Story Of An Hour Rhetorical Analysis Essay

The Story of An Hour Marriage is seen as a partnership where wives and husbands are seen as equal; however, in the 19th century, women were bound to their marriage. What happens when they get a taste of freedom? Louise Mallard is in a traditional marriage when she receives the news of her husband’s passing and begins the process of grief and a new sense of freedom. In Chopin’s story, “The Story of An Hour”, Chopin uses imagery, repetition, and irony to portray Mrs. Mallard’s journey of discovering freedom after her husband’s death. Using the five senses to create a vivid image, the imagery device is present to portray the surroundings of Mrs. Mallard and how they contribute to her journey of freedom. In paragraphs 5 and 6, Chopin uses imagery to describe the outside surroundings of

Mallard values the freedom that has been given to her. The word “free” is one of the words that is outspoken and recurrent to emphasize the emotions that Mrs. Mallard experiences. Another repetition is in paragraph 14 to emphasize the emotion of freedom as Mrs. Mallard’s life begins to begin, “Free! Body and soul free!” (Chopin 1894, paragraph 14). The use of repetition emphasizes the view that Mrs. Mallard sees her life as starting to begin, as the whispering of the word “free” signals the new journey. In addition to the devices of imagery and repetition being present in the story, irony plays a role as situational irony. In the last two paragraphs, Chopin uses situational irony to reveal that Mr. Mallard is alive all long, “It was Brently Mallard who entered, a little travel-stained, carrying his grip-sack and umbrella. He had been far from the scene of the accident, and did not even know there had been one. He stood amazed at Josephine's piercing cry; at Richards' quick motion to screen him from the view of his wife. When the doctors came they said she had died of heart disease—of the joy that kills.” (Chopin 1894, paragraph