power differentials.

Incorporating the feminist perspective of women being forced into unequal relationships due to the presence of the patriarchal philosophy and the institution based around it, Chopin exposed the problems of inequality and the resulting suffering of women in marriage to the full extent. The novel details the pain of realization that, when rooted in the concept of inequality and the focus on the needs of only one of the partners, marriage becomes a prison for women. Using masterfully created characters, none of which is portrayed as inherently evil, and the husband even depicted as quiet sympathetic, Chopin eposes the wrongfulness of the patriarchal institution and the belief that a certain characteristic, namely, sex, makes one individual superior to another. Thus, Chopin managed to create not only a deeply emotional narrative but also an exposé on the seemingly peaceful façade of marital life.

Work Cited

Chopin, Kate. “The Story of an Hour.”VCU.edu, 1894. Web.

Introduction

In many stories the protagonists see themselves differently from the way other people in the story see them. To elaborate this statement we will focus on two stories; the story of an hour by Kate Chopin and the stolen party by Liliana Hecker. In both of these stories the aspect of the protagonist seeing themselves in a different way as opposed to others in the story has been clearly brought out.

The Story of an Hour by Kate Chopin

The story of an hour was written by Kate Chopin in 1894. The protagonist in this story is a woman called Mrs. Louise Mallard who has a heart problem. On learning the news about her husband`s death, her sister Josephine and her husband`s friend Richard are having a hard time in coming up with a way which they will break down the sad news to Mrs. Mallard. This is because she has got a heart problem hence if the message is not communicated in the best way possible severe consequences might follow.

Both her sister and her husband`s friend are worried on the best means to pass this message to her because of her health condition. This is because it is not easy for anyone to hear and accept the news of the death of someone they loved, especially a spouse one has spent many years living together.

That is why her sister, while breaking the news down to her, used broken sentences and veiled hints that revealed the theme of the message but not its real content. We are told that, “It was her sister Josephine who told her, in broken sentences; veiled hints that revealed in half concealing” (Berkove 153). Richard also had to be sure that the message about the death of his friend was true before telling it to the wife.

That is why after receiving the news of his death, he had to assure himself by another telegram. Josephine and Richard at this point see Mrs. Ballard as weak both physically and emotionally thus taking this news is going to be very difficult for her.

On receiving the news, Mrs. Ballard broke down into tears immediately and went to her room to have some time alone. While in the room she discovered that she was not really sad, but instead it is like she became free from her misery and will be able to live the rest of her life for herself and herself alone. In the story we are told that, “She was beginning to recognize this thing that was approaching to possess her……….

She said it over and over under her breath: free, free, free!” (Berkove 154). Instead of being sad she felt relieved and free unlike what Josephine and her sister thought. This is because she is the only one who knew the suffering she was undergoing in that marriage and that she did not always love her husband.

The Stolen Party by Liliana Hecker

This story is about a young girl called Rosaura who had been invited by to a friend’s birthday party. Although Rosaura thought that Luciana was her friend, Rosaria’s mother thought otherwise. This is because she was their maid and her daughter will not be viewed any different.

However, Rosaura had been spending a lot of time with Luciana, playing together and even helping each other with their homework. She had never felt any negative attitude from her friend or her family and this made her to believe that she was a friend and not the maid’s daughter and that is why she did not want to moss the party.

Her mother on the other hand thought her daughter was putting herself in a class she did not belong to; the class of the rich. That is why she told her, “The problem with you, young lady, is that you like to fart higher than your ass” (Gwendolyn 2007). Not trying to kill her hopes, she prepared for her a cute dress to wear in the party and even made her hair to look beautiful.

While at the party, Rosaura felt part and parcel of the occasion because she was interacting well with all the other kids except from the girl with a bow on her hair. This girl clearly stated that she knew all of Luciana friends but did not know Rosaura nor even heard of her. From her talk Rosaura remembered her mother’s words and admitted angrily that she was the daughter of an employee who somehow brought down her self esteem.

However her self esteem was rejuvenated when Sefiora Ines asked Rosaura to assist her in serving the food and hotdogs. She even had the privilege of serving the cake which made her feel so powerful. While playing charades all the boys wanted her to be on their teams. All this made this party to be the best one in her life.

While leaving the party every kid was being given a present; a bracelet for a girl and a yoyo for a boy. However, Sefiora Ines did not give Rosaura a bracelet or a yoyo but gave her money and told her, “Thank you for all your help, my pet” (Gwendolyn 2007). This made Rosaura to finally realize that she was just the daughter of the maid and nothing more. All her thoughts were just a huge illusion.

