Professor Brown
English 131- Section 12
24 November 2014
“The Story of an Hour” Literary Analysis Essay Kate Chopin had many great works that many readers enjoyed reading because of her distinctive use of literary elements that would capture her reader’s attention instantly throughout the story. Amongst many of Kate Chopin’s most impressive works is the short story titled “The Story of an Hour”. Her short story portrays the importance of using literary affects to convey an overall astonishing effect to the readers. The use of irony, symbolism, and imagery, in her short story helps the reader get a better understanding of the overall affect that the author wanted to convey to people. These literary elements are essential to help portray, and create an artistic affect to the readers.
The imagery that aids in the plot and meaning of the story is that of nature. There is a direct correlation between the time of renewal and rebirth in nature and the reawakening of the woman’s freedom. The death of a person is typically associated with seasons of death; Brently Mallard’s unknown death takes place in the spring. As Ms. Mallard looks out the window, she is confronted by the wet fresh rain, and the bright new grown trees, which all symbolize her new-sprung freedom. The clouds, which portrayed a metaphor for the shadows that drifted over her marriage, begin to split apart, and make way for a fresh beginning. The symbols shown in the Mallard house are further demonstrations of the struggle between authority and modesty. Different from the outside world, the interior of the house is like a prison, which is meant to keep Mrs. Mallard, separated from the world she lives in. The doors are also symbols of her captivity and restrictions that she faces. In her private room, Mrs. Mallard does what she wants without the disturbance of other people. She can lock and unlock her door, with this as her only means of controlling her own life. Once she opens the door, she