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Oppression Of Women In The Story Of An Hour By Kate Chopin

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The belief that women and men should have equal rights and opportunities, is known around the world as feminism. This has been a very controversial topic throughout our history of both the United States, but also in all countries around the world. Evolving with each and every generation, but always remaining. “The Story of an Hour”, by Kate Chopin illustrates how women are under oppression by men, a situation which is still relevant in today’s society. Women in the 1800’s were constantly battling for their basic constitutional rights.
It’s a fact that black men who, who were continuously persecuted by whites, were able to gain their right to vote long before any female in the United States of America. According to Anne Firror Scott in …show more content…

. .”, she means that she could not react the same because she wasn’t really as sad as would be expected from a widowed wife. Also, in “The Story of an Hour” Chopin writes “When she abandoned herself a little whispered word escaped her slightly parted lips. She said it over and over under her breath: “free, free, free!””. In this one quote alone we can conclude that she felt trapped, binded toward her husband Brently Mallard. She then begins to imagine her future as a widow with no one to take care of, and no one to force their opinions on her. She continued to say “Free! Body and soul free!” (The Story of an Hour, page 2). Mrs. Mallard had already begun begun to imagine her life not being tied down by a man whom would suppress her true …show more content…

Protesting this sexist misconception of “she was asking for it”. “No one ever asks for it - that’s why it’s called rape.” (Feminism Today, page 2). In today’s world this shows how women are still discriminated against, whether it be at home, work, school, mall, streets, etc. “A 2010 study conducted for Springer’s journal of Law and Human Behavior concluded that 90% of women have suffered sexual discrimination in the workplace. Including offensive sexist remarks or being told they could not do their job properly due to their sex.” (Feminism Today, page 3). Although many major issues have been dealt with, they are still being belittled by men, and being sexually harassed. 90% is an overwhelming percentage of women who get put down/sexually harassed by their male

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Voting could be considered the most prestigious principle for the definition of democracy. The ability to vote for an official, governor, representative, or president has been a cherished one and has kept the powerful in check by giving the power to the people. In this modern generation, voting is not considered a privilege, it is a right, but there are devious loopholes in the fallible laws that have violated the rights of the majority of citizens. These loopholes have given the power of choice back to the hands of the powerful, and they do so through covert methods, some thought out and created by the founding fathers themselves. The fault rightfully shifts to the Electoral College.

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In the 19th century, a group of people launched the suffrage movement, and they cared about women’s political rights, their property and their body liberty. Born in that age, Kate Chopin was aware of the importance of setting an example for those who were taken in by the reality and poor women to be an inspiration. So we call her a forerunner of the feminist author for every effort she put in advocating women’s sexuality, their self-identity and women’s own strength. When people were ashamed of talking about sexuality, Kate Chopin stood out and call for women’s sexual autonomy.

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Kate Chopin’s short story “The Story of an Hour” is set in the late 1800s – a time when women were considered inferior to men. Women had traditional roles as wives and mothers. In this 19th century patriarchal society, Chopin shows us Louise Mallard, the main character, who does not comply with the female gender norms of the Victorian period. When Louise learns about the death of her husband, her reaction and the reaction of her sister and the doctor tell us a great deal about gender stereotyping during this time. Louise Mallard is described to us as “firm” and “fair.

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The Awakening; a Woman's Fight Women’s rights have drastically improved since the 1800’s. The model of patriarchy was widely accepted as a social norm in America and many other countries until the early to mid 1900’s. Today women are still fighting the belittlement that the patriarchal model deemed acceptable. The character of the rebellious strong women is still one today that many women look up to; especially women in very oppressive middle east countries. In Kate Chopin’s The Awakening, Chopin strives to argue social emancipation for women

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Mrs. Mallard’s actions cause the readers to contemplate a hidden meaning woven into the story line. Mr. Mallard is assumed to die in a railroad accident, leaving Mrs. Mallard devastated. Instead of feeling sadness or grief, Mrs. Mallard actually feels free. "There would be no one to live for her 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" (Page 499).

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When Richard’s heard the news of her husband’s death, he assumed Mrs. Mallard would be devastated. While everyone knew Mrs. Mallard was “afflicted with heart trouble” (57), him and her sister, Josephine, wanted to give her the news with “great care” (57). Josephine broke the news to Mrs. Mallard in “broken sentences”

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Chopin also describes Mrs. Mallard as “young, with a fair, calm face, whose lines bespoke repression and even a certain strength”. At the beginning Mrs. Mallard is thought of as being controlled, and weak. In the 19th Century, when this story was written, husbands controlled their wives. Perhaps Mrs. Mallard wasn’t like most women of her time. After she hears of her husband’s death she morns for what feels like only a moment.

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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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Kate Chopin reveals how language, institutions, and expected behavior restrain the natural desires and aspirations of women in patriarchal societies. In 1894, when this story was formed, culture had its own structure on marriage and the conduct towards women. Gender roles play a major role throughout our history. They would decide whether a woman in colonial times would be allowed to join the labor

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938 Words | 4 Pages

Upon learning of her husband 's death, Mrs. Mallard realizes and starts to believe that she is now free. Free to be herself and not worrying about anyone else. She repeats the words "Free, free, free!" and feels her body come alive. Her pulse beats faster; her blood runs warmer; her eyes brighten (paragraph 11). Mrs. Mallard sees the chance to live out the rest of her days for herself; she sees the opportunity to be her own person without a husband or anybody else to care for.

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1213 Words | 5 Pages

Women face getting treated differently, lower paying positions, the opinions of men, and the idea that because they are women they are not capable of the same kind of work men are capable of. The more people that support the different movements for women’s rights the better chance of this issue becoming more well known. Although some may know the struggle women go through to be compared as equally to men, there is still room for more to learn about this issue. Just because women were brought on earth to make more lives does not mean they are weaker and should have to go through this everyday of their

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Annotated Bibliography Brody, N., & Vangelisti, A. L. (2017). Cyberbullying: Topics strategies, and sex differences. Computers in Human Behaviors, 75, 739-748. Doi:10.1016/j.chb.2017.06.020 There are multiple strategies to cyberbullying, the most common strategies include public and private comments, photographs, and status updates. Cyberbullies use these strategies to make someone feel less than what they are.

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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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770 Words | 4 Pages

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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1124 Words | 5 Pages

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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