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Kate Chopin's The Story Of An Hour

434 Words2 Pages

In paragraph five of “The Story of an Hour” Mrs. Mallard could see the new growth in the forest, hear distinct songs and smell fresh rain from her window, which symbolizes the new life she is going to embrace from her husband’s death. She could see the trees that were “all aquiver with the new spring life” (Chopin 307) from her window. She is free from her oppressive marriage and the trees show new life in the same way she can live free. The air was full of the “delicious breath of rain” (Chopin 307) in spring which even though it’s raining, Mrs. Mallard sees the rain as a wonderful thing that will lead to new life. The use of this seasonal change clearly excites Mrs. Mallard as its symbolic to the way her marriage life has changed. Her life had been sad during the marriage but with her husband’s death and oncoming spring, she was now free. …show more content…

Mallard’s oppression and happiness. This paragraph shows how the sky is reflecting the emotions of Mrs. Mallard and her view on her oppressive marriage. The “patches of blue sky showing here and there through the clouds” (Chopin 307) symbolizes the pieces of hope and freedom though the oppression she went though. The clouds represent all the trouble and oppression Mrs. Mallard has gone through while the blue sky symbolizes the hope and chance at freedom she has. These clouds could also be seen as the freedom that can quickly be taken away again. In the end, Mr. Mallard is alive and these clouds that are partly covering the sky can be seen as hinting to the fact her freedom will be short lived as her husband is

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Mallard had a revelation that there were better days to come. This is represented by the disappearing clouds and the appearing blue sky. Mrs. Mallard is overjoyed by this realization and repeats “over and over under her breath: “free, free, free!” (Chopin,

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In “The Story of an Hour”, Mrs. Mallard says she will be sad for her because of her husband’s funeral, “but she saw beyond hat bitter moment” (Chopin). She looked to the future and said that “there would be no one to live for… [but] she would live for herself” (Chopin). She looks forward to this idea.

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Kate Chopin wrote her fictional story, “The Storm” in a time period where women were to be purely housewives. Their desires and needs were not considered in everyday living. This story contradicts those thoughts and show how nature happens together with the needs of personal satisfaction. Chopin uses symbolism of nature and the needs of people on how they must and will be satisfied in order to sustain life. There is a connection between the incoming thunder storm outside and the storm of emotions that are being felt between Calixta and Alcee.

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While reading the story, it was clear that Mrs. Mallard was happy for the beginning of her new life and the start of freedom. Chopin uses descriptive diction throughout the story, such as irony, symbol,

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Among the ironic parts of the story the part where Mrs. Mallard dies is probably the most ironic. Back in those days a women is meant to be happily married to a man and not dislike a marriage that she’s in. The man is to work, and the woman is to stay at home and tend to the house. That’s just fact. So the part where Mrs. Mallard

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The Contrast of The Story of an Hour While Mrs. Mallard is just starting a new life, so to say, for herself, her life she has known comes to an end. She is just able to become “free, free, free!” (57) when she loses her life. Kate Chopin uses contrast with the news Richard’s gave, the way Mrs. Mallard felt in the room and the doctor’s news to show how women perceived marriage in the 19th century in her story The Story of an Hour.

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Mrs. Mallard goes to her room, and looks out into the patchy blue sky. Chopin uses the patchy blue sky to create an image of darkness clearing out of Mrs. Mallard’s life. When reading the story, a sense of relief comes to mind as Mrs. Mallard thinks of her life ahead without Mr. Mallard. This is when Mrs. Mallard’s character finally starts thinking for herself. She no longer has Mr. Mallard to hold her back.

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In Story of an Hour, there is a constant theme about Springtime. Not only does Springtime have warm weather and animals, it also portrays happiness and freedom. In this short story, Chopin discusses springtime as a relief that Mrs. Mallard’s husband has died. Springtime shows Mrs. Mallard being “set free” in a time of despair. Dark and gloomy weather usually represents death and pain while springtime portrays the new life that Mrs. Mallard will soon encounter after her husband 's death.

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Mallard reaches a sense of exuberant liberation. She is overwhelmed with feelings of a newfound freedom. Chopin illustrates this burst of hope once again through nature imagery when she writes, “But she felt it, creeping out of the sky, reaching toward her through the sounds, the scents, the color that filled the air”(Chopin 237). Though Mrs. Mallard tries, she cannot fight the growing sense of freedom that overtakes her. Chopin writes this change as a powerful realization that Mrs. Mallard cannot help but accept.

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With this belief Mrs. Mallard now looks forward to a long life. Previously to her husband’s death she dreaded the years ahead spent under the thumb of her husband. Now, though, Mrs. Mallard is someone who has much to look forward to and many joys to appreciate. Soon this opportunity is taken from her, just as her chance of freedom is taken from her she learns that Brently is still alive. When Mrs. Mallard sees Brently walk through the front door, the disappointment and the devastation of loss that she suffers cause her heart

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shows that although Mrs. Mallard was married, she had not always loved her husband (8). Mrs. Mallard valued her new freedom over her relationship she had with her husband enough to exclaim “What did it matter!” while she was thinking about her deceased husband and her future life (8). This makes the reader assume that Mrs. Mallard felt as if she was bound to something while her husband was still alive. The bondage is broken since her husband’s “death”, and she can now rejoice over her prolonged freedom.

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Kate Chopin informs the reader of an important note about Mrs. Mallard: “And yet she had loved him–sometimes. Often she had not” (Para. 15). This woman was not a woman of companionship; she would thrive on being single. However, considering the story’s setting, she would have hit rock bottom if she never chose to marry. Failing to find a husband could have resulted in her living in poverty and dying in extremely poor conditions.

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Although it is a short story, it has lot of elements making it a successful story. Chopin’s story has many prevalent themes that are showcased. The idea of forbidden happiness was one major theme present. When Brently Mallard dies, Mrs. Mallard comes to the realization that she is now an independent woman. Although she has to keep this joy private, she tries her best to hide this contentment, Her resistance to her true feelings show how forbidden her emotions are and that society would never accept Louise’s true emotions.

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The story also argues that freedom is a very powerful force that affects the mental or emotional state of a person. Chopin argues that only through death can one be finally freed. The author makes strong, yet subtle statements towards humanity and women’s rights. Through subtle symbolism, Kate Chopin demonstrates how marriage is more like a confining role of servitude rather than a

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In the story, Chopin begins with the issue of female identity. The story, just like several other stories, begins with Mrs. Mallard being at home; two assumptions can be made, one she is married, and two, she is probably waiting for her husband to return home. What is particular about it, is how Chopin only mentions her name after she knows about her husband’s death and when is realizes that she is free. By doing this, the author criticizes the fact that women adopted her husband’s name in marriage as a signal of men’s property. This fact could mean that for a woman to recover her identity or freedom is by becoming a

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