Works Cited

Berkove, Lawrence . Fatal Self-Assertion in Kate Chopin’s The Story of an Hour.

American Literary Realism 32.2 (2000): 152-158.

Gwendolyn, Diaz. Women and Power in Argentine Literature. Stories, Interviews, and Critical Essays. Texas. University of Texas Press (2007).

Introduction

During the 19th century, women lived in a male oriented world. That means that women’s rights did not exist as we know them today. Instead, women then were like Mrs. Louise Mallard, subservient and obedient to the wishes of her husband. Always agreeing with him and never actually having made a decision or choice that was her very own. Kate Chopin lived during this era, causing her to become an advocate of women’s rights of sorts. One of her most popular short stories regarding women’s rights is The Story Of An Hour. A short narrative that all happened within one hour, in a single location, and without any secondary story lines to distract from the main theme of the paper.

Analysis

Early in the story, we are told that Mrs. Mallard has a heart condition that may or may not allow her to survive too much good news or bad news. Which is why her family friend and sister could not figure out how to tell her about her husband dying in an accident. When the family friend finally told her about it, she appears to be distraught and inconsolable. Until such a time when she finally has some alone time in one of the rooms in the house. It is in this room where she begins to question herself. Does she grieve the loss of her husband? The man she loved so dearly over the years, or, does she give in to sense of freedom and relief that is offered by her becoming a widow? This is the main conflict of the story and it is my belief that she chose to be happy at her newfound freedom while grieving for her husband a little. All of these emotions are played out within an hour ending with her death in the end because her “dead husband” walked through the door and gave her a heart attack because nobody had expected him to survive the accident.

Women who lived during this time were treated no better than slaves who existed to serve their masters. The only difference between the two is that one is called a slave and the other is called wife because she carries the man’s name. But just like slaves, these women, once married no longer had the freedoms they had before marriage. Being married meant that they no longer could make decisions for themselves and were obligated to do everything and agree with everything the husband said.

For some women, like Mrs. Mallard, the only way out of a relationship that made her act like a zombie was if her husband died. Such unexpected husband deaths are, for women of Mrs. Mallard’s kind, something to be celebrated because of the freedom it offers the widow. She can finally go back to being herself and not having to think about how to best serve and obey her husband instead. It is because of this mindset that Mrs. Mallard seems to be celebrating the news of her husband’s death upon learning of it instead of being distraught and inconsolable because of the death. This is the discovery I made while reading the following paragraph in the essay.

She could see in the open square before her house the tops of trees that were all aquiver with the new spring life. The delicious breath of rain was in the air. In the street below a peddler was crying his wares. The notes of a distant song which some one was singing reached her faintly, and countless sparrows were twittering in the eaves.

There was a note of freedom in this paragraph. Almost as if Mrs. Mallard was relieved that Mr. Mallard had died and thankful that it happened early on in her life so that she could still enjoy a good part of it the way she wants to live it.

Later on, without having to go into a totally unrelated subplot, we begin to understand why Mrs. Mallard is relieved by the news that hit her. She was not always the submissive and agreeable wife that she had been during her marriage. She used to be a bright individual who marriage ruined her personality and left her without the ability to think for herself even if she was capable of doing so. The paragraph goes:

She was young with a fair, calm, face, whose lines bespoke repression and even a certain strength. But now there was a dull stare in her eyes, whose gaze was fixed away off yonder on one of those patches of blue sky. It was not a glance of reflection, but rather indicated a suspension of intelligent thought.

However, we later on see she repents for her sense of liberation and freedom. Instead she tries to fight off the feelings of relief in favor of realizing the she actually loved her husband and they had planned on spending the rest of their lives together. She found herself asking if she actually loved him or if she loved herself more?

There would be no one to live for during those coming years; she would live for herself. There would be no powerful will bending hers in that blind persistence with which men and women believe they have a right to impose a private will upon a fellow creature. A kind intention or a cruel intention made the act seem no less a crime as she looked upon it in that brief moment of illumination.

And yet she had loved him–sometimes. Often she had not. What did it matter! What could love, the unsolved mystery, count for in the face of this possession of self-assertion which she suddenly recognized as the strongest impulse of her being!

“Free! Body and soul free!”she kept whispering.”

