Response To Kate Chopin's The Story Of An Hour
The Response of an Hour “The Story of an Hour” is a two page short story written by Kate Chopin (born February 8, 1851 died August 22, 1904) (Larsson Donald, and Erskine Thomas 1), but despite its small size, it is filled with conflicting emotions and symbolism. The amount of well-hidden symbolism can make it very confusing, but it also gives the story an unlimited amount of meaning. At first glance, many may not realize that the sky is a symbol, or understand a kind “of joy that kills” (Chopin 128), and cannot comprehend the mental state someone must be in to fell “free” (129) from hearing of death of her spouse. “The Story of an Hour” is about a woman named Mrs. Mallard whom has a heart problem. The “story” of her husband’s death was first
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Mallard does acknowledge that she will cry at her husband’s funeral when she sees his “face that had never looked save with love upon her, fixed and gray and dead” (Chopin 129). In the same paragraph she also acknowledge the future “that would belong to her absolutely” which she welcomed with arms wide open (129). This paragraph can give insight into two different perspectives, one perspective is that Mrs. Mallard is “arguing her case for the right to feel liberated” (qtd. in Evans, “Story” 99). She is arguing that she will remember her husband’s kindness before she indulges in her new found independence and bright future found from her husband’s death. On the other hand, this paragraph can also suggest yet another internal conflict “between competing perspectives within her own mind” (98). One part of her conflicting mind can be understood through words such as “tender hands” (Chopin 129) and “face that had never looked save with love upon her” which suggest she was contempt with her married life (qtd. in Evans, “Story” 98). The other part of her mind was gently introduced with “transition” (98) words such as “fixed and gray and dead” (Chopin 129). This part of her mind is the new single Louise Mallard, her real name, that is excited for the “years to come that would belong to her absolutely”
Mallard does acknowledge that she will cry at her husband’s funeral when she sees his “face that had never looked save with love upon her, fixed and gray and dead” (Chopin 129). In the same paragraph she also acknowledge the future “that would belong to her absolutely” which she welcomed with arms wide open (129). This paragraph can give insight into two different perspectives, one perspective is that Mrs. Mallard is “arguing her case for the right to feel liberated” (qtd. in Evans, “Story” 99). She is arguing that she will remember her husband’s kindness before she indulges in her new found independence and bright future found from her husband’s death. On the other hand, this paragraph can also suggest yet another internal conflict “between competing perspectives within her own mind” (98). One part of her conflicting mind can be understood through words such as “tender hands” (Chopin 129) and “face that had never looked save with love upon her” which suggest she was contempt with her married life (qtd. in Evans, “Story” 98). The other part of her mind was gently introduced with “transition” (98) words such as “fixed and gray and dead” (Chopin 129). This part of her mind is the new single Louise Mallard, her real name, that is excited for the “years to come that would belong to her absolutely”