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Essays on symbolism in literature
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Literary analysis
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More handpicked essays just for you.
Essays on symbolism in literature
Literary analysis
Literary analysis
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01.05 Prompt 2 The short story, “The Story of an Hour”, is about a woman being told about her husband’s death. Her sister and her husband’s friend came to tell her the news the best they can, because Louise Mallard had heart trouble. When she was told the news of her husband, Brently’s death in a railroad accident she screamed and wept. Mrs. Mallard experienced many emotions.
To the untrained eye, a story could be viewed one-dimensionally; a tale might only appeal to emotion while logic is left out in the cold. Equally, logic may be forgotten while emotion is heavily focused on. However, through the use of Critical Lenses, readers can begin to see greater depth in literature. As readers find connections through Critical Lenses, they become more educated on various topics, more aware of social, political, and even logical abstractions. Instead of failing to retain the intent and content of the material, they even can remember details of stories more vividly when truly examining literature rather than reading it once for entertainment (or chore).
The main characters and setting of these two stories can’t be more opposite than they are. “The Story of an Hour” is about Mrs. Louise Mallard, has heart trouble and is almost treated as though she is a small child. The news of her husband’s death is told to her with “great care” and “as gently as possible.” On the
The title itself, “The Story of an Hour,” implies that the story will take place over a short period of time, however the events that occur within the hour have a huge impact on Louise’s life. For instance, Louise initial reaction to the news of her husband’s death is one of significant sorrow, and even so she begins to anticipate her newfound freedom. The irony in the phrase “of joy that kills” means that Mrs. Mallard is not free and therefore not happy with her married life. The excitement from the freedom which she receives for a short amount of time as soon as her husband comes home.
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.
Literary Analysis “The Story of an Hour” by Kate Chopin introduces us to Mrs. Mallard as she reacts to the sudden death of her husband. Chopin describes Mrs. Mallard’s emotions as sad, yet happy that her husband has been killed. Kate Chopin’s “ The Story of an Hour” argues that when a person is controlled and made to live under another person their mental state of mind is affected. The story also argues that when that person is freed from the controlling person their true self can finally be achieved. Kate Chopin portrays these themes by the use of character development; plot control, and irony throughout the story.
Kate Chopin’s “Story of an hour” was written on April 19, 1894 and was first published in Vogue magazine, on December 6,1894. This is one of Chopin’s most popular stories. The original title of this story was called “Dream of the Hour” and it was a part of a series of nineteen short stories she wrote for Vogue magazine. Kate Chopin is known for writing stories about daring sensitive women and their inner lives. She was well known among readers of magazine fiction.
Both of these women felt trapped within their marriage and simply wanted a way out. “Story of an Hour” begins as a tale about a woman who is struck with the devastating news that her husband has died in a train accident. However, this was not so crippling to the wife, Mrs. Mallard. Her emotions overwhelmed her. When she looked out her window while sitting in her chair,
If the last line of “The Story of an Hour” is taken in the literal sense, it can be perceived that Mrs. Mallard was not oppressed and was ecstatic that her husband was alive, ultimately being killed by the excitement. Although the latter it is a logical presumption, the thoughts and actions of Louise Mallard reinforce the argument that the true meaning behind this story is one of marital oppression. She blatantly stated that she welcomes the upcoming years free from her husband with open arms. Louise Mallard’s internal dialogue following her husband’s death suggests oppression and her reaction to her husband’s death was hardly one of a distraught wife. It is true that the blame doesn’t
In “The Story of An Hour,” the theme of the story can be derived from two ideals: confinement and liberty. Mrs. Mallard, who feels dominated by her husband and imprisoned in her home, patiently waits her potential freedom. A reader may interpret Mrs. Mallard to be the average, stereotypical wife until her husband is falsely pronounced dead in a train accident. The reader then learns that Mrs. Mallard is not at all who she seems when she reacts in ways that reveal her true desire to live amongst her own company rather than other people. Mrs. Mallard felt confined to her husband and felt only his domination over her.
Kate Chopin wrote a story about Mrs. Mallard, a married woman who suffers from heart problems and also has to cope with her husband recent passing. Mrs.Mallard, she showed sincere grief about her husband passing. However, looking back at how controlling her husband Mr.Mallard were in their marriage, Mrs.Mallard felt a sudden joy when processing her husband death After her sudden emotional change, Mrs Mallard felt liberated when she started thinking about what her life would be like without Mr.Mallard, but regardless of the happiness she feels, she knows that once she sees her husband in corpse that sadness will return. Through her writing, author Chopin readers/ audience would be women who feel trapped and controlled in their marriage. Anger, loneliness and heartbroken are feelings that women who're coping with the death of their loved one feel.
Another theme that is present is the theme of freedom. At first, she does not have much freedom at all and throughout the duration of they story she is confined in her home. Her newfound freedom gave her much joy but as she left her room, it was cut much too short due to her untimely death. The Story of an Hour has many structural, stylistic, and literary approaches that make it a very powerful
Universidad de Costa Rica Carlos Contreras Flores B01884 Literary Criticism The Story of an Hour Divided in Two Millenniums Throughout human history, literature has giving people an insight of what the role of women were in different time periods. In most scenarios, literature has served to establish or spot the role of women as secondary, where they were mere subjects or objects of chauvinism. Although the role changes from time to time, it has one particular characteristic, which is the restraining of their liberty or right to choose. In “The Story of an Hour”, Kate Chopin illustrates throughout the character’s fate the only way to escape from the gender role that women were meant to have at 19th century. She achieves
Kate Chopin was an independent woman even while being married to her husband she walked alone through the city of New Orleans, and she argued with others about politics and social problems which were also not normal for a woman to do around the 1880’s. Her husband later died and though she mourned his death she embraced this independence even more. Chopin wrote about the life and the people of Louisiana (since she moved there after her husband 's death) and focused most of her writings on love, marriage, women, and independence. In the short story “The Story of an Hour” Chopin introduces the themes of freedom/Independence, the oppressiveness of marriage, and mortality through these three themes Chopin depicts the struggle of women during the 1880’s.