Conclusion

It was these conflicting emotions within her that caused her demise in the end. After she had begun to plan how to live life alone and the way she wanted to, her husband came back without a scratch on him. The shock caused her heart to stop. So what was it that killed her? I think it was the realization that she would have to go back to her zombie like existence again. Death was a better option for her and her weak heart knew it.

The Story of an Hour by Kate Chopin is the example of the human understanding of several hidden desires and the hidden character during one hour. It should be mentioned that the story is the discussion of the reaction to the event and the characteristics of one hour in the life of Louise Mallard.

The story is too short to point at several serous problems, however, it depicts the main idea of human essence, desires and the loss of those desires.

Louise Mallard is a person who being informed about the death of her husband was in grief but several minutes later she understood that the death of this person raised the feelings of joy and freedom in her, while several hours later she died of a heart attack because she has already created a reality in her mind without a husband, she understood how great she felt free and all her dreams were ruined when it appeared that she was mistaken.

The news that Louise Mallard’s husband was dead frustrated her. She could not think about anything but the death of a person who she loved, “When the storm of grief had spent itself she went away to her room alone” (Chopin n.p.). It characterizes Louise Mallard as a person who understands her place in the society.

Moreover, it shows Louise Mallard as a woman who praises and honors the rules and traditions and who is ready to follow the basic laws of life. However, this feeling lasted for several minutes until she understood that she appeared to be “Free! Body and soul free!” (Chopin n.p.). It seems that having got the greatest joy a person was put before the reality, the reality which she could not overcome.

Some people may say that the expression of the joy because of the death of the husband characterizes Louise Mallard as a cruel and heartless, still this is not true. The unexpected change of the moos shows that this woman was too devoted to the person who restricted her in everything, who made her to be afraid of him. This shows the woman as aweak personality.

That is why she was too frustrated at first and only then when she understood that there is nothing to be afraid of, that he can freely express her feeling she became brave and expressed her real feelings.

However, she still was weak, that is why she failed to accept the news that her husband was alive. This good news for everyone made her suffer as she understood in a send that she would never live in the world she had already created in her mind.

Therefore, it should be concluded that people are able to feel something just because they are to feel it, because the society has intruded them to feel it. Louise Mallard could not accept the death of her husband as the society is sure that people are to be sorry for the death of their couples. However, when Louise Mallard understood what relief the death of this person brought to her she felt nothing but joy.

This is exactly the reason why she died, her dreams were ruined. Being a weak person, Louise Mallard suffered greatly and could not show it. She was not brave enough to accept the fact that she had either lead a life she had done before or to find the power and leave. Louise Mallard preferred to do nothing as her heart could not accept the fact that all her dreams were ruined.

Works Cited

Chopin, Kate. The Story of an Hour. 1894. Web.

Introduction

Kate Chopin was a woman who wrote from the female perspective. Most of her works were written in the late 1800s, when writing about female sexuality was practically unheard of. Although her works were probably read because of curiosity at that time, she received a lot of negative criticism. Long after her death, her works were rediscovered and praised for their “independence of mind and feeling” (Columbia Encyclopedia, p8277). Two of her most controversial works are examined here: “The Storm” and “The Story of an Hour.”

“The Story of An Hour”

This story was written in 1894 while Chopin lived in St. Louis. Previously, she had resided in New Orleans with her husband and six children. Upon his death, she moved herself and her children to St. Louis, where she began to write. During the lifetime of Chopin, women had few rights and were under the control of their husbands. It is from this perspective that Chopin wrote this story.

“The Story of An Hour” is about a woman who awaits the return of her spouse from a trip when word comes that there has been an accident. It is further reported that her spouse has been killed in that accident. The woman responds as any would, that has lost a loved one, she sobs and goes to her room. It is there that she slowly becomes aware of a change. Her thoughts are moulded by the view of the “tops of trees that were all aquiver with new spring life” (“The Story of An Hour”).

It is the trees that invite the thought about a possible new beginning or change in this woman’s life. The woman sits quietly, with an occasional sob, as she ponders her future. The seriousness of her situation is expressed in the sentence that states: “It was not a glance of reflection, but rather indicated a suspension of intelligent thought” (“The Story of An Hour”). She seems to slowly recognize something that is “too subtle and elusive to name” (“The Story of An Hour”).

It is the spring air coming in through the window that attaches meaning to her elusive thoughts. The woman realizes that she is free from the subjugation that comes with marriage at that time in history. She repeats over and over that one word, “free”. The story acknowledges that she will, in fact, miss and mourn the passing of her spouse, but she is comforted believing that she will live now “for herself” (“The Story of An Hour”).

