Story of an Hour

In Kate Chopin’s “Story of an Hour”, the author uses many themes throughout the passage to shows different aspects of a wife’s change from a dedicated married woman to a liberated free-woman and again into her death. Many themes are present throughout the passage, but to some the strongest theme is the processes in which the protagonist uses in her grieving. This theme coupled with strong diction emphasize this change and really create a wonderful sub-plot. Chopin uses these stylistic techniques to strengthen the power in the tale. The story is short but the words are used in a way push the story in a believable manner to best show the evolution of Mrs. Mallard. Though the story is short, we fully believe the story takes place over an entire hour. (Pg.1 Para. 1)
Though many focus on the growing into independence over the course of this hour, I believe the steps of grieving (or lack thereof) coupled with the strong use of diction really drive this passage and made it the classic it has become. Not particularly the result itself, but the processes to get to that result, like the phrase “the journey is sometimes better than the destination”. (Pg. 1)
The story begins by explaining that the protagonist, referred to as Mrs. Mallard, has a heart condition, which ultimately kills her, and “great care” was used to prevent her from an incident in the shock of her husband’s death. Though great care was taken to prevent this and a so-called “tender” personal friend of her late husband presented the sad news, Mrs. Mallard instantly bursts out into uncontrollable crying “in sudden, wild abandonment” instead of the “paralyzed inability to accept its significance” that the normal wife would encounter, thus beginning the alternate process of grieving that runs through the passage. (Pg. 1)
Words such as “paralyzed” and “inability” are used in a way to give contrast to Mrs. Mallard’s reaction. This reaction is contrary to the common psychology of grieving and starts the passage