She is struck by the sound of the words and repeats the realization that she is “free! Body and soul free!” (“The Story of An Hour”). She relished the thought of being free, and the smell of the spring air coming in through the window encourages the thoughts and realizations. She is prompted to open the door and accompany her sister down the stairs. During the descent, the front door is unlocked, and a man enters…it is her husband.

In one instant, the realization that she is not free enters her mind, and she wails a “piercing cry” (“The Story of An Hour”). The story ends with the sudden death of the woman upon seeing her husband. The last sentence tells of what the others thought: “When the doctors came, they said she had died of heart disease—of the joy that kills.” (“The Story of An Hour”). But, the reader knows that her joy has been taken away.

“The Storm”

“The Storm” was written in 1898 and reflects Chopin’s experiences from living in New Orleans. After reading the story, one can see that it is, in fact, about two storms: the actual storm and the storm that is the sexual passion between Calixta and Alcee.

The story begins with father and son making the decision to wait out the storm in town while Calixta sews by the window. The story points out Calixta’s reality as a married woman caring for her family by mentioning all the different chores she is trying to accomplish. A former love, Alcee, happens by and asks permission to take cover with Calixta. It is here that the second “storm” begins. Calixta is startled by lightning hitting a tree and falls back into Alcee’s arms. He responded by drawing her “close and spasmodically to him” (“The Storm, part two”). They both release themselves from the hold but are quickly drawn back to each other as he comforts her with “don’t be frightened, nothing can happen” (“The Storm, part two”).

It is this comforting statement that has a two-fold meaning. The actual storm won’t hurt the house, and the brewing sexual storm won’t hurt them either. As the storm outside rages on, the storm inside continues as well. Neither Calixta nor Alcee fought the passion that drew them together. Chopin uses metaphors to describe the interaction between the two. “Her mouth was a fountain of delight” and “with his heart beating like a hammer upon her” (“The Storm, part two”) are two examples of metaphors that Chopin used.

Part three of this story finds both storms passing away. Chopin describes their departure with a scene-setting sentence: “the sun was turning the glistening green world into a palace of gems” (“The Storm, part three”). Both Alcee and Calixta regard each other and smile as they part ways. Both individuals return to the reality that is their lives. Calixta happily welcomes husband and son home with an inspection of their current state (dry despite the rain) talks of the “feast-night!” (“The Storm, part three”). when presented with the can of shrimp brought home by her husband.

Part four of the story tells of Alcee writing his wife a loving letter and letting her know that she can stay in Biloxi another month and that “he was willing to bear the separation a while longer” (“The Storm, part four”). This part gives the reader the impression that Alcee’s passion has been satisfied enough to last him another month of separation from his wife. In part five, Alcee’s wife Clarissa tells of a “devoted wife” (“The Storm, part five”) that was not ready to go home just yet. It is here that the story ends.

Works Cited

Bartee, Joanna. “The Storm”: More than Just a Story. Web.

Kennedy, X.J. and Dana Gioia. “An Introduction to Fiction, Poetry, Drama, and Writing. 5^th Compact Edition.

Feminism is a prevalent phenomenon nowadays that affects numerous life spheres. In addition to that, it is a central concept of various literary works. As a rule, many famous feminist stories, novels, and plays were written in the mid-late 20^th century when there happened the most crucial changes to women’s rights. However, there are some exceptions, and Chopin’s The Story of an Hour that was created in 1894 is among them. Even though it is a short story with not many characters, it manages to discuss essential topics in a way to make readers think through them critically.

Summary

The story tells about Mrs. Mallard, who has some heart issues. Because of this, everyone tries to be as careful as possible not to disturb the woman. Once her husband is said to be dead, Josephine, Mrs. Mallard’s sister, comes to inform her of this tragic news. Even though Josephine tries to find as gentle words as possible, Mrs. Mallard is still shocked and frustrated. A newly-minted widow locks herself in her room to stay alone with her grief (Chopin, 2014). Inside, her first thoughts are that it is impossible to live further without her husband. They loved each other, and the loss is considered an end of everything for the woman. However, it takes a while for the grief to be replaced by freedom. One should note that it does not mean that Mrs. Mallard did not love her husband; the point is that Mr. Mallard’s death makes her free and open to the future. These thoughts in mind, the woman leaves her room and meets her alive husband. This event happens to be immensely shocking for Mrs. Mallard, and she dies.

Story Analysis

Even though the given story is based on a simple plot, and it has not many characters, this piece of literature is worth noticing. Chopin managed to discuss crucial topics and show that everything can change in life in a matter of an hour. This thought is said to be a central one for the story, and it is represented in the title. Furthermore, the author refers to other issues that are revealed with the help of several characters.

Main Themes

The Story of an Hour conveys many vital topics that are understandable even for modern readers. The theme of mortality is said to be the most evident one discussed in this literary work. The author demonstrates that everyone is mortal and that the death of close people can occur unexpectedly. One can be surprised, but communication has a similar implication in this story. The case is that wrongly chosen words can be dangerous or even kill someone. That is why Josephine does her best to find those communicative means that would be less harmful to Mrs. Mallard. From this perspective, the author tells that words can sometimes damage more seriously than physical actions. Besides, Chopin attracts readers’ attention to curative properties of time. Once shocked by her husband’s death, it takes only an hour for Mrs. Mallard to change her mood dramatically. Thus, the topics above make this literary work exciting for numerous people.

In addition to that, it is impossible to ignore the fact that The Story of an Hour reflects feminist beliefs. On the one hand, Paudel (2019) argues that this piece of writing demonstrates “women’s anxieties and struggles for self-identity within the arena of strict social and traditional structures” (p. 97). Her husband overshadowed Mrs. Mallard, and his death makes her free. At once, this freedom scares her, but the fear is soon replaced by happiness. On the other hand, the author presented the thought that the women’s role was underscored in society, often by women themselves. That is why Chopin wanted to show that women could live without men, which was one of the first signals of feminism (Latif Azmi & Hui, 2017). Thus, Mrs. Mallard’s example was believed to show that the world was not fair to women. They could be full-fledged members of society, even outside men’s shadows.

Characters

As has been stated, Mrs. Mallard is the main protagonist of the story. She is the usual woman who lives an ordinary life. Her heart condition stands for the role of all women in society. According to the author, this character demonstrates that women were very delicate and could not withstand any difficulties. Another of her peculiarities is represented by the feelings she had to Mr. Mallard. She loved him, but it was love that disappeared in an hour. Thus, this situation demonstrates one of the main negative features of the man-dominated world in which women are forced to live with men because it is necessary, rather than because they love them.

As for the other characters, Josephine and Mr. Mallard, it is impossible to tell much about them. Josephine appears to be a skillful negotiator because she manages to find some words that would not kill her sister. Besides, the woman takes care of her grieving sister, and it can be a message for all women that they should be concerned about one another. As for Mr. Mallard, he is a reason for the actions to revolve, but he appears in person only at the end of the story. The readers are not told what his profession is or where he was. It seems that he is even more depersonalized than the others. The author might describe this character in this way to show that men who were considered the center of the world were not more important than women.

Personal Opinion

As far as my personal opinion is concerned, this literary work evokes controversial thoughts. On the one hand, it defies the imagination that a mentally sane woman can be happy when her husband dies. On the other hand, the central message becomes apparent when the story is analyzed through the lens of feminism. That is why it is impossible to tell unequivocally what impressions this piece of literature causes. This thought is supported by Appleman (2015), who states that The Story of an Hour has “a set of somewhat more elaborate” elements (p. 132). Thus, there are no doubts that numerous readers will be excited by Chopin’s writing.

Conclusion

The Story of an Hour by Chopin is a short literary work that manages to refer to many essential topics, though. The author discussed such themes as love, feminism, the role of communication, and mortality. One should note that not many characters were used in this story. The information above allows supposing that the literary work tends to evoke controversial feelings and emotions among its target audience. Thus, there is no doubt that this piece of writing is worth reading.

References

Appleman, D. (2015). Critical encounters in secondary English: Teaching literary theory to adolescents (3rd ed.). New York, NY: Teachers College Press.

Chopin, K. (2014). The story of an hour: Short story. New York, NY: Harper Collins.

Latif Azmi, M. N., & Hui, L. S. (2017). The elements of Islamic feminism in non-Islamic comparative literature: A case of Chopin and Megha’s short stories. International Journal of Academic Research in Business and Social Sciences, 7(12), 1095-1099.

Paudel, K. (2019). Existential angst in Kate Chopin’s The Story of an Hour, NCC Journal, 4(1), 97